Children playing football or other ball games next to your windows, conservatory or greenhouse can quickly become a real worry. You may be bracing yourself for the sound of breaking glass, or simply finding the constant thudding against a fence or wall hard to live with. Either way, it is one of the most common problems with neighbours' children and one that usually can be sorted out without things turning sour.
Before sending any letter, it helps to know where you stand legally and what you can reasonably ask for. Try our free Neighbour Rights Checker.
If a ball comes into your garden, most people would simply throw it back or hand it over, and that is generally the neighbourly thing to do. There is no legal duty to return it, but holding onto balls indefinitely or refusing to give them back is likely to cause more trouble than it solves. If a child climbs over your fence or wall to fetch the ball themselves, that is trespass. Trespass is normally a civil matter rather than a criminal one, although it can become more serious if damage is caused or if it happens repeatedly, and parents may be liable for any damage their children cause.
Start with a conversation
The first step is almost always to speak to your neighbour. Once children are out of sight, parents may not realise where they are playing or how close the game is getting to your greenhouse. A short, friendly chat at the door is often all it takes.
If you would rather not knock, or you have tried and it has not helped, an informal note through the door is a sensible next step. Keep it short and polite. You are not making a complaint at this stage, just flagging the issue. It is worth keeping a copy of anything you send, along with a note of the date, in case you need a record later.
If that does not work, a more formal letter is the next move. Going down the formal route should normally be a last resort, because once relations break down with a neighbour they can be hard to repair.
Informal note about children's ball games
Dear [name],
Just a quick note about your children's ball games.
[CHOOSE THE PART THAT FITS]
[I have noticed they tend to play right next to my windows / greenhouse / conservatory and I am a bit worried about the glass getting hit. Would you mind asking them to move a little further away so we can avoid any accidents?]
[The ball keeps coming over into my garden, and the children have been climbing over to get it back. Could you ask them to knock on the door instead? I am happy to pass it back, I would just rather they did not come into the garden themselves.]
Thanks for your help with this.
Best wishes,
[Name]
[Your house number]
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Try our Neighbour Rights Checker free, here on this site →Formal letter to neighbours about ball games
[Your address]
[Neighbour's name]
[Address / 'Delivered by hand']
[Date]
Dear [Neighbour's name, or 'Dear Neighbour' if you do not know it],
Re: Ball games and damage to my property
I live at [address]. I am writing about ball games being played by your children in [describe the area, for example the grass verge in front of my property, or the path running along the side of my garden].
The problems this is causing are: [pick whichever apply]
- The ball is repeatedly hitting my property and has caused, or could cause, damage.
- The ball regularly ends up in my garden.
- Damage is being caused when the children come into my garden to fetch the ball.
- The children are entering my garden without permission, which amounts to trespass.
You may not have realised this was happening. I would much rather sort this out between us than take it any further, so I would be grateful if you could [ask your children to play somewhere else / ask them to knock on the door to get their ball back instead of coming into the garden].
I am hopeful we can resolve things between us, but if the problem continues I may need to consider raising it with the local council as a last resort.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Kind regards,
[Your signature]
[Your name]
Your situation may be slightly different. ask a question below ↓ and our editorial team will reply with our advice.
If things get worse
Most ball game problems never go beyond a quiet word. But if a window is broken, your greenhouse is damaged or children are repeatedly climbing into your garden, you do have options. The cost of any damage can be claimed from the parents, and persistent trespass or harassment can be reported to your local council or, in serious cases, the police on 101. Citizens Advice can offer guidance based on your circumstances and point you towards local mediation services, which can be a useful step before things become more formal. For complex or persistent problems, it may also be worth speaking to a solicitor or legal advisor.
A few practical things worth doing as you go:
- Deliver any letter by hand if you can, or send it by post and keep a copy.
- Stick to the facts. Avoid emotional language, and do not name individual children.
- If you have already had a conversation, mention it briefly so there is a clear record that you tried the friendly approach first.
- Take photos of any damage, with dates, in case you need them later.
- If you rent your home, let your landlord or letting agent know what is happening, particularly if damage is involved.
