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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to ask neighbours for an evening cut-off on football?

4 replies

Socks567 · 11/05/2026 22:09

Keen to understand if I am being unreasonable as my children are long gone and were never madly into ball games and went to the park to have a bigger space if they wanted to play them as it was more fun, and our garden was small, albeit much bigger than current! I don't want to cause problems if I'm being grumpy and would love to know what is considered acceptable.

We live in a terrace and the end of terrace neighbours ( so not affecting anyone else) have a football mad teenager who plays until it's dark and most of the day at weekends. The sound travels through the house walls, and we can hear it on the far side. It's not loud, but so low and hard to mask. It seems to go right through your body. We've tried fans, white noise, music, TV, etc.

Would I be completely grumpy if I mentioned how far it reaches to them and asked if something like 8pm could be the cut off? Just to give a sense of predictability? If it's even reasonable to ask what time would be reasonable? I'm so torn by loving young people being out playing and absolutely fed up of hours of inescapable unpredictable thumping through the walls. Weirdly I don't mind it when I'm in the garden as much as when I'm in the house, even though it's so loud at there, perhaps because when I'm inside it really feels like there is no escape?

I don't know what's normal or acceptable and don't want to cause an issue if I'm being unrealistic. I read posts on here where people say they don't let their children play loudly excessively and it makes me really wish I had those type of neighbours but I don't know how normal that is.

The gardens are tiny, about 90sqm max so the ball is constantly hitting the house walls. There are lots of safe open areas around us to play which makes it even more frustrating.

OP posts:
jackstini · 11/05/2026 22:25

Well technically acceptable is any time up to 11pm then not before 7am

However, if it is hours in a row I don’t think It’s bad to ask for expected times between certain times

Denim4ever · 11/05/2026 22:28

It's hard to say anything. I wondered when he's doing his homework though

RaininSummer · 11/05/2026 22:32

I don't think it's too unneighbourly to ask for it to be limited to a couple of hours a day as that noise is so infuriating and stressful.

Tessasanderson · 12/05/2026 09:54

I voted YABU. Not that i dont have sympathy for you but a young boy playing footy in his back garden/side of house is about as healthy as it gets for these kids these days without a parent having to pay for it. We have lived through it for about 25 years now in various forms. Kids play in their gardens with balls. If its not a ball its a trampoline.

The only issue i have with it is when its quite obviously lazy parenting when there is somewhere for them to play close by and the parents just kick little herbert out for some peace inside. Thats a big part of lazy parents MO these days.

Make your peace with it. The might just upgrade to a trampoline next.....

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