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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To be annoyed at my neighbours for this?

263 replies

Amybelle88 · 29/06/2025 23:11

Perfectly open to hearing that I’m being unreasonable on this.

For background and context - I live on a new build estate that has 70 odd houses privately owned by a corporate landlord - the estate is marketed as a family estate, and is therefore mainly occupied by families with kids.

We are a family of 4 with 2 kids aged 8 and 9. They’re good kids. And I’m not just saying that cos I’m one of those knobhead mums who thinks her babies can do no wrong, they’re genuinely just sound kids.

Our house is a semi detached house - we’ve been here for 8 years and watched tenants come and go. Never had an issue with anyone, so much so the previous neighbour is now one of my best friends. I’m conscious of noise as new builds are notorious for being able to hear your neighbours do so much as fart, but I don’t hear them and according to my now friend, she never heard us, either.

We are relatively quiet people - we are in bed by 9, don’t drink or have parties, don’t play music loud - we don’t even watch TV really. Fully aware that we sound like boring bastards 😂 we’ve never had a problem with our current neighbours - polite hello when we see them etc. So as not to drip feed, my husband always said he thought they were a bit rude but I didn’t notice it as much - I just think some people are more private than others.

We have lots of green space and a massive field in front of our house - because of this, our kids rarely play in the garden and I don’t let them play football, mainly because these houses are mass produced fucking shoeboxes with a lot of them jammed into one place - if they were to kick the ball and hit the fence it is a noise nuisance for around 12 houses and not just our immediate neighbours. Nobody wants to hear a fence being twatted by a ball all day, whether they’ve got kids or not.

Today, they had a game of catch with their Dad and the ball went over the fence, so they asked could they knock at the neighbours and ask for it back, we said yes. They have done this one other time in the whole of the 18 months that they’ve been here - they were playing basketball and I now no longer allow them to play basketball because I don’t want the ball going over the fence.

The neighbour has given my kids down the banks and said they are making her life inconvenient by kicking the ball over.

It’s literally only happened once before and it was a long time ago - when my previous neighbours from any side of my fence managed to kick a ball over, which happened often, I’d just think nothing of it and just throw it back.

If my kids were doing this often and it was a consistent problem, I’d be the first to side with the neighbour, I’d be mortified that we were causing a problem for someone. My stance at the minute is I think she’s a bit of a rude dickhead.

My husband knocked and asked if she was ok as the kids said they’d been shouted at - she replied with “yes, they kicked the ball over, they always do it” to which my husband said “what? No they don’t, they’re just kids but it’s not a frequent issue either.” Neighbour replied with “so what?” - husband said “what do you mean so what? I’m just trying to have a conversation with you?” To which she huffed and puffed and went back in.

I get that kids frequently kicking a ball over into your garden would be a fucking pain in the arse, but this isn’t what’s happening here. We’ve knocked to see if there wa a genuine issue but got nowhere. She was a rude arsehole. I also think if there was a problem she should have spoke to me or my husband as we are the adults, rather than shout at my 8 and 9 year old who just asked for their ball back.

To be honest, my hormones are getting the better of me right now and I feel like getting all of the flat balls and lashing them over into her garden for her miserable face to stare at and feel inner rage at.

I often take parcels in for them - as I do for other neighbours - not particularly something that bothers me as it’s just neighbourly? Some big bastard fuck off parcels, too - which, in my tiny hall means we have to clamber over them until she gets off her high horse and comes to pick them up. But hey ho, they’re not there forever and I’m only being cunty about it now as she’s rattled my cage because not once have I moaned about that ‘inconvenience’. Not even when I was in the midst of shaving my gorilla legs and had to dive out of the bath soaking wet and looking like a fat tramp with half shaved legs to open the door to the dpd driver for more of her shit.

I’m not one of those parents who thinks that those who don’t have kids should have to put up with other peoples kids, cos truth be told, even though I’ve got kids, most other peoples kids annoy me. But a ball going over the fence really isn’t a big deal, is it?!

And surely, if you don’t want to deal with the potential issues kids bring, don’t move onto an estate marketed at families that is slap bang in the middle of three primary schools.

You know what, I’m still open to replies but after writing that I just think she’s a dick and next time I get a parcel for her I’m either a) gonna jump all over it b) throw it over the fence c) knock fuck out of her front door until she gets her arse out of bed to take delivery of her own shit.

Also can’t believe I’ve just spent so much time writing a post about a ball going over a fence, but here we are. Middle age creeps up fucking fast, I used to take mdma in Ibiza, now look at me.

PS I’m moving soon. Fuck that ho.