Children playing outside is a normal part of life, and most parents will respond well if you raise things calmly. The aim is not to stop them playing altogether, just to nudge the game somewhere safer for everyone. In most cases a quick word or a short note is enough to settle it.
Common questions
Can I do anything about footballs landing in my garden?
You can politely ask your neighbour to stop the ball coming over. If they refuse and damage continues, you may have a claim in nuisance or trespass for the broken plants or property. Most people sort it informally though, especially once they realise things are being broken.
Are children allowed to play football in the street?
There is no law banning ball games in streets, but persistent damage, broken windows or risk to traffic can be raised with the local authority or anti-social behaviour team. The Highways Act 1980 gives councils some power where play is causing a real obstruction or danger.
Do I have to return a ball that lands in my garden?
There is no legal obligation, but holding onto a ball is rarely worth the friction it causes. Returning it with a quick, friendly word about damage tends to get a better result than refusing. If retrieval is the real problem, ask the family to knock before climbing the fence.
The noise is unbearable, thuds of ball bouncing vibrates up to my flat, I have spoken to their parents, saying they are old enough to go to the park, I have reiterated this to the boys but to no avail, I have my tv on volumn 40 and can still hear the bounce and thud if the ball, I am extremely anxious nd emotional regarding the football. I am seeking advice.
Woken every morning at 5.30 Monday through till Saturday making my health bad noise is hammering on walls when he’s a temper on him doors slammed we asked about the doors not my doors not my problem cheap doors think because they rent they can destroy property broken fence about two months after they moved in landlord replaced it god knows what the house inside looks like some owners don’t care as long as they pay the rent what a messed up
World we live in now days
We just ignore but we should be able to live a life without this abuse we have CCTV cameras installed but does not stop her
I feel bullied and abused.
Sounds like you are a bully. You mock an old man's garden and let your kids play ball knowing he suffers greatly, you(your offspribg) make noise by playing.
He is not bothering you, or is he playing football.
So why are you entitled to bother him?
If anyone, he should be allowed to play there he is old.
Buy anyone who has energy and strength to play should go somewhere else where no one suffers especially kids who have loud voices.
You are cruel. Your kids, all neighborhood kids are monsters. If you knowingly cause another human distress you were better not born, your monsters, evil creatures better not born. Shame.
No excuse to cause suffering or pain, torture anyone, your monsters lazy and ugly inside. Ugly people you have made on the face of earth
Like yes boys/kids have always been allowed things but we don't have to continue cruel and sadistic actions.
And actually no one fears motor cycle gangs. The police haunts them.
Any one dares call police on them or name them.
But even in these comments people seek acceptance of other people by saying things like "i like kids playing outside" or "kids make noise it is nice". Well if wete nice and if kids playing was nice they would be playing next to their own home/in their livingroom, in tveir garden.
There is a reason that animals keep their offspring near their parents and their parents keep their offspring decent and grab their offspring if they annoy other animals. Why is it that human animals act different. Few people like loud noises and kids tend to have loud voices. Kids voices are horrendous, not nice. People should be allowed to say the truth without fear of terrorism, what are you people that allow your kids to be where they are not welcome, in the street. Or teach them to mob or stalk people that only want peace and quiet. You are monsters. You are evil. You raise evil.
Occasionally the ball will go over into the neighbours garden and she has the greatest pleasure puncturing it while he is in the garden and can hear. She will not return the ball at all
Thank heavens here in S.A the Police tell you the owner that you are under NO obligation to even answer the door or return the ball. They say, if you want to train a plant to grow up straight you must bend it while it is small. By allowing this harassment to continue on like this creates unnecessary stress to grow out of proportion and stops one party suffering far greater financial damages then the other. After 7.5 years of throwing backs balls, repairing car roofs I sent a letter to the parents advising them from now on I will return all balls every quarter - 4 times a year. If however the ball strikes my car then the ball is not returned. Parents must be taught to respect private property and take their kids to a park or field and enjoy the time out.
They have 4 kids who are out until 9pm in the garden, they scream shout, answer back and show utter disrepect, the parents can't control them.
