stopping a child from playing in their own garden

[wookette]

a neighbour has lodged a complaint about my child playing in football in our garden. they are a tenant with a housing association - we own our house and garden. ive been asked by her housing assoc.via a letter for my child to refrain from playing. surely my child has the right to play safely on our own property?

[Paulst30]

Tell them in your own beautiful way to go mind their own business !!

Kids are kids, you own the land and they know that a call to the police will be thrown out by them so they go hide behind their housing association who cant do jack.

Their sad life cant be made better by complaining about your child playing. They obviously have a problem with happiness.

Live on!!

[~Wingnut~]

Blimey! I guess it depends on how noisey he/she was being and how often he/she was playing football, like if it was continuously all day then yes it may start to grate a bit but to send a letter saying refrain your child from playing in your own garden!!
They've sent it out as a matter of protocol as their tenant has complained not really sure how much they can stop your child from playing in their own garden tho. You could speak to the CAB and see where you stand.

looking forward to seeing other's answers and views on this.

[wookette]

cheers paulst30 - its ridiculous - my other neighbour received same letter, same wording.our children play togther and are friends. i have voiced my feelings on paper and posted it to housing assoc. these neighbours certainly do have a prob with happiness!

[wookette]

thanx wingnut for your imput. the housing assoc had no idea i wasn't a tenant as they said i was in breach of my tenancy agreement and yet the neighbours who lodged this complaint know we are home owners! i think they ought to have done their homework before having a dig at my child. daft thing is its not a regular thing that my child kicks a ball around his own garden!

[redcrx]

tell them to either rehome the complainant to somewhere there are no children about or tell your neighbour to buy their own house where they can choose who the neighbours are :)

Unless your child is making excessive noise other than just playing then i doubt they really have a cause for complaint. Of course, if hes outside til 10pm playing a drumkit or drilling then maybe they have a point lol

[wookette]

redcrx - oooh - dont put ideas into my head! hehe

[Solarjunkie]

Does your local council run a mediation service? It is a shame to fall out with neighbours when maybe there is a middle path available. For example, if you went into their house you might be surprised at how loud the noise is.

Rather than letting a situation escalate, hopefully an agreement can be reached about lateness of playtime, etc.

[wookette]

solarjunkie - thanks for your imput. i've already spoken to the neighbour concerned - did that when she started calling over the fence and being rude to my child.she was very nice about things to my face but then went and reported us! i'd say my child is not creating much noise and there are things i could have complained about regarding her but we all have to live together. u expect a certain amount of noise pollution wherever you are and shes had issues before with others so i don't think its just us.

[cascarelli]

Some people just like to moan!

Mind you, we used to live next door to a couple with a young kid and they encouraged the kid to slam the back door constantly as a game! It soon became very wearing as our back doors were next to each other in a terrace. We moved away shortly afterwards.

If the kids are just playing normally in the garden then it's nothing to worry about, though it's never nice to fall out with your neighbours.

Hope it works out.

[bojangles75]

i think that you have to watch out. i've heard of neighbours eating naughty children in your area, some of them being boiled in a pot with spices before being served. I would check with your local supermarket incase excessive amounts of stock cubes and/or gravey are purchased as these are a sure-fire way of knowing that some child eating will ensure.

[Whickerman]

Invite your son's schoolfriends over EVERY DAY for a kickabout.

[wookette]

whickerman - yeah , very tempted i tell thee!

[TVFan]

If the playing of football is an annoyance to the detriment of other people within a housing association owned set of properties within the same estate;then sorry they can insist on this-rules are rules and if you break them then I'm afraid they can make you abide or risk losing your tenancy. If it's privately owned but his/her ball goes into people gardens in a nearby housing association owned estate or smashes windows or damages cars/property then they could still insist.

[wookette]

tvfan - thats the thing - my child has damaged nothing and plays in OUR garden and its not constantly. all the tenants children however play in the street - which is prohibited and damage my property along with the complaintants. when my property is damaged i PAY for it. if the tenant who lodged this complaint has damage she pays not one single penny!