OP posts:
WiddlinDiddlin · 30/06/2025 04:46

Oh and anyone waiting for their ball to be delivered back will be waiting til hell freezes over as my back yard resembles some sort of jungle and if anyone finds the ball it will be a dog and it won't resemble a ball for long!

WiddlinDiddlin · 30/06/2025 04:45

Perfectly ok to knock for the ball on the once in a blue moon occasion it goes over the fence, as long as its a sensible hour - but this is MN and knocking on doors/answering doors if it's not a prebooked appointment are both OUTRAGEOUS behaviours of the amoeba classes...

She's a grade A twunt - refuse parcels in future, or drop kick over her fence, whichever you happen to be in the mood for at the time (I might let size/weight of parcel influence my decision here!).

SheSaidHummingbird · 30/06/2025 04:39

@Amybelle88 In all seriousness.

Continue to accept her parcels, like the good neighbour that you are.

Tape your leg hair shavings to all parcels.

Take Sharpie and write BASTARD PARCELS in huge letters on all parcels.

Feel free to channel your rage and kick all parcels for optimum damage to contents. Much better therapy than writng on mumsnet.

Smile gleefully when neighbour comes to collect parcels.

Do it for us.

DreamTheMoors · 30/06/2025 04:25

ScratCat · 29/06/2025 23:22

Christ, was it necessary to wang on so much?

I didn’t even make it to the end, so I don’t know if you’re being unreasonable or not.

She’s furious. She ranted.
How lucky for you that you’re so even tempered and lovely.
We should all aspire to be just. like. you.

VeganStar · 30/06/2025 03:58

I’m just glad that when my dd was small and played ball in our back garden our neighbours used to say don’t knock just come in and get it yourself.

All of us in our row had this agreement

The times my other neighbours dds ball came into our garden was nobody’s business but because of the agreement we didn’t have each other’s dc knocking the door all the time and we trusted each other’s dc to not mess about and fp they didn’t and we taught them to close the gates behind them.

That’s just how our neighbourhood is.

Admittedly this may not work for everyone.

VeganStar · 30/06/2025 03:25

Amybelle88 · 29/06/2025 23:33

I like you.

I’m drop kicking 😂😂😂

Or rig up a giant catapult and get the kids to take turns in launching them over to hers with a small prize for the one who manages ti get it balancing on her roof. Ha.

Studyunder · 30/06/2025 02:56

There’s nothing wrong with a polite knock at the door. If I find a ball in my garden it makes me concerned when I don’t know what direction it came from, and some kid’s possibly lost their favourite ball 🤷🏼‍♀️

Gremlins101 · 30/06/2025 02:21

Yanbu. My neighbour always says if he's away we are welcome to hop the fence too. If we are done with the game, we usually just wait til the next day and find that he has sent the balls back over by then.

I agree that your posts gets a bit mad at the end though.

HallidayJones6779 · 30/06/2025 01:45

@Amybelle88 contrary to popular opinion, I very much enjoyed your numerous paragraphs!

TaupeMember · 30/06/2025 01:21

NuffSaidSam · 29/06/2025 23:43

It's not normal. It's rude. You don't interrupt someone else's peace because you've lost a ball, you wait for it to come back.

Rubbish

LittleGreenDragons · 30/06/2025 01:09

I want to hear about dogs too, romanian or otherwise. Might take my mind away from gorilla legs 🙈

Of course it's not rude to ask for a ball back. How would the neighbour know whose ball it is, or even know it was there? Not everyone goes out patrolling every night looking for wayward balls, power rangers or other invasive creatures. Stupid comment.

HarkerandBarker · 30/06/2025 00:55

Suednymph · 30/06/2025 00:21

Having a sense of humour seems to be outdated a thing going on some of the responses.... jesus christ lads shes just having a rant and twice in 18 months the kids knocked its hardly from dusk till dawn.

Send DHL next time to collect the kids ball and some posters may be happier with that haha

Totally agree 👍

HarkerandBarker · 30/06/2025 00:53

Nuffsaidsam, got my wires crossed. Please ignore my last reply to you 🙏

HarkerandBarker · 30/06/2025 00:47

NuffSaidSam · 30/06/2025 00:29

I do get to tell everyone that I find it rude and based on all the neighbours I've ever had they also find it rude (or at least unnecessary as presumably their children have been encouraged to develop some patience). It's very much the standard approach here. You can of course disagree, but it's good to know and bear in mind that many people do find it rude. Your boundaries and not THE boundaries.

