Neighbour unhappy about kids playing basketball - how do I handle this?

[Lockdownfunk]

Occasional past poster here (NC).

Our two teens have been playing basketball during lockdown, for maybe a few hours a day tops.

One neighbour has complained about the noise via text and says another neighbour (who I don’t know) is annoyed too. They’ve said the ball ‘constantly’ hitting the backboard is intrusive and have asked me to do something about it (and have offered to help with a solution if they can).

I absolutely don’t want to be a nuisance neighbour, so would like to do something ... but what?

It’s a robust hoop (secondhand, £500+ new) but, being freestanding, does rattle around a bit when it’s hit. We have nowhere that a hoop can be fixed to a wall, which might make less noise. The only supposedly quieter model I’ve found costs £1,500 and needs concreting into the ground.

Everyone’s obviously stuck at home so we need to be considerate - but because everyone’s stuck at home, don’t people also need to make some allowance too for kids letting off steam in their gardens? A bit of daily basketball keeps the teens sane; they love it, and it’s exercise.

We’re rural, detached, spread out - not houses on top of each other - and the kids play on grass, not tarmac or concrete (so the bouncing isn’t an issue). It’s just the (clattery) backboard banging - which is pretty central to basketball. I’ve looked online and there isn’t much we can do to adapt it.

I haven’t responded to my neighbour (it’s been a few days) and feel I ought to; I’m getting quite stressed about it. The kids are on at me as I’ve asked them to pause playing for a few days while we try to figure out a compromise as a family ... but we’re getting nowhere (other than the idea of suggesting a maximum of an hour or so in an agreed time window), and today ended up full-on rowing about it.

Any ideas? Do the neighbours need to bend a bit? Or do the teens just need to stop? Thanks.

I think a designated time, negotiated with the neighbors is the answer.
Maybe an hour at lunch time to reduce disruption to work calls etc.
Then send them on a walk/run for another hour or 2.

A few hours a day? I would have lost the plot by now if you were my neighbour. There are few noises more grating and intrusive than a ball rebound.

A repetitive sound like that would annoy me, I think you should limit it and have them do some other form of sport as well.

An hour a day would be fine but “a few hours” is too much.

If it’s the noise of the ball hitting the backboard , could you glue a square of sponge to it ? (Material not Victoria!)

A few hours a day is too much. How can you not know that?

That would drive me potty. I think an hour is enough. Definitely try soundproofing though.

Could you take the back board off so there is just a hoop?

As much as I can understand the sound could be annoying, I feel like as long as it’s not at unsociable times either early in the morning or late at night, and it’s not all day every day, they should make allowances. I guess the only thing you could do is limit the amount of time they play for as a good will gesture as you’ve said, but it’s nice that the kids want to do it and aren’t just on screens all day, and it does take the fun away a bit if they’re clock watching while playing. I’m basically not being that much help! I would find the situation really difficult as it’s basically being stuck trying to keep everyone happy, where you can completely see both sides of it!

My next door neighbours also have teenagers that play basketball and I can hear the bouncing while in the garden or in some rooms in the house. It is a bit annoying sometimes but I wouldn’t dream of saying anything as it’s a nice thing they’re doing and it’s not all the time - and maybe one day it’ll be me with a basketball post, or something else that creates a bit of noise and I’ll hopefully have their understanding back. So I feel like your neighbour shouldn’t have said anything but obviously they have now.

Do you get on well with these neighbours usually?

That really sucks. I know any kind of regular noise like would drive me round the bend, but I'd more than happy to compromise. Ask the neighbours to suggest a 60-90 minute window that they are happy for the kids to play. Maybe early evening is better? But don't ban your kids full stop from playing. At an agreed time, I'd happily put in my earphones and let them crack on

Would a lighter ball make any difference? I know it won't be "real" basketball, but just a suggestion.

If it's been a few days then it might be good to reply to let the neighbours know you're trying to come up with ideas that will mean the teens can still play but without annoying the neighbours... and ask them to share any ideas they have.

As it's the backboard that's noisy, I can't help thinking the easiest thing to do would be to remove it so it's more like a netball post. It would hopefully mean your teens can play for longer and the neighbours won't have to listen to the sound. Obviously teens won't be able to rely on the backboard to score anymore but I'd hope they'd understand that their choices are to play it without the backboard or to find something else to do.