They have in the garden, a hot tub, goal net, the kids bang footballs against my fence all the time, they do not care if i am sitting out, they park over my driveway and have parties and music blaring all the time, i tried to speak to them and i got back ' not another moaning !!!!!! go f* off, now i know it is a rented property, i was not told about this when i viewed it.
What path can i go down, love the house and the garden, i have a lovely sitting area which i cannot use.
It is fair to say that we are the oldest inhabitants in the road but the parents and children from nearby houses have no regard to our quality of life. Every day after school we dread hearing the sound of a football being kicked outside our house because we know we are going to endure yet another few hours of our car being hit, windows and front door being knocked, flowers in the front garden being damaged and children running down the side of our house to retrieve a ball. When you confront them they look at you as though to say what are we doing wrong!
Its particularly annoying because less than three minutes walk away is a great play park with loads of play equipment and plenty of grassed areas to kick a ball as hard as they like.
I don't want to sound like an old dinosaur but I think my wife and I deserve to enjoy our retirement without the constant worry of what is being hit next. In all the time we have lived at this address I have never once seen any of the parents playing with their children - they just seem to disappear into their homes after work and the children are left to their own devices. The children are now in the ten to thirteen year old group so when the ball is kicked its with some force so before long we fear some real damage will occur to a windscreen or window.
We have approached the local councillor who didn't want to help and when we approached the local planning authority about the possibility of erecting a low front garden fence we were told that we would have to apply for full planning permission because as its deemed to be a high density estate an Article Four direction applies and no development is allowed without full consent despite nearby houses being built to a similar density and all have front fencing.
Can anyone offer any suggestions as to how this problem can be resolved as clearly the parents are not interested in our well being.
Their mother knows what they get up to and even got into her car once to drive round to the front of our house to ask for the ball back, it shows how lazy she is if she needs a car for such a short distance and cannot occupy her kids some other way just to gove us a break. We have told the kids repeatedly to not kick the balls into the garden,but it keeps happening, one of the boys even admitted to climbing into our garden to retrieve a ball, so trespassed. Once a man was with them playing football and when the ball ended up in our garden, he encouraged them to go in our garden to fetch it.
My 2 children are older but if they were young, how would these neighbours have liked it if they disturbed them almost daily? Not that my children would never behave in that way, some people should not have kids if they cannot look after them properly. They've been out there until dark, then in their house past midnight shouting loudly from their bedroom window so other neighbours can hear and that's on a school night, I don't see any actual parenting happening.
They could go to the local park to play which has large goslposts but then the parents would have to watch them so too much like hard work. I'm dreading the summer holidays as they'll be out there all the time unless it rains. I think people should be held responsible for their kids' behaviour, it's unfair on decent people to put up with it.
Sometimes they enter my garden without permission
Inspite of our advice they make lot of noise screaming on the road. The parents of the children are not bothered. My wife is a cancer survivor and heart patient with triple stenting
What's your advice
Inspite of warning playing means it is mimicry. In this pandemic I think they are not bothered for safety
Please advice
Vikhar Ahmed. Bangalore
The parents don’t even care! Sometimes they even watch them doing it all! But most times you don’t see the parents at all! So many times I’ve had to tell them off and ask them not to play outside my house, but they just laugh and mimic what I say.
Last year they actually broke my neighbours window, with her child sitting inside just by the window!! The grandfather of the kid that broke it fixed the window but then that neighbour moved the following year.
I know this may sound bad, but I’m probably the only person that actually owns my house around here, but these kids (and their parents) obviously don’t have any respect for other people’s property.
I’ve said many times to the kids that if they damage my property (including my car) then their parents will be paying!! Again this comes with a laugh and a mimic from them!!
I’ve never known kids to have so little respect for their elders!!
I Really don’t know what to do!! And now fear that they will target me and my property!!
It has been reported to the local council by several neighbours but nothing has been resolved because the parents appear to be quite happy with their feral children annoying neighbours.
she has 5 kids age 5 to 14 by 3 blokes , current partner if he's not drunk 24/7 he's stoned off his face , neither of them work and she has no control
Kids continually throwing smashed up furniture into our garden (thank god we have a 6ft fence) throwing eggs on the windows etc
housing don't want to know and calling the police is pointless (they have to go to that property on a weekly basis as it is)
Just wish they would all take a long walk off a short pier
It does't really make any difference if the noise is from an adult or from a child but no adult can make such startling screaming and yelling as children are allowed to make.