I'm always thankful when a neighbour takes in a parcel and all my neighbours are thankful too. The approach here would be to send a message either directly or via the street WhatsApp to let them know a parcel has been delivered for them and when is a convenient time to collect. In the absence of that, knocking for a parcel would be the right approach imo because leaving it in their house is more of an inconvenience than knocking. A ball in the garden is less of an inconvenience than being sent out to get it by a child on your doorstep.

Sounds like you've been brainwashed into the new practice Gratitude and your tripping.

HarkerandBarker · 30/06/2025 00:45

Raquelos · 30/06/2025 00:40

I'll be honest, I was following along with a bit of sympathy, but that was the point that I really got on side with the OP. 😁

Some people on here are so uptight aren't they?

HarkerandBarker · 30/06/2025 00:43

Wow, some people really like to power trip on here! Just give the fucking ball back! What's the big deal. You'd rather prove a point upsetting kids and cause a rift with your neighbour??? I don't think it's unreasonable to ask for your ball back at all.

Raquelos · 30/06/2025 00:40

LemonLimeOrangeKiwi · 29/06/2025 23:39

You lost my sympathy at “fuck that ho” 🙄

Edited

I'll be honest, I was following along with a bit of sympathy, but that was the point that I really got on side with the OP. 😁

tupperwaretowers · 30/06/2025 00:39

Would appear I’m a disgruntled neighbour. Ball comes over multiple times a week, problem is front door and back garden are on 2 different floors of the house.

In their defense they are always super polite but it’s a pain and why should it be my problem!

Disclaimer. There are no parcels involved as due to layout we live on different roads.

TalkToTheHand123 · 30/06/2025 00:37

Amybelle88 · 29/06/2025 23:11

Perfectly open to hearing that I’m being unreasonable on this.

For background and context - I live on a new build estate that has 70 odd houses privately owned by a corporate landlord - the estate is marketed as a family estate, and is therefore mainly occupied by families with kids.

We are a family of 4 with 2 kids aged 8 and 9. They’re good kids. And I’m not just saying that cos I’m one of those knobhead mums who thinks her babies can do no wrong, they’re genuinely just sound kids.

Our house is a semi detached house - we’ve been here for 8 years and watched tenants come and go. Never had an issue with anyone, so much so the previous neighbour is now one of my best friends. I’m conscious of noise as new builds are notorious for being able to hear your neighbours do so much as fart, but I don’t hear them and according to my now friend, she never heard us, either.

We are relatively quiet people - we are in bed by 9, don’t drink or have parties, don’t play music loud - we don’t even watch TV really. Fully aware that we sound like boring bastards 😂 we’ve never had a problem with our current neighbours - polite hello when we see them etc. So as not to drip feed, my husband always said he thought they were a bit rude but I didn’t notice it as much - I just think some people are more private than others.

We have lots of green space and a massive field in front of our house - because of this, our kids rarely play in the garden and I don’t let them play football, mainly because these houses are mass produced fucking shoeboxes with a lot of them jammed into one place - if they were to kick the ball and hit the fence it is a noise nuisance for around 12 houses and not just our immediate neighbours. Nobody wants to hear a fence being twatted by a ball all day, whether they’ve got kids or not.

Today, they had a game of catch with their Dad and the ball went over the fence, so they asked could they knock at the neighbours and ask for it back, we said yes. They have done this one other time in the whole of the 18 months that they’ve been here - they were playing basketball and I now no longer allow them to play basketball because I don’t want the ball going over the fence.

The neighbour has given my kids down the banks and said they are making her life inconvenient by kicking the ball over.

It’s literally only happened once before and it was a long time ago - when my previous neighbours from any side of my fence managed to kick a ball over, which happened often, I’d just think nothing of it and just throw it back.

If my kids were doing this often and it was a consistent problem, I’d be the first to side with the neighbour, I’d be mortified that we were causing a problem for someone. My stance at the minute is I think she’s a bit of a rude dickhead.

My husband knocked and asked if she was ok as the kids said they’d been shouted at - she replied with “yes, they kicked the ball over, they always do it” to which my husband said “what? No they don’t, they’re just kids but it’s not a frequent issue either.” Neighbour replied with “so what?” - husband said “what do you mean so what? I’m just trying to have a conversation with you?” To which she huffed and puffed and went back in.

I get that kids frequently kicking a ball over into your garden would be a fucking pain in the arse, but this isn’t what’s happening here. We’ve knocked to see if there wa a genuine issue but got nowhere. She was a rude arsehole. I also think if there was a problem she should have spoke to me or my husband as we are the adults, rather than shout at my 8 and 9 year old who just asked for their ball back.

