Neighbour climbs over the fence next to my house to get home.

[AveryC]

Hi everyone,
I just moved in to a new development, everything is good except for one thing.
My house is located at the end of a cul-de-sac. The front door faces a path for we walk to our driveway and a low fence, which marks the boundary at the end of or property. Outside the low fence have a a lawn and have a narrow walkway.
The walkway can get to to places like the supermarket and school.
However, during school dismissal, people often cut across the grass and climb over the fence, stepping into our property on their way home and some neighbors often walk through my property and climb over the fence near my house to access the footpath.

In doing so, they end up stepping on parts of my property, including areas just outside my parking space or some child jump into my front door area.

I feel incredibly annoyed and uncomfortable about their behavior. If they get too close to my house, I usually warn them. But there are times when they do this on the outskirts of my property, which makes it harder for me to say anything.l, but it supposed to be a close.

It’s only winter now; I can’t imagine what it will be like in the summer.
What should I do? And AIBU?

Thank you for reading my thoughts.
Here is my primary school-level drawing for your reference.😂

Is this area I've put an arrow and ? on private land?

Fence spikes like the ones to deter cats.
Anti vandal paint.
Prickly plants like Pyracantha. That plant is hellish. Massive spikes. Ouch!

I agree.
But DO NOT PLANT BAMBOO
Apparently it has very invasive roots.

Can the management company build a walkway, may not be ideal but may stop people using your property

Prickly shrubs! As a pp said, pyracantha would fit the bill. A plus of flowers in spring and lots of berries for the birds in winter.

Would have taken less time to draw on paper and take a photo.

Can't make heads or tails of this.

I'm guessing the fence is only a foot or so tall currently. Even just a 3 foot fence would stop it?

No it sure if someone has suggested this but if it’s mainly at school time could you set up a sprinkler aimed where they do this and set it for the times they do this. My mind is actually blown at how rude people can be.

Haven’t read all replies so this might’ve been covered, but I’d just put up 6 foot fencing all around the boundary to my property. I wouldn’t care what it looked like from the outside if the issue was annoying me that much. Do you have enough room to plant teasels along the fence? They grow over 6 foot and are very prickly so wouldn’t be nice to jump into. Also very good plants for birds and pollinators

To the people saying “Yoi should know this” most people buying new builds do so off plan and that’s fine.
@AveryC As a temp measure I would get some cheap bamboo 5ft canes, shove them in the ground and tie some string between them. It gives a clear sign that people should be cutting across your fence/property.
This would do my absolute head in and I would have to go out and tell each person to stop. The bamboo is removable so not an issue and hopefully people would get the message whilst you plant something up and won’t make you feel like a prison.

That’s surely the road/driveays between parking spaces that cars go on to access spaces. @AveryC i think your diagram is fine!

Ring flood light camera. Set it to your boundaries and have the warning sound on.

Everytime someone steps onto your property it will shout “Warning you are being recorded” people will get fed up hearing it

I can't really figure out the description OR the diagram but it really shouldn't need to be explained to people that a fence is meant as a barrier, even if it's easy to step over. I can understand OP's reluctance to address it though, people who are so utterly in the wrong are usually twats about it, too. Making it difficult for them is the way to go.

I would hate this
Can you fit trellis to the top of the fence all along. It is relatively cheap, raises the height and doesn't feel like a prison.
Then plant a hedge along there too.
Trouble with the hedge otherwise is it will get trampled while it is growing so you need a physical barrier.

Bamboo caned with multiple lines of string between them all along the fence would be cheaper but look pretty crap but would stop them too.

Put a moat on your side of the fence so that they land in that as they vault over 😃

Your diagram is perfectly clear btw OP. I am quite spatially challenged and find things like maps tricky, but easily understood your drawing. I am afraid some people are blaming you for their own lack of diagram literacy!

Would it be OK if they jumped the fence at the end of the road? Is the biggest issue that they're jumping it early and walking up beside your house?

If you'd be OK with them walking up the road (here lots of cul-de-sacs have pedestrian exits at the end when they're shaped like yours), then make sure that when you plant, you leave an obvious gap where you'd like them to go through.

I've notied in carparks, when they don't want people cutting through the bushy divider bits, they also make sure they string some wire along to make it awkward (and I suppose support the plants a bit)

Run some electric fence tape along the top of your fence, hook it up to a small energiser, pop a sign up and you're good to go.

(This keep my horses in their paddocks and wayward idiots out!! )

We had this in a similar situation at a previous house but with a school so we put up a higher fence.
It largely worked but I did hear screaming once and went out to find a Primary age child hanging from it by their coat. I freed them and issued a stern request that they learn from thier experience and after that nobody else tried it.

Roughly how high is the fence? Knee height or waist height? If it’s really small then definitely speak to the developers or management company. They may put up a higher fence for you.

Why even take the time to post this just to tell us you're spatially challenged? And why quote the entire OP?

You need to nip this in the bud. Our primary school is near a private road and they have such trouble with parents parking there to drop kids off. The next thing that will happen is other parents will drive into your culdesac and use your parking spaces for drop off.

I'd plant berberis along the fence. It's evergreen, some varieties have lovely leaves (look for the purple ones), grows really quickly and flowers early so it's great for early pollinators.

Is it an option to replace the fence with a thick hedge, making it more difficult to climb over?

If you can’t raise the height of the fence, nail some of those rubber “anti cat” spikes along it while the spiky bushes grow in.

you could also try “private property” signs on the other side of the fence, although I suspect those would be ignored, particularly by the kids.

My old home.was similar to.this.... there is a gap for cutting through. You don't own road or grass on side.... they make gaps like this for walkers cyclists etc... look at your end of boundary line and raise fence add bamboo etc...
You said people are saving 3 mins by cutting through that's an hour a month just doing it once a weekday, twice 2 hours a month. makes a difference....

In the short term I'd put my bins there as a physical barrier. Longer term I'd plant something prickly!