advice on neighbours for a single mum

[lockdownmummax]

hello,

So I am a single mum, I have a 4 year old and a 14 month old, my daughter turned 4 2 weeks ago and she got a trampoline for her birthday which is in our back garden! the fences to put back garden are very small as in they are up to my hips ( I'm 5ft 2 ) and easy to just step over,

i have noticed my neighbours daughter and a couple of other kids with my neighbours kids coming right to my living room window and peeking right into my living room, this has happened on a number of occasions, it only started when our trampoline was built ( the day after ) yesterday we where out all day and this morning unnoticed our tramspoline is all torn apart at the net which I know my daughter hasn't done as she's not been on her tramspoline in days as she's been sick, and it wasn't there before I left the house,
So tonight, the neighbours daugjyer & another bigger kids where peeking through my living room window again and shakes there heads once they seen me,
So I am wondering if they are looking through my window to see if I'm home, and if not they are using the tramspoline,
It might not seem like a biggy but I don't want people in my garden when I'm not home, and using my kids things, I'm a single mum and a student nurse so I don't have a lot of money and the garden toys my children get I teach them to take care of them and plus it's my garden and I don't want people jumping my fence when I'm not home and looking through my window

I don't know how to approach this situation as I'm obviously living alone with 2 small children, and my neighbours partner is quite rough, I've lived here 2 years and he's never said hello to me only growled so I don't know how to approach this, any advice?

I’m going to ask the obvious OP and sorry if it’s not possible but can you add a trellis to your fence?

Other than that I’d firmly tell them to leave your garden and not come back.

If u can afford to, buy some 6foot trellis and stick it infron the fence so it's on your side. Nothing they can do about it and saves you having to speak to them and stops kids coming over.

@EatCrow

i was thinking about the trellis the only thing that makes me wonder is if it will blow over in the wind,

If I seen the kids in my garden I would go and tell them to get out and not come back into my garden, but I think they are doing it when I'm not home

I’ve never done it lockdownmummax but here is a link on how to make it secure: https://www.checkatrade.com/blog/how-to/attach-trellis-fence/

Can you paint some of that anti-climb paint along the top of the fence? The black sticky stuff?

When you say it's torn open do you mean they've ripped/damaged it or that they've opened the velcro to climb in and have a go?

Replace the fence with a 6 foot fence

@tpmumtobe

The trampoline is ripped open as in the net has ripped apart and it's no longer safe for my daughter to use as she could fall out of it due to the rip

i was looking into that but I don't think I can do that as it's a shared fence and so it says for that the fence has to be high enough so that someone doesn't touch it accidentally

You will have to get a fence up as they will drive you mad and also put up some voile curtains in window, cheeky little feckers peeking in your window. Horrible your daughter's trampoline damaged. There must be something cheap you can put up to stop them coming in. What about that strong wire and some poles along to secure it. Take their others toys in before they get damaged.

Missed end of your thread, fence of some sort and just ignore and would not engage with them as sound like they just send their kids out and don't give a damn and would cause you more hassle going to talk to them. People like that waste of time trying to talk to them as will make your life hell. Well done doing the nursing and the future will be great.

I 'd be looking into some nice prickly bushes to grow in front of that fence, or maybe encouraging wildlife by starting off a big nettle patch. Nettles and brambles grow at a phenomenal rate.....tremendous for the butterflies if anyone has any comments to make.

I'd be knocking on the neighbours doors asking them to kindly remind their children not to trespass into neighbouring gardens..😬 sod that! Also make it known you're aware that someone has ripped the new trampoline and that's criminal damage. Nip it on the bud before it gets any worse.. summer is coming - god forbid you get a paddling pool out!!

Could you put a ring doorbell on your back door. Then you will see if anyone goes in your garden and it might put them off doing it too

I think you need to talk to your neighbour. Should one of their kids injure themselves it will be very sticky for everyone. But I'd also do something about your fence!

Keep your curtains drawn if your living room is looking onto the back garden. Can you buy a ring doorbell? So you can see what's happening.