Shouldn’t neighbours have apologised

[Crackers6642]

I’m curious what the rest of you think: neighbours kid has bashed our fence with constant footballs. I don’t mean odd ball banging fence, I literally mean he’s been using it to kick against for hours everyday. Old fence was damaged by him, put up a new fence and still carries on. Shouldn’t parents at least tell him to stop? Obviously they know it’s our fence and we paid for it. They sit outside with him. What’s wrong with people.

Just read about the Noise App. Uploaded noise pollution sent to local council /other agency.. Worth a research op. Balls smacking off a fence is torture ime.

Get yourself a dog. My old girl used to think all balls that came over the fence were a gift from the gods. The kids soon learnt not to kick their footballs over!

OP it's fine to stop wanting to be a doormat. I think the problem comes if this particular dispute becomes a symbolic issue and your sense of personal development stands or falls on it.

The other problem is that it's incredibly easy for posters on here to rev you up and say nonsensical things like "it's no problem filming other people's children". They aren't the ones who would have to deal with an incensed parent feeling that you were behaving inappropriately or even alleging that your behaviour is sinister.

Could you write them a letter? "Dear neighbour, Whilst we want to encourage children to play outside, we've decided not to allow the children to kick their ball against our fence. The reason is that the fence cost £xxx and repeated kicking will damage it. Could you please let the children know this is no longer allowed?
Many thanks"

neighbour

They are ignorant savages who are allowing their child to destroy your property. I would go round there and tell them they are causing criminal damage which you intend reporting to the police.
Its the only language people like that understand.

God that would drive me mad, especially if the parents were out there ignoring it. How ignorant can you be?!!! Tell him and his feckless parents that he has already broken one fence and to stop it now. If they ignore you report them, but please ignore the poster telling you to get a dog

I'd shout at the kid as well, every swear word under the sun. If they don't want the kid to learn some choice language the parents will sort it out.

Tell the child directly that he's breaking the fence that you've just paid for to be fixed, if he carries on you won't be returning his balls.

If he complains to his parents
I've already discussed with you that I've had to pay for the fence after your son has broken it. I'd have thought common decency would stop him doing the same again. So yes, if he chooses to break my fence, I'll choose to keep the balls. He could go to the park or damage a different neighbours fence but this stops now.
And walk away