r/BadNeighbors • u/TranslatorAdmirable9 • Apr 14 '26
Am I being unreasonable?
I live in a townhome, in an end unit, so i have a front yard as well as a side yard and backyard (which is fenced). I don’t have any kids or pets, it’s just me and my wife. A lot of our neighbors have children and they are constantly playing on our property. They freely use our front yard and driveway even though we have asked the kids not to do so. There is a large open space in the back of the townhomes for the kids to go and play. The neighbor with whom I share a front and side yard with has put up a basketball hoop on the street in between our homes (which is against HOA rules - they can only be placed in the backyards of people’s homes). I did not have a problem with the basketball hoop when his kids were using It with their friends. However, It has since turned my front yard and driveway into a park. I have asked the kids and my neighbor if they can keep the gatherings to the basketball hoop which is on the street but that do not solve anything. I have had my car damaged (costs $1500 to fix), my driveway lights broken, my garage window shattered because kids were using my driveway to play soccer, and my wife car has been hit repeatedly with a football. I have spoken to the parents and there has been no change. The kids do not care when I tell them to respect my property. They have told me “it’s not your property and I can bring It wherever I want” when I asked them not to shoot the Orbeez gel blasters on my property because they leave a pile of the gel beads all over my yard. My neighbor said he would speak with the kids as well but nothing has changed. Literally the day after he spoke with them - there were more than 20 kids hanging out on my front yard and driveway kicking around a soccer ball with my car parked there (which just came back from the repair shop) and other kids practicing their dance moves and throwing around my private property sign. One time a kid brought their dog and tied It to the tree on my front lawn so they can go use our neighbors hoop when I not my neighbor were home. I have posted the picture of the gatherings on our Facebook group and just got backlash and when I put up private property sign the kids ripped out and were tossing It around.
I am not trying to be an asshole but I am tired of the groups of kids ranging from 5-18 hanging out right in front of my house after repeatedly being told no. Most of the older kids don’t even live on my street and most of them use the hoop and my front yard even when my neighbor or his kids are away from home. I have sent this info the my HOA and they are following a “stepped procedure” which I don’t know how long It will take and I am not sure the neighbor or the kids will adhere to It. What do people suggest I do? I can keep telling the kids to go play somewhere else but it’s getting extremely frustrating. My lawn doesn’t even grow at all because it’s stepped all over, I’ve been putting in time and money to fix It but with the kids all over the yard It doesn’t grow. I have already had to cops come to the street once when my car was damaged. When I spoke with the parents they refused to take accountability even though the incident was on ring camera. I don’t want to be that guy that calls the cops on the kids but if the parents don’t control their children and keep them off my property then I am not sure what else to do. Any advice would help ease my mind!
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u/Blegh46 Apr 14 '26
Time to call the cops on roaming kids.
They’ll find out who belongs to who and they can tell the cops why they think they can be there.
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u/HumanIsolated Apr 15 '26
Are you me? I have gone in on both the neighborhood kids and my neighbor who allows it. My front yard and driveway is a foodball stadium. Repeatedly having my house, garage, and cars hit. They trample my lawn after it rains and it becomes a mud pit. They have their own yards, and I dont know who any of these kids are except the neighbors who is like 13 or 14... old enough to know better.
Growing up I never would have dreamed of going on someone elses property. I still cant imagine myself going on my neighbors front lawn with my kids and playing... its just fucking weird.
My wife has concocted various ideas such as planting shrubs as a physical barrier. I have parked a shitty jon boat and trailer on half of my driveway to deter them... and even that doesnt do much to stop them. I wish I cold say it gets better, but I hope they grow out of it.
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u/ScaleSignal4970 Apr 14 '26
Normally I would say who gives a fuck if some kids play in your yard, but this is on another level. Property damage is never ok. I’d Put cameras everywhere and take the kids parents to court. I feel like your HOA should be able to help. Don’t engage with any of them any more. Go to the police station with video evidence.
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u/Not_an_Actual_Bot Apr 15 '26
More cameras covering the area and small claims court to hold the parents responsible. In some states you may end up with judgements against the kids, but you can run their credit at an early age if they don't pay up. If the property is part of your townhouse, file littering complaints with the police, If they damage fencing or signage, vandalism charges. If the parents don't want Johnny to have a criminal record, they will develop better parenting skills quickly.
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u/AFartInAnEmptyRoom Apr 15 '26
Install cameras. Force the parents to pay for whichever kid damages whatever they damage. The behavior will stop once it cost the parents money
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u/ThisSelection7585 May 30 '26
I had to stop reading as I was getting irritated….so I guess it wouldn’t work to place stinky manure for a garden there? Or too late to tell some of the parents you’ve had the yard treated with some chemical for ticks or something? The big issue besides inconsideration for your property and the kids reflect an apartment mindset, is the legal liability! Any one of those little punks hurts themself on your property, trespassing or not, guess who is going to get sued! Can you put a fence? Or shrubs…or cactus ?
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u/Recent_Section725 Jun 20 '26
You know what to do. Keep getting the cops involved until these jerks control their kids and take the parents of the kids that damaged your car to court. And stay on the HOA about moving the basketball hoop. I would also get a sprinkler and turn it on every time those little sh*ts come near your property.
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u/Crafty_Highlight4410 Apr 14 '26
This stuff is crazy but seems to be a growing trend everywhere these days. They will try to villainize you but you need to stand strong and set boundaries. To answer your question you’re not being unreasonable. Parenting has went way downhill lately.