Am I a old crank or what?

woolyhat

I live in a end of terrace house, and just recently a young family parents and 3 kids moved in a few doors up from me.Renting
As my house is the last in the row there is no need for anyone to come into or past my property and I have it fenced off exept for a opening where I drive around to the back of my house to park my car.
The children are running into my back garden and around to the side of my house and where I have a very privete patio area and I feel my home is no longer private. And it is also for sale which do not look good when people come to view it as the children are around.
I have asked the people nicely not to let the children in to my backgarden but they say they can't stop them as when they are outside they just head in here.
What can I do? am I a crank to stop them?

spockety

Eh. There are trespassers on your private property. I suggest you call the Gardai and identify to them where these trespassers live.

Cathmandooo

You're not a crank at all, that's extremely annoying.

I'd let a roar at them next time you see them, if you're male kids tend to heed it more.

HardyEustace

woolyhat wrote: »

I have asked the people nicely not to let the children in to my backgarden but they say they can't stop them as when they are outside they just head in here.
What can I do? am I a crank to stop them?

That's just lazy parenting. I've never heard such rubbish in my life.

mailforkev

Also, think what mess might go down if one of the kids injures themselves on your property.

Another sterner word with the lazy parents is probably required.

EL_Loco

granted I'm not a parent but when I was out walking with my niece she wanted to go into the neighbours garden on her tricycle, I told her she couldn't because it wasn't our house, or garden, and that was it. She asked why and I said people don't like people going into their gardens without permission. I dunno, if a 3 year old can get it why can't their older kids. (assuming they're older than 3)

yes, I'm afraid it's a "I blame the parents" post.

bugler

I would explain it firmly to the parents again: their children are not to wander into your private property. You can also explain it to the kids. If they're old enough to wander about unsupervised then they are old enough for you to tell them to keep out.

Failing that, and if I'm understanding the lay out of your property correctly, you may need to install a gate. Which may inconvenience you coming and going but should keep the urchins out.

convert

The parents can't stop them? That's a load of bull****. All it requires is a simple 'don't go into X's garden. If you disobey there'll be consequences'. Unfortunately it just sounds like bad parenting.

If it's your private property and not a right of way to a laneway providing access to the other houses in the terrace (which, I am assuming it's not, given your above description), then the children are tresspassing.

Perhaps have another word to your neighbours again, maybe trying the route of concern for the safety of their children and that you're afraid they might be injured they're in the driveway when you drive in or out. A word or two to the children when they 'appear' on your property again may not go astray, either, but just make sure that you keep a safe distance from them when talking to them and that you don't yell at them (if the parents willingly allow their children to do what they want, God knows what they could accuse you of for not allowing their little angels to tresspass on your property!)

If that attempt fails, and as mentioned above, your only option would probably be to erect a gate with a sign saying private property - it may be the only way of keeping the children out.

woolyhat

Hi Thanks everyone for all replies
Tbh I do fell a bit afraid to say very much especialy when I am selling as word could go out that I am some kind of a dragon.
There are now visitors to them here(more children) Please do not get me wrong I have children myself and realy like little ones but this situation is annoying.Have told them they are not to come in my back garden again but smaller ones come in then the bigger ones come in after them.(by the way to get them)
When my children were small and something was explained to them why they were asked not to do something they just would not do it, like the person who,s neice asked about going in the neighbours garden and when she was told why she could,nt she accepted the answer
The gate would be a good idea and this is what I will most likely have to do

dan_d

Not good enough.

I posted here several months ago about children playing in our side passageway. It's blocked at each end with full height gates, and has a 6 foot wall along it. They were coming into the neighbours passage (which is open at one end), and as it's a foot or so higher than ours, they were climbing the wall, jumping down onto our wheelie bins, and "hiding" - which involved standing on top of whatever we had out there and shouting at other kids to look at where they were, so that they all came over and jumped in. After tolerating a couple of weeks of this, I went out one evening and told them all to get out, you don't come into other people's gardens like that. Haven't seen them since (touch wood). They've more than enough space around the estate to play in, and these particular kids were definitely old enough to know better (8-12 yrs old)

I thought I was mad to be getting annoyed about it, but I wasn't. It's your garden. It's your private property. Would they like people opening their front door and walking in off the street? It amounts to the same thing. You need to tell the children you don't want them in your garden. If that's not working, you need to go back to the parents and say that you can't accept that, all it would take is for something to happen to one of them while in your garden.That response is just not good enough.

Wisco

Definitely not a crank. Everyone is entitled to privacy in their own yard!! And I know I certainly don't like to be disturbed when I'm outside relaxing on my own property.
Definitely have a sterner word with the kids and possibly with the parents too.
Or get a big scary dog that likes children for breakfast. :rolleyes:

HardyEustace

Some people just need it explicitly told to them.

I'm doing up my garden at the moment so it's like a battle field - cement mixer, rubble, brick, stone, it's like a bomb hit it.

Last week I was tidying up after spending a day building walls with friends - so it was fairly heavy work - sluicing out the cement mixer, moving power tools inside.

One of my tenants had a friend visiting along with her son who's about five or six. Nice kid and always rather chatty. Anyway, he wandered out - as kids do - for a good nose at what was happening. After a minute or two, she followed him out. I expect her to say "now pet, come on inside, don't disturb HE as they're cleaning up".

INSTEAD, SHE PUT ON HIS F'ING JACKET ON HIM AND WANDERED BACK TO THE SITTING ROOM TO DRINK WINE ON THE COUCH. I was absolutely gob-smacked.

Now, of course, in hindsight, I should have just said "look, I'm not comfortable with having a child out here at the moment, please bring him inside". Instead I'd a very terse and wearing quarter of an hour, trying to clean up and keep an eye on the child and silently swearing under my breath. And I don't even know this person. I've exchanged pleasantries with them a few times but that's as far as it's gone.

I am just absolutely gob-smacked at the neck of some people. It's your child, not mine. I don't want the responsibility and no, it's not a source of constant joy to have them near me.

Of course, more fool me and a mistake I won't make again. But don't assume that all parents/people will be as conscious as you. If you need to, then keep explicitly spelling out what neesd to happen.

Max Hunter

Take a dump on there lawn and see how they like it!

If they question you, say that you have special needs and can't help ya self. :cool:

the_syco

As said, get a gate, and tell the parents you'll get the Gardai involved if their family trespass again. The Gardai will probably to feck all, but it may put the fear of god into the parents.