To be pissed off at neighbour coming into garden to retrieve footballs

A} tell them to stop coming into your property
B) suggest they move the goal net away from other people's boundaries
C) explain all future ball finds will be donated to a local football team
D) give her the details of open spaces if you CBA

I must be getting old. I love kids. Sometimes it's the parents though.

Who would actually do this?

I'd rather the children just came and quietly got their ball, as long as they latched the gate on the way out. I wouldn't have to keep answering the door when I'm in the middle of doing other things.

Someone down thread comment 'Aren't you lovely?' to this post.
Obviously never been driven mad with footballs over a fence upto a dozen times a day by 2 teens and a twatish neighbour whining 'Well they've got to play somewhere'
As I told her they could fuck off to the park two minutes away then.
The council finally stepped in as she was renting [no problem with that] and I had told them I was taking legal against them if they didn't sort it out. Had been going on since they moved in 2 years previous, inspite of repeated requests by me to keep the ball down, it got worse instead.
After kicking the council up the arse, it suddenly eased down and gradually stopped.

teen boys probably around 13 and 16ish

Boys that age are too big to be playing football in a smallish back garden - of course the ball will go over any time they hoof it - and old enough to take themselves off to the park or playing field.

Put up razor wire!

Kids have always jumped fences to grab balls if they think they can get away with it. I know my friends did - I was always far too well behaved, nervous and completely useless at climbing fences to try! That doesn’t mean they should though.

You need to talk to their parents, nicely, about it. But I also think that if it’s happening very regularly that their ball comes into your garden, you may need a bigger fence.

I have this issue. Balls get kicked over literally several times in 10 minutes. To the point my garden doesn't feel like my own, as the kids think nothing of just wandering in and out of it - and treat it like an extension of their own garden.

have had words. Will see if it stops

Is it that big of a deal if they hop over the low fence to retrieve their ball? When my boys were small, we had two elderly ladies next door and they just told our boys to hop over the wall and get the ball if it went over!

Who does the fence belong to? Could you add some trellis to the top to make it higher so that the ball doesn't come over & also so they can't climb over it.

Remember the days when neighbours popped footballs that repeatedly came into their garden?

Id opt for a higher inner fence or trellis.

Put up a taller fence, even if just chicken wire? Plant bamboo? Try not to argue with neighbours.

I wonder if they've moved their goals because they've had complaints from other neighbours? It doesn't sound like these folk are going to be amenable to moving it back, I'm afraid.

1m fence is very low, we have similar age DC and have a large fixed net to keep balls in the garden. This one is on sale I would suggest to your neighbours to consider something like this - it’s about the price of a couple of footballs(“have you considered a stop the ball net it’s less frustrating for the kids as they don’t lose their balls all the time” ).. it’s much better the kids are outside playing football than inside on screens but they do need to make it not annoying and inconvenient for their neighbours!

https://www.networldsports.co.uk/pop-up-stop-that-balltm-ball-stop-post-system.html

I'd rather neighbours did this than have to constantly pick up balls and throw them back myself. He's taking initiative to sort out a problem his kid caused without me having to do anything - ideal. Couldn't care less if he's coming on my property if he's only doing it to retrieve balls.

(We get footballs in our garden sometimes in a similar situation, but the garden isn't accessible to the neighbours so we have to deliver them back ourselves - I wish the neighbour could just come and get them!)

She can't control balls going into her garden it's just one of them things when you choose to live in close proximity to others

Not really. I’ve had literally hundreds of pounds worth of damage done by balls coming over fences. Including a ball going through my greenhouse roof smashing the glass. Pots and plants damaged as well as damage to my car. So no they will no longer get their damned balls back.

She has a 2 year old and another baby on the way. It's not safe to have things flying over the fence like that. In any case, it's her property, if she doesn't want footballs/unruly kids on it then it's up to her.

Although yanbu I'd honestly be thrilled i tell the kids next door to get their own ball so that i don't have to keep getting up

Well aren’t you lovely.

They don't sound like neighbours who have respect, it doesn't sound like they will listen/care. They will surely be able to see the ball in the neighbour's garden from their window, so will be aware of the situation but have allowed it to continue.

YABU to ‘make a big deal’ out of it! Just say ‘hey I think someone had gone in to our garden and taken back a ball plus my child’s ball. Please in future just knock if you want your ball back and I’ll be happy to return it’

You big meany! 😱 kids are not usually able to control where they kick a ball unless they are budding Ronald's!

Of course, I'm not saying I don't agree with you - I think you're absolutely right about what's happened to them - I just mean you can't prove it so to speak, so it might make things awkward if they decide to be arsey about it. If that makes sense.

I quite like PP's suggestion of binning them tbh 🤣 I can't say I'd definitely do it but I'd fantasise about doing it!

I can’t stand kids who repeatedly kick balls over fences. Once is an accident twice or more is a choice. Any balls that come over my fences get binned. Funnily enough once the kids know they won’t get their balls back they can suddenly control where they go!

They sound like horrendous neighbours. You don't need all of this stress whilst on maternity leave. It doesn't sound like your husband speaking to them will have much effect. I'd definitely go with a higher fence if it were me and also when your father finishes the work on the garden, getting a locking gate to keep them out of your garden. You'll need that anyway when your little one starts walking.