My neighbours don't ask if their garden music irritates me. Or the ones who seem to be doing a major diy job in the garden, complete with sawing.
They could get a foam ball I suppose! Would it improve if you hung something over the board, even a towel? Or concrete your current one in, I've heard on garden-swing threads here it's not that hard.

I think a negotiated time is the best solution.

Dear neighbour,
I'm sorry if the noise of the basketball had been annoying and we would like to reach a compromise.
As the boys (?) are stuck in the house all day at the moment, we suggest that they limit their basketball time to an hour a day - when would be better for you?
We have looked into solutions to stop the board banging but can't find anything that would work. Please feel free to suggest any ideas you have.
Regards, neighbour.

A few hours a day is way too much. That would be really irritating. Just limit the time and let the neighbours know.

I think your neighbours are being unreasonable to be honest, how loud can this basketball stand be? Any activity that children do outside makes noise. Could you muffle it by dropping a pillowcase over the backboard? Or attaching cardboard? That should deaden the sound. But really I don't think anyone can expect silence from their neighbours especially if they are children or teens.

Oh come on, if they limit it to an hour a day why should they have to get the neighbour to choose the hour? What happened to "noise must be expected, children need to be outside, live in the country if you don't want to hear your neighbours" - that's what I usually read on threads about noise!
Don't do it if neighbours are sitting in their garden would be my limit.

Bit of carpet or a mat fixed to the back board ?

Limit the time they are playing, or put something on board to muffle sound or remove board. Let your neighbours know what you're planning, explain, apologise, find a solution that suits everyone. This is a good lesson for the kids in how to handle tricky stuff through thoughtful compromise.

Maybe a few hours a day tops, as if this is nothing? Clearly this is too much and I am surprised you consider it so.

We have a VERY similar situation with our neighbours but we are in a closely packed residential street. I am also very annoyed by the noise, it is all day every day but I haven't said anything because I know the child in question can do as they please. I can hear it when I wake up even with the windows closed, if we are out in the garden we can hear it, if we have the patio doors open we can hear it. I think it is antisocial and I wouldn't let my DC make this much noise particularly while everyone is at home and there is no respite.

But I won't complain because I know they can do as they please.

Thanks for the posts and for making me think.

I didn’t think an hour or two a day was too much because I guess we’re used to it, and I genuinely didn’t think the noise would travel that far (as I said, we’re fairly spread out). I also called the council because I wanted to ask what they’d consider reasonable, and they didn’t see a problem with it. And I have two teens and DP thinking the kids should be able to play a bit each day.

But clearly it is an annoyance for some (including this neighbour and the other one we don’t know), and I understand that. As I said, we don’t want to be a nuisance.

Thanks for the muffling tips. Unfortunately, I don’t think any of these will work. When the ball hits the rim, or the big plastic weighted base, it clatters; it’s just the (fairly standard) design of the thing.

So given that basketball hoops are available for private gardens, what is the acceptable way to use them? Surely they’re all noisy? Maybe they’re all a nuisance! My DS (15) adores basketball. It will be gutting to stop. (There isn’t anywhere else to practise locally, even out of lockdown.)

When the ball hits the rim, or the big plastic weighted base, it clatters; it’s just the (fairly standard) design of the thing.

Pool noodle round the rim. Expanding foam/or some form of putty or modelling clay/sand to secure the pole into the base so it doesn’t move and rattle and carpet over and under the base.

You say you live rurally and they can't actually hear the ball bouncing, just when the backboard gets hit when someone makes a shot? I think they're being ridiculous then and I wouldn't be stopping your son from playing. Potentially you could try to move the net as far away from them as you can but, seriously, they need to get a grip

maybe a few hours a day tops.

This is totally antisocial your neighbours are likely under huge stress and trying to work and they are listening to that for HOURS EVERY day.

Poor bastards. Your kids need to give it a rest.

I'm surprised by all the negative replies OP. I don't think your teens are being unreasonable to play for a couple of hours a day. It's just background noise from having neighbours surely? If it's during the day I don't see a problem. Maybe suggest mornings only as a compromise?