my irritating neighbours and their annoying kids...

[VelvetSpoon]

I probably am BU since this is all really low level and nowhere near as bad as most peoples issues with their neighbours but...

I really don't get on with my neighbours, they irritate the shit out of me. It's all minor stuff like their bin constantly overflows (because despite having 2 cars they are too lazy to take their rubbish to the tip - only just over a mile away!) so I end up with their rubbish strewn over my garden, including dirty nappies etc, yuck. I strongly suspect they stole a pressure washer I (foolishly) left in my garden. They've broken my fence, and put a crappy one up in its place which looks cheap and tatty.

And the noise...they have 4 kids under 8 in a 2 bed house. Our houses are about 7ft apart but I can hear noise constantly from about 6am. Whining, crying, screaming. Ugh. It's worse in summer because the kids are all in the garden all day making a horrendous noise. Today, they've been outside shrieking for an hour already. I turn tv/ radio up but it still doesn't drown them out. They always have the (equally annoying) kids from over the road round as well so that's 7 screaming kids in a 15 x 30ft garden.

The kids chuck toys over into my garden all the time (I used to throw them back, now I just bin them. They do this super annoying thing where they constantly hang over the fence and expect to be spoken to. I was having some work done in the garden a few months back and they were all lined up along the fence, calling out and asking questions to the workmen. It's the same as if I'm in the garden. The other evening bf and I were outside taking some measurements. Then they all pipe up 'hello...hello...HELLO.... HELLO...WE'RE TALKING TO YOU...HELLOO...HELLOO...HELLOO...

You get the idea. It went on continuously, shouting at full volume, for the 10 mins or so we were in the garden. Bf gave them 'the look' but they're so undisciplined that went completely over their heads.

I have to go and do some weeding and mow the lawn later, I am dreading it as I know I'll have an hour of HELLO..HELLOO etc on a loop. while their ignorant parents sit indoors and ignore it

[NeonGod73]

Build a wall instead of a fence between your gardens.

[Wishiwasmoiradingle2017]

Get a 6 ft fence put up and a sound system in the garden!!
You should be able to enjoy your garden!

[VelvetSpoon]

I am planning to get a 6ft fence put up when finances permit. I'll still have the general noise but they won't be able to hang over the fence as they do now.

[HelgaHufflepuff76]

My neighbours kids used to do the fence thing too. I would just say to them "get down from there it's rude and you might fall". They would usually get down then, until the next time!
Fortunately as they got a bit older they grew out of it.

I think you should say something to the parents about the bins though, that's disgusting.

[Unluckycat1]

Be firm but not rude, "I'm in my garden to have me time/time with my partner, I'm not going to have a conversation with you. Please get down, it's rude to hang over my fence." aaand repeat. Fingers crossed it'll get through to them.

They sound bloody annoying.

[MaisyPops]

Bins sound disgusting.
Fence sounds annoying.

Kids trying to chat to the workmen is fairly common in my experience. Theyre just interested.

[VelvetSpoon]

I throw all the nappies etc that end up in my front garden back over into theirs. They've put their bin bags in my bin too in the past, I returned that to their garden (couldn't put it in their bon as it was overflowing) as well.

[VelvetSpoon]

It's not just the workmen, its me/bf/ anyone in the garden. My teen DC don't go in the garden because of it.

I brought my DC up not to call out to adults or interrupt them. I wouldn't have allowed my kids to be outside making the noise this lot do but the parents clearly couldn't care less.

They're not climbing up the fence - its about 4ft but their garden is higher than mine so they can just about see over the top, like a row of Chads. Their trampoline is also right next to the fence and about level with the top of it.

[soloula]

Bamboo is really fast growing and would create a tall screen between you. Looks really nice and cheaper than a new fence too.

[HelgaHufflepuff76]

I would be putting up a high fence as soon as possible if I were you.
I might also be contacting the council regarding the bin situation.

[PenelopeFlintstone]

What happens if you answer the kids straight away with a nice smile? Do they still keep going anyway?