To be honest, my hormones are getting the better of me right now and I feel like getting all of the flat balls and lashing them over into her garden for her miserable face to stare at and feel inner rage at.

I often take parcels in for them - as I do for other neighbours - not particularly something that bothers me as it’s just neighbourly? Some big bastard fuck off parcels, too - which, in my tiny hall means we have to clamber over them until she gets off her high horse and comes to pick them up. But hey ho, they’re not there forever and I’m only being cunty about it now as she’s rattled my cage because not once have I moaned about that ‘inconvenience’. Not even when I was in the midst of shaving my gorilla legs and had to dive out of the bath soaking wet and looking like a fat tramp with half shaved legs to open the door to the dpd driver for more of her shit.

I’m not one of those parents who thinks that those who don’t have kids should have to put up with other peoples kids, cos truth be told, even though I’ve got kids, most other peoples kids annoy me. But a ball going over the fence really isn’t a big deal, is it?!

And surely, if you don’t want to deal with the potential issues kids bring, don’t move onto an estate marketed at families that is slap bang in the middle of three primary schools.

You know what, I’m still open to replies but after writing that I just think she’s a dick and next time I get a parcel for her I’m either a) gonna jump all over it b) throw it over the fence c) knock fuck out of her front door until she gets her arse out of bed to take delivery of her own shit.

Also can’t believe I’ve just spent so much time writing a post about a ball going over a fence, but here we are. Middle age creeps up fucking fast, I used to take mdma in Ibiza, now look at me.

PS I’m moving soon. Fuck that ho.

You are lucky you are not my neighbour. I burst every ball that goes into my garden.

ohfourfoxache · 30/06/2025 00:37

I had a kids shoe over my fence last week - makes a change from balls!

I don’t mind at all. I take their parcels in too

But my neighbours aren’t rude cunts 🤣

NuffSaidSam · 30/06/2025 00:29

IchiNiSanShiGo · 30/06/2025 00:22

Sorry, but I still disagree with you. You don’t have to answer the door to take a parcel in, you don’t have to answer the door when a child knocks to ask for their bsll back. But you don’t get to tell everyone else that knocking on your door is rude.

We are always really thankful f a neighbour takes a parcel in for us. When they do, should we knock on their door, or wait til they bring it round to us?

Edited

I do get to tell everyone that I find it rude and based on all the neighbours I've ever had they also find it rude (or at least unnecessary as presumably their children have been encouraged to develop some patience). It's very much the standard approach here. You can of course disagree, but it's good to know and bear in mind that many people do find it rude. Your boundaries and not THE boundaries.

I'm always thankful when a neighbour takes in a parcel and all my neighbours are thankful too. The approach here would be to send a message either directly or via the street WhatsApp to let them know a parcel has been delivered for them and when is a convenient time to collect. In the absence of that, knocking for a parcel would be the right approach imo because leaving it in their house is more of an inconvenience than knocking. A ball in the garden is less of an inconvenience than being sent out to get it by a child on your doorstep.

ClairDeLaLune · 30/06/2025 00:28

NuffSaidSam · 30/06/2025 00:02

Ten years younger than you.

When I was a kid we waited until the neighbours threw our balls back because it would have been rude to keep knocking on their door asking for it. We survived. Kids today will survive waiting a few hours to get their ball back. There is no need to knock and ask for it immediately.

Have a bit more respect for your neighbours.

But if you don’t knock, how would the neighbours finding a ball in their garden know which house it had come from? They might throw it into the wrong garden. Your post is not logical @NuffSaidSam

ClairDeLaLune · 30/06/2025 00:24

You’re moving out? In that case sling every punctured ball you can find over the misery-arse’s fence plus any broken toy you need to get rid of!

DrowningInSyrup · 30/06/2025 00:23

Amybelle88 · 29/06/2025 23:11

Perfectly open to hearing that I’m being unreasonable on this.

For background and context - I live on a new build estate that has 70 odd houses privately owned by a corporate landlord - the estate is marketed as a family estate, and is therefore mainly occupied by families with kids.

We are a family of 4 with 2 kids aged 8 and 9. They’re good kids. And I’m not just saying that cos I’m one of those knobhead mums who thinks her babies can do no wrong, they’re genuinely just sound kids.

Our house is a semi detached house - we’ve been here for 8 years and watched tenants come and go. Never had an issue with anyone, so much so the previous neighbour is now one of my best friends. I’m conscious of noise as new builds are notorious for being able to hear your neighbours do so much as fart, but I don’t hear them and according to my now friend, she never heard us, either.

