AIBU to be totally fed up with next door’s footballs and their kid using my driveway as a shortcut?

[AveryC]

Honestly, I’m at my wits’ end.

The neighbour’s kids are constantly booting footballs into my garden. Not just one or two here and there — I came home yesterday to find five in there. I’ve got plants I’ve spent time looking after, and some of my garden furniture is glass, so it’s not just annoying, it’s actually worrying something will get damaged.

I’ve already spoken to the parents before, nicely, and asked if they could move their goalpost and trampoline away from right next to my fence. Surprise surprise — nothing’s changed. I even got the classic “it’s not really a goalpost” line… right, but it’s still where they’re aiming.

On top of that, their kid keeps using my driveway as a shortcut. It’s not a public path, it’s my property, and I’ve asked several times for them to stop walking across it. It’s just the sheer disregard that gets me.

Honestly, I’m sick of having to be the reasonable one when it’s my space being disrespected.

AIBU to feel properly fed up now? Has anyone actually managed to get through to neighbours like this without turning it into full-blown drama?

Do you give the balls back? Punctured?

What’s your neighbours garden like and how can she see in your garden? I think you have a parent problem…. I’d be purchasing some nice established conifers and planting them in my back garden.
I think it’s being done on purpose because you spend time on your garden, especially with the parents reaction.

Damned right!

scold the kids HARD.

Tell the woman in NO uncertain terms that she is NOT to enter your property for any reason and that you’ve asked nicely for them to assure no balls being booted into your garden so as of now, no balls will be returned in future.

sometimes you have to go nuclear to be taken seriously. Now is that time

I think saying to the kids you will only return the balls to the parents is an excellent idea (and be unavailable / fail to hear the doorbell a few times). I would also be very clear to the parent that if they enter your property again that you will be contacting the police as they are trespassing. Perhaps put a code or lock on side gate as well if possible. What awful neighbours.

Don't return the balls. Put in big bag and give to charity shop.
Can you put a few planters or your bins blocking access to neighbour's garden . Again op you know the rules a diagram would be useful here Please

I'm surprised by the vitriol towards the kid. It's never bothered me and I've happily given them back. Its quite sweet when they're little and learning to knock and ask for them back if I haven't noticed and already thrown them back. When they stopped coming over and the kid cried because he wanted to stay home gaming rather than go for a bike ride with his dad I was sad. He just stayed in gaming from then on. It's no bother to chuck them back whilst you're out watering the plants.

Also had this going on for years, then told them the parents needed to come and ask for them back thinking that this would inconvenience them. No it didn't work. Started keeping them and not throwing back over.
They called the police out! Police came and were on our side, said that boys that age should be in the park/football pitches and that the balls were too heavy for a back garden.
Police went to speak to the neighbours and told them that all balls henceforth would be handed into the Police Station at our convenience then they would need to collect from there. We passed the Police Station on our way to the gym so no problem for us.

Oh god no if you say anything to their little darlings then you are a monster! We have lost it here with respect and behavior. Absolutely awful. Don't give those awful people their balls or a minute of your time.

I live in a block of three houses next to a council owned football field, and there are regular matches and classes run on there. When the matches are played, the balls come over, and even when the matches are over, the kids start kicking them in random directions which makes it worse. I witnessed it once hitting my car and thinking, what if it cracks one of the windows. Its hit my neighbours windows at the end a few times and I keep wondering why don't they move the goal post in a bit, but nothing seems to be done. So I do feel your pain, but I'd just make it so the balls weren't returned that often really.

It wouldn’t be very sweet if the balls damaged the plants or broke the OP’s glass furniture though, would it?

Dig a moat and fill it with crocodiles

Sweet? It’s anti social

Throw away the balls.
The neighbours clearly don’t care about your stuff and never will.

if they are that rude then never give the balls back

I had this. I hid the balls away and just looked blank when anyone asked. You can can have a laugh with this. Oh, that's strange, I haven't seen any balls. I wonder where they went. Oh dear, that is a head scratcher, etc.

I’d had my wing mirror knocked off once by a sweet kid playing football.
f that. Puncture them all !

Yes, apparently we are the ‘mean’ neighbours because we’ve asked kids not to run up and down our driveway, kick footballs at our cars, or ask them not to scream right outside the house in the evening.

Honestly, I think it’s great that kids still play outside but there just doesn’t seem any respect for other people’s property and the parents are to blame for that.

Bag of horse manure, coat balls with it and throw them back (popped).

When some brats kept jumping into my friends garden the police advice was to put horse manure down because once they'd landed in that they wouldn't do it again. It worked!!

How rude of her.