[VelvetSpoon]

If you answer the kids it keeps going. Or they just move onto other questions. Like when the guys were working here, it was something like
HELLO...HELLO...MAN I'M TALKING TO YOU...HELLO
and then when the guys put their tools down to speak to them, a barrage of questions
WHAT ARE YOU DOING
WHYYYY
WHY ISNT SHE (is me) DOING IT
CAN YOU THROW OUR BALL BACK
and then once they went back to work, starting up with the HELLOOO again.

I really dislike them. I don't normally dislike children but this lot really get my goat!

[OnTheUp13]

I feel your pain. I'm sitting in my front room with a poorly toddler asleep on my lap and as always I can hear next door telling her feral kids to SHUT THE FUCK UP! She must scream it from the bottom of the stairs. On top of that they have the TV so loud I can tell you what programme they're watching and they also like to hang over the fence.

I thought I was being a bit of a twat & over sensitive but it's nice to know I'm not.

[AHedgehogCanNeverBeBuggered]

Those all sound completely normal interactions with kids that age

Really Francis? Glad I'm not your neighbour!

[LuxCoDespondent]

There are a lot of scummy families with scummy kids like that. It's incredibly rude, my own parents had a similar issue with a pack of kids who'd always go "hello...hello....I'm talking to you...HEEELLLLOOO". If they ignored them, it got worse, if they interacted with them in any way, it got worse. Fortunately in this case the parents were unaware (lived round the corner), and when on one occasion the parent witnessed it he went apeshit, smacked/punched (it was open-handed, but hard) one of the kids and forcibly dragged another home - the kids weren't much of a problem after that!

[VelvetSpoon]

I needed to put my rubbish in my bin, Francis. If Id left their bin bag in there, there wouldn't have been room. Nothing to stop them taking excess rubbish to the tip, they both drive and are able bodied, just lazy and using my bin clearly seemed an easy option to them!

As for their kids, I wouldn't allow my children to have interrupted anyone working, actually to have interrupted an adult full stop. Their parents are either too lazy to put a stop to it or too ignorant to care. I don't think 5 year olds should be calling out at the top of their voices or making a nuisance of themselves to others.

The cacophony of noise when they're outside goes beyond children playing. It is screaming, shouting and crying all the time. I have all my windows closed and can still hear it. The garden isn't big enough for 4 children and certainly not for 7. If they can't play quietly (they can't) then the parents should take them to the park at the end of the road. But I guess that would involve supervising them which they don't have to do when the kids are in the garden.

[NeonGod73]

Sounds like the little critters are desperate for attention because they get none from their parents.

[WaitroseCoffeeCostaCup]

I couldn't even read to the end, sorry. You sound very sad and bitter.

[TinklyLittleLaugh]

Poor things sound desperate for attention. Would it help if you interacted nicely for a few minutes then asked them to leave you in peace?

Our, otherwise nice enough, neighbours have placed their trampoline so that it is at the bottom of their garden but right next to our patio. It's a bit annoying to have the boinging and the squealing and the little heads bobbing over the fence only feet away when we're trying to have a nice glass of wine or something.

[Cakeycakecake]

My neighbors used to hang on the fence. Shouting sons name. Drove me nuts. No I don't want to talk to a 7yr old about why I'm laying in the sun. No I don't wish to discuss every plant. No, you can't help yourself to my fruit growing. Grrr.
Luckily, as they've grown up, they are less annoying. And I repeat I'm busy right now (or put headphones in, turn the mower on...) blocking them out helps.
Putting tall shrubs along that side helps too. I've occasionally had the conversation with friends in the garden loud enough for neighbors to hear that I'd like to have more privacy and replace the short fence at some point... they've got the hint. Good luck!

[WaitroseCoffeeCostaCup]

And Lux...you sound even worse. And quite unhinged:

'Fortunately in this case the parents were unaware (lived round the corner), and when on one occasion the parent witnessed it he went apeshit, smacked/punched (it was open-handed, but hard) one of the kids and forcibly dragged another home - the kids weren't much of a problem after that! '

[GriefLeavesItsMark]

Four small children in a 2 bed house seems really crap. Console yourself with the thought that they probably want to be there about as much as you want them there.