Am I being really unreasonable re neighbours

[Mightymaniac1]

Sorry... it’s a neighbours one!

But I do really want some perspective on this situation as my partner and I are getting quite frustrated...

Recently bought new house on newly built road. It’s a road of only ten houses all privately built and we love the house and it has been very plain sailing so far. We get on well with the neighbours next door.

However there are lots of young children along the row of houses and as you can imagine with small new build newly sown grass their gardens are not giving them much entertainment during lockdown or even before then.

We have up to ten children scootering/cycling/roller blading up and down this private road, outside our front door etc. Quite noisy and a bit annoying but we aren’t heartless and know we cannot stop children playing outside our front door all day and all night.

However there is always a bike or a scooter (or tonight a helmet and a bucket) just left pretty much outside our front door.

Not sure we can do anything about it? But are we being un reasonable to be annoyed that we spend a great deal of time and money to make our house look nice but can not control a load of kids stuff being left by the front door. Or cannot reverse out of our space for fear we can run over several children flying around without any parental consideration.

Advice and opinions requested please!

You should reverse into your space. Its much safer for when children are about

I sympathize. Although it is a unique situation right now, I don't see why other people's kids should feel able to behave quite this ferally. If they're old enough not to need supervision, they should know not to trample over other people's gardens or leave property lying around. 'Community' works both ways.

I would pick up anything left and leave it on the pavement outside your garden/drive. It isn't your responsibility to return it.

You should be reversing into your drive, it's much safer than reversing out onto the road

Ngl if children are constantly leaving toys / things on your property I would move them or store them.

They're then forced to collect them and you can have the discussion and just ask in future it's not left out in case anything happens.

It would annoy me if newly sown grass was being damaged. You need some kind of fence. Children playing is fine but not on your property.

the parents of kids should teach them not to leave their toys or whatever in front of other people's homes. it prevents access to home and inconsiderate.

@gutentag1 haha, I briefly told my DH the premise of this thread last night and this was exactly what he said he'd do!

His exact words . . . "I'd hide the stuff in the garage until they knocked and asked for it to be returned. They'd get bored of it before me."

new build estates are generally for families with kids

They might be popular with that demographic and even marketed at that demographic, but they're for anyone who buys/rents a house in one. No one should be leaving any items lying around, save for on the land they own. If the culprits don't respond to a polite request not to do this, I'd be throwing their stuff in the bin.

YANBU to be annoyed OP, but unfortunately there's not much you can do.
We also live in a small cul de sac (12 houses) and have bikes/scooters/water bottles/remnants of water balloons scattered all over the path and our front lawn. I'm house proud and absolutely hate it, and I have young children of my own! Next door have also just got a puppy and let it wee on our lawn and trample in our flowerbeds constantly

You’re so lucky that this is your neighbourly issue! I know it’s annoying but try and get over it - the children will grow up quickly.

Are they leaving their bikes/ scooters on your front garden? Could you put a low barrier in? Could be as simple as some horizontal planks on short posts.

YANBU. This is your property and these children need to respect that. If they are rudely cycling over your grass can you put a fence up?

I don't think you're being unreasonable but you're asking on a parent forum and parents are likely to think that you are

Sounds awful and is the main reason I wouldn’t touch a new build estate. Can you not fence your area off or put a dangerous dog sign up!

It would (did) annoy me to op, used to live in a new build house on private road that was a cul-de-sac, it basically became a play ground for what felt like 100s of kids, big benefit to the parents as kids can play out in sept used but not for anyone else! Also used to hate that I then had to chat to all the kids whenever I left the house! At one point we had a bouncy castle in the street too. We moved! I honestly don’t think you could have lived there without young kids as it would drive you mad.

This would annoy me as well. Hopefully it’s a short term issue due to schools being closed and lockdown.

*in sept = unsupervised

Oh dear op you learned nothing from living in 5 acres, but you'll know next time.

On a much brighter note, the kids wont always be out, just during the good weather, so you'll get some relief from this.

You could accidentally drive over the toys, but it could end badly with the neighbours. Other than that build a wall.

Surprised at these responses tbh - is this the done thing on a new-build estate then? Random stuff left outside your front door to trip you up and get in your way?

It would be a shame if you had to take one of these fancy scooters inside and hide it for a few days to teach these careless young hooligans a lesson.

Dump it back on the pavement every time.

If it doesn't stop take it in and when they knock for it say you thought it had been stolen and dumped.

Next bike or scooter etc that’s left in your driveway, reverse over it!
(Slightly) KIDDING!
But that would teach them a lesson.
Or stick the abandoned item into your garage or wherever until it’s asked for back & inform child that it’s not appropriate to abandon their toys in someone else’s property.

I would "accidentally" run over one of their toys.

Hippo skips do pop up skips. Just saying.

I can't believe so many people are saying YABU.

They might be children but that doesn't mean they can just leave their stuff lying about on other people's property, nor can they just go and walk on other people's lawns!

They need to be taught to take their stuff home with them and to keep to the road. They shouldn't be allowed to wander onto your property like that.

So they are riding across your front garden and coming up your drive?

YANBU, I'd be pissed off about that