To not see a solution other than not using my garden?

[Cebr]

Or moving (which for various reasons I can't do).

My neighbours, family A (one side - other side are elderly and largely housebound) are arseholes of the highest order, as are their kids. They are pally with other neighbours, family B, between them they have 9 kids who are all pretty poorly behaved.

On a daily basis they ride bikes and scooters in my front driveway which is bad enough but the real issue is in the back garden.
As kids (often with Bs kids as they are in and out of each others gardens and houses constantly) deliberately throw balls, toys and indeed their rubbish into my garden.
They play ball up against my fence constantly (they broke the previous fence)
Let themselves into my garden - the gate is locked but they have climbed the fence before now
When I'm out in the garden they name-call me and my children. Or bang the fence constantly.
They sit on top of the fence and look into my house.

I hardly ever go in the garden now. What was a lovely space (it's a good size about 80ft x 40ft) is now completely overgrown.

I had a gardener round today and they all started banging on the fence. Then standing on it shouting for their ball etc. The guy said 'is it always like this?' and I said sadly yes. Wouldn't blame him for not taking the job!

I have in the past told the children to stop. This resulted in Dad B telling me he would sort me out if I ever spoke to his kids again. Mum and Dad A said kids were just being kids and they were doing no harm.

I contacted the police about the threat from B. They said as nothing had happened they wouldn't get involved. I explained about the kids but as they are all under 13 the advice was I should try not to antagonise the situation ie stay indoors. So that's what I've been doing.

I was hoping one or both families would move as they live in 2 bed houses but this doesn't look like happening anytime soon. I can't move. I would like to use the garden though but their behaviour makes it unbearable.

Is there anything else I can do to make it more tolerable? Or to stop me feeling sick every time I open the door hearing their screaming and banging, and seeing my fence shaking?

Invest in some noise-cancelling headphones. It has revolutionised my enjoyment of my garden as I can't hear a thing. Best money I've ever spent.

*small discreet camera inside the house

I was about to add that too. The alarm that’s really high pitched that hurts kids ears. A shop by us used it to get rid of kids and it works. You don’t hear it yourself. Hawthorn hedge?
Can you landscape part of the front to keep the bikes off. Even cheap low growing conifers.

Rosa rugosa is a member of the rose family that forms a dense very prickly hedge with lovely flowers.

You should be complaining incessantly to the landlord of the family who rent, if their tenants are damaging your property and being anti-social then the LL is obligated to do something, I assume?

@TheSunIsStillShining

Ignore them. While I categorically do not agree with drugging animals, only an unhinged person would believe that that was more serious than your neighbours physically assaulting your child and threatening to murder him.

You say that the legal proceedings have just ended, I hope you got some justice for how vile and dangerous they were to you and your family?

Sounds horrendous, do they own the houses? If not I would contact landlord to make a complaint. Not sure if local council/ police can help re anti social behaviour? Be worth talking to citizens advice.
I would chuck any rubbish straight to back over their fence.
You should absolutely be able to go your own garden.

I'm wondering about things like offering them cake because 'I baked a cake and have too much leftover',

The only cake I'd be offering them would be made with rotten eggs.

[quote IJustWantSomeBees]@TheSunIsStillShining

Ignore them. While I categorically do not agree with drugging animals, only an unhinged person would believe that that was more serious than your neighbours physically assaulting your child and threatening to murder him.

