Am I able to do anything about my next door neighbours kid keep kicking his football against my house?

[Maps2021]

Hello,

I’m currently experiencing a situation and have no idea what to do now.

I’m a social housing tenant and live in a nice quiet cul-de-sac. My next door neighbour has three kids. The oldest is their son. He keeps playing with his football outside the houses. I don’t have a with anyone playing football outside.

BUT this kid, let’s call him Alex keeps kicking the ball at my house. He kicks it against my front door, my front door has two panels which are glass, there’s only a slight gap in between them which has wood.

Alex keeps kicking the ball against my house and I’m worried about the glass breaking. I don’t speak to his parents as they’re the big intimidating type. I’ve got mutual friends and they’ve said my neighbours have been known to bully people in the past.

I spoke to my housing officer about this explained the issue. He said I should really speak to the parents but he understands. He sent out a letter to everyone in the street reminding the parents to ask the kids that they play in the park.

I want peace in the street so haven’t talked to the parents. The issue is above the door is a set of windows, inside is a bedroom and next to door are my kitchen windows.

A few days ago Alex did decide to kick his ball up near my windows, parents were outside having a cigarette, they didn’t do anything like tell him off.

I can’t afford cctv cameras till later this month. I’m thinking of installing a ring door bell camera as well. I’m really worried about this as when I spoke to my housing officer he said my housing association wouldn’t repair this as it would have been done on purpose, 2 it be expensive to fix and I can’t really foot the bill without proof. And three I don’t really want my neighbours having to pay the bill.

They’ve been completely nice to me but when I found out from my mutual friends they know them and the neighbours have bullied people in the past it’s sort of worrying me as I just want peace on this street.

Is there anything I can do?

Could you get carried away watering your plants and spray him with the hose a few times?

Would that turn it in to a game? 😣

Id be careful with retaliation however much you want to.
Can you just ask him to stop?

I think you have to bite the bullet and speak to the lad and/the parents. As you've said, they've been perfectly nice to you so far and the bullying stuff is only rumour, nothing you've experienced or witnessed yourself.

I think it's so sad and wrong that you can't even expect your property not to be damaged without a fear of retaliation. I really feel for you.

Speak to the boy directly. Ask him to please stop kicking his ball against your house.

Until you've done that you have no cause to complain really. Be brave.

Just chat to the parents and say you're worried about thw glass and totally dont mind him playing just dont want him hurt or your door broken

Can you leave your door open for a bit and if he kicks the ball and it goes inside, shut the door and refuse to answer it. Rinse and repeat.

Also shop them to the DWP as I’d bet good money they’re on the fiddle.

I had a similar problem.

I also agree - you have to bit the bullet and speak to them. You can be as nice as you can. But if they are difficult they may not like it. I live on a SH estate and notice that the first reaction to such an issue is not an apology, more like a grumpy annoyance. If they’re hateful, cast a spell on them 🧙‍♀️. But you may be lucky. If they don’t stop, put it in writing to them, if that doesn’t work raise it with your housing officer and they should deal with it personally.

It’s not acceptable for someone to be kicking a ball against your home, end of. An estate should have clauses in the lease that stop noise nuisance and quiet enjoyment of home. A decent housing officer will enforce it.

Seriously? How the fuck did you get that from what was said? People who earn their own money amd pay their own bills can be bad neighbours too, you know? Or do you just presume that everyone in social housing is claiming benefits? Shame on you

Yes, be brave as pp said. Speak to the boy first, and if it doesn’t stop, speak to the parents.

Do you have a front lawn?

I'd do ring doorbell to start. Every time he's there open the door and say not against the house please. And don't shut the door. Just stay and stare until he's goes.

If this doesn't work get a sprinkler.

When the ring doorbell goes off check who it is and turn on the sprinkler briefly. You might need to bury the hose in the lawn.

That would stop him every time and he'd just move.

I’ve live in social housing so I know EXACTLY what most are like. Trust me, I bet the DWP doesn’t even know he’s living there.

@CheekNerveGallAudacityandGumption doesn't know who's living there? The footballing son?

My first approach would be to ask the kid in a friendly way to please not kick the ball against my house/door etc.

How old is “Alex”?

Leaving your door open while you are there will give him less to kick against and if he does kick against your wall you can see him and ask him to stop.

@Maps2021

just go & speak to them, so far they've been pleasant, don't believe every bit of gossip you hear.

get what the housing bloke said in writing.

How old is he? Can you go out and confiscate the ball, and tell him he’ll need to send his parents over to pick it up? (Although given what you know about his parents, there’s of course the chance this goes badly.)

Leave the door ajar (but not visibly so), then when the ball hits it it will roll inside. Lock the door. Keep the ball.

The big burly dad. They’re on the take.

Before you talk to the intimidating parents OP, report them anonymously here: https://www.gov.uk/report-benefit-fraud

If you complain about their son and then they get a knock on the door, they’ll know it’s you. From your description of them I doubt they will tell their son not to cause property damage. If they do, he’ll stop for an evening and be back at it the next. From experience, shopping them is the best way forward.

Be all smiley and say to the kid that you admire his dedication to football, but would be really careful, as you are worried he might hurt himself on broken glass if he damages any of the windows? And add that perhaps it might be better if he finds a nice blank wall somewhere to practice against.

Sometimes an over-the-top sugar coating works far better than a telling-off.

When you hear the kid kicking the ball against your front door. Immediately open your door and tell him to 'stop please'.

Thanks everyone, “Alex” is 11 or 12 I’d say. I’ll have a polite word with the kid and the parents. They quite intimidating but it has to be done, the dad is one of the large lads whose really big.

I don’t know why benefit fraud came up. I know the dad works full time and they claim benefits. I don’t know if they are committing benefit fraud or not so I would report them if I knew they were committing benefit fraud.

More than likely she is claiming she’s a “single mum” and that he lives elsewhere. No harm doing a report. If they’re not committing benefit fraud they’ve got nothing to worry about. If they are…well…it might be your only chance to get them moved.

Alex is old enough to know exactly what he is doing and that it is wrong - I wonder if he kicks the ball against his own front door?