We are relatively quiet people - we are in bed by 9, don’t drink or have parties, don’t play music loud - we don’t even watch TV really. Fully aware that we sound like boring bastards 😂 we’ve never had a problem with our current neighbours - polite hello when we see them etc. So as not to drip feed, my husband always said he thought they were a bit rude but I didn’t notice it as much - I just think some people are more private than others.

We have lots of green space and a massive field in front of our house - because of this, our kids rarely play in the garden and I don’t let them play football, mainly because these houses are mass produced fucking shoeboxes with a lot of them jammed into one place - if they were to kick the ball and hit the fence it is a noise nuisance for around 12 houses and not just our immediate neighbours. Nobody wants to hear a fence being twatted by a ball all day, whether they’ve got kids or not.

Today, they had a game of catch with their Dad and the ball went over the fence, so they asked could they knock at the neighbours and ask for it back, we said yes. They have done this one other time in the whole of the 18 months that they’ve been here - they were playing basketball and I now no longer allow them to play basketball because I don’t want the ball going over the fence.

The neighbour has given my kids down the banks and said they are making her life inconvenient by kicking the ball over.

It’s literally only happened once before and it was a long time ago - when my previous neighbours from any side of my fence managed to kick a ball over, which happened often, I’d just think nothing of it and just throw it back.

If my kids were doing this often and it was a consistent problem, I’d be the first to side with the neighbour, I’d be mortified that we were causing a problem for someone. My stance at the minute is I think she’s a bit of a rude dickhead.

My husband knocked and asked if she was ok as the kids said they’d been shouted at - she replied with “yes, they kicked the ball over, they always do it” to which my husband said “what? No they don’t, they’re just kids but it’s not a frequent issue either.” Neighbour replied with “so what?” - husband said “what do you mean so what? I’m just trying to have a conversation with you?” To which she huffed and puffed and went back in.

I get that kids frequently kicking a ball over into your garden would be a fucking pain in the arse, but this isn’t what’s happening here. We’ve knocked to see if there wa a genuine issue but got nowhere. She was a rude arsehole. I also think if there was a problem she should have spoke to me or my husband as we are the adults, rather than shout at my 8 and 9 year old who just asked for their ball back.

To be honest, my hormones are getting the better of me right now and I feel like getting all of the flat balls and lashing them over into her garden for her miserable face to stare at and feel inner rage at.

I often take parcels in for them - as I do for other neighbours - not particularly something that bothers me as it’s just neighbourly? Some big bastard fuck off parcels, too - which, in my tiny hall means we have to clamber over them until she gets off her high horse and comes to pick them up. But hey ho, they’re not there forever and I’m only being cunty about it now as she’s rattled my cage because not once have I moaned about that ‘inconvenience’. Not even when I was in the midst of shaving my gorilla legs and had to dive out of the bath soaking wet and looking like a fat tramp with half shaved legs to open the door to the dpd driver for more of her shit.

I’m not one of those parents who thinks that those who don’t have kids should have to put up with other peoples kids, cos truth be told, even though I’ve got kids, most other peoples kids annoy me. But a ball going over the fence really isn’t a big deal, is it?!

And surely, if you don’t want to deal with the potential issues kids bring, don’t move onto an estate marketed at families that is slap bang in the middle of three primary schools.

You know what, I’m still open to replies but after writing that I just think she’s a dick and next time I get a parcel for her I’m either a) gonna jump all over it b) throw it over the fence c) knock fuck out of her front door until she gets her arse out of bed to take delivery of her own shit.

Also can’t believe I’ve just spent so much time writing a post about a ball going over a fence, but here we are. Middle age creeps up fucking fast, I used to take mdma in Ibiza, now look at me.

PS I’m moving soon. Fuck that ho.

Well that was a wonderfully entertaining read 🤣🤣 thank you.

IchiNiSanShiGo · 30/06/2025 00:22

NuffSaidSam · 30/06/2025 00:14

You shouldn't ask your neighbour to take a parcel in either!

If they're home and they can then they absolutely should, but you shouldn't be asking them to (unless they're also friends or it's an absolute one-off). In the same way, they should absolutely return any balls when they see them. They don't have to do it according to your timeline though.

Part of living in a friendly society is respecting other people's boundaries. You're not a more friendly person because you impose yourself on others.

Sorry, but I still disagree with you. You don’t have to answer the door to take a parcel in, you don’t have to answer the door when a child knocks to ask for their bsll back. But you don’t get to tell everyone else that knocking on your door is rude.

We are always really thankful f a neighbour takes a parcel in for us. When they do, should we knock on their door, or wait til they bring it round to us?

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