You say that the legal proceedings have just ended, I hope you got some justice for how vile and dangerous they were to you and your family? [/quote]
Thank you :)
Things turned worse before they turned better. They ended up illegally selling the house and the new owners were just as bad, with 3 kids, but at that point at least from a legal perspective my parents had the upper hand. It took them one year to get a court order to evict the shitfamily2. Another year to legally buy the house from the first shitty bunch (thankfully because of the illegal sale my parents bought it for 1/3 of the price. That's what it said on the contract between the 2 shitty parties + a painting of a cow that was supposed to be worth 2/3 of the price. Reality was that shitfamily2 paid in cash, under the table. The court ruled that the painting of the cow was worth about 10 pounds :) So it was entirely their fault for losing so much money on it)
So ended up with 1 more summer from hell and next half summer empty, but still not ours. When the legal part was done we literally had to break into the house. I tried lockpicking - it looks so easy in movies - but it's actually hard. Finally hacked the door with an ax. needed to be changed anyway.
When we thought everything was fine both shitfamily 1 and 2 took my parents to court for various reasons to try to get their money back. But they made their bed and had to lie in it. So actually it's been a few years now that my parents both small houses.

They did turn up 2 times the year we actually occupied the house but I immediately called the police and started to video them when they set foot in the property shouting and threatening the whole family.
(I will never understand though why would anyone buy a shared ownership thing.... never.)

www.amazon.com/Rescue-Big-Bag-Fly-Trap/product-reviews/B000BQRQ8C?tag=mumsnetforu03-21
Get one of these and pour it into their front garden so the parents can't escape their awful kids. Or front and back so they're all trapped inside. You'll have to stay in until the smell goes, but it's great revenge and they won't know what it is. I haven't done this. But I fantasise about it with my awful neighbours. Keep doing it until they move.

Horrible situation to be in, and it sounds like the families aren't in any rush to move.
Can you erect higher cement walls up next to the wooden fences so that the kids cannot climb over? Definitely worth getting a quote for it? Least then they will not be able to see into your garden? And also find out who both families rent off - if you are able to? Might be worth speaking to their landlords. Good luck with it all 🙌🏻

The Protection from Harassment Act 1997 might help you. It is both criminal and civil. I'd be building up a dossier - keep a log, keep evidence, even record and take it to police. I wouldn't focus on balls in garden but abuse etc. If they won't help (and I'd argue if they wouldn't as it is in their remit) then see a solicitor who deals with this. CAB might be able to refer you to a low cost or pro bono organisation.

Throw twenty stink bombs at your fence.

If you can’t enjoy your garden you may as well stink it up.

Good lord. I'm so lucky with my neighbours

I would throw their balls/rubbish at ther heads when they pop up over the fence. Good target practice.

That sounds awful. I personally wouldn't do anything that can incriminate you.

Take video evidence
Get your sons mates over
Ignore as much as possible
Use your garden & don't let them know they are intimidating you

Sorry you have to deal with this.

How awful, bike people! I'm sorry you have to put up with this shit!

What about turning the sprinkler or hose on when they start climbing, it will make a few puddles but it might stop them climbing.

I'm sure someone's already suggested this, I'd invest in a Mosquito alarm which would annoy the teenage and younger children. And also buy anti climbing spikes or the sticky stuff.

You need to build the maximum allowable brick fence on your land inside the other fence which you then put the maximum allowable amount of barbed wire on top of. These people are insane and you can't do anything about insane people.

Have you complained to LL of family B? You could also consider contacting a solicitor if you can afford it although I would expect this to go to court (multiple times), they don’t sound like the kind of people to balk at a cease and desist letter.

Any chance you could rent your house out and you rent somewhere else?

I could rent it out, there is quite a big student market in our town, although if I went down that route I'd have to register as a HMO etc. And because it's a generally expensive area - although i am in the cheapest part - the rent on a similar house (without the shitty neighbours) would be £2,500 or more. which is about the same as my monthly income!

Ok yes it might not be straightforward but in order to get away from the awful neighbors would you be prepared to rent something smaller? Could you and your kids downsize? Peace of mind is worth everything, I would seriously consider it in your position.

It might be worth renting it out.

You will get more income for a student rental than a family home presumably? There is tax to pay though.

I don't feel it is a viable long term option to just do nothing. It must be very wearing. There are things I dislike about my house, but no conflict, I'm not sure I could withstand it very long. You must be incredibly resilient! You deserve some kind of medal!