Now this same victim thing goes on and on and on. the ones who targeted me really know, knew, they aren't and never were my vuctims. The incident that I politetely asked them to move, to take their children somewhere else, waa something they had been waiting for. It gave them the reason to be my "victim". They had been loitering here, brought their snow from their yard, from their side of the street which is illegal, had basically done everything possible on this side of the street that makes noise or is a liability. Thatcwas in 2009 but they had started rumours about me etc long ago. I beliwve They are really evil and had this planned, a kind of gang stalking, hate campaign, noise campaign.
All these dozens of other families may believe that they are really my victims but are still bullies since at least one family knew about my being mobbed and harassed here before they moved to the semidetached and that was the reason they moved here. They wanted to be part of something bigger than themselves.
In fact when their house was built the carpenters, the firm were told, I was bad and they urinated and defecated in front of my eyes, next to my children's play house but behind our fence , on the other side, the whole time they were buildung it.
This my bullying, mobbing, harassing, has been a joy to these dozens of people, families, fun, since 2009. Their manipulator human predaror boss the sales person quietly whispers to me how funny that no-one likes me.
And they want me to react so they can report me to the police etc. I have screamed one day to the girl of this human manipulator, predator which has been my "victim" in the eyes of this community since 2009 if not standing next to my fence in stead of her own garden, in her diapers at 2009. With a gang of other kids screaming even at 2009 she was in diapers. She roamed about in the street. One reason they weren't using their garden so the human predator who i guess works from home, or is almost always home for a man, had privacy, a more private and quiet home to be in.
In 2016 I screamed at the human predator's kid so they made a law suit agaist me for assault by screaming and restraining order. And I was the one who had since 2009 tried my best to make them go from my fence and the streer. I had never been in their yard.
The prosecuter told me to move, said it is fun childen play, and
You see, this screaming in the street is not normal in a civilised Nordic country at all, at least by Nordic people. I never see this anywhere else. I have read hundreds of news in the paper about local children and the stories are about playing in a nearby woods, in a play park, in someone's home etc
It is this couple that looks exactly like this couple that started this honking terrorism in ohio against the krlich family (you can find an abc you tube video where you see the couole who started it) that got this brainwash here started.
Like, if i moved, or if i am not home, they can be in peace, and they don't feel obliged to take their kids to scream in front of anybody's home.
In that case they stay in their garden, inside, go to meet friends, go for walks, do house chores inside, etc. It is not normal to take your children in a driveway. (There is no lane for pedestrians here).
They have bought a summer house or the old man, member of the EU parliament has, for his children and small grand children. I don't have one. Neither my children.
So this means we are stuck with listening to noise but they can leave so they do not realize that it is always noise since they claim it is quiet but when they are home they themselves are loud, visitors all the time, two kids out all the time in the street in front of our house.
When they leave the families on the other side of our house start this terrible noise that is too much for them because when they allow the kids who live in the same semidetached as themselves use their trampoline, they leave by car very fast or go for a walk. Every day they also screean amd yell in the street.
Before that it was three families across the street who were in the street all the time playing ball games very loudly and the kindergarten family next to our back yard whose kids never go anywhere or if they do, they go when we are not home.
My point, these families gave relations, connections, work, money, many places, like summer houses(grand) parents within a few minutes drive, health, and they choose to try to sabotage my and my children's lives by yelling, screaming, banging in the street in front of my home.
Also about 10-20 other families used to gather in front of my house or they pass my house (together with kids or kids alone) several , maybe even ten times every day screaming.
This doesn't happen anywhere else. I am a student and go to place of study by bike, ten kilometres and never, never are there children around. They go to kindergarten, come home, watch telly, eat dinner, and if outside, they go for a walk.
Basically it is impossible to enjoy your home whike these families with children are outside becayse their noise is sudden screaming and yelling and i am all tense when they start and startled every time.
This has lasted for over ten years. One family told me to move when I politely asked if they could gather somewhere else than my fence, them not even being my next door neighbours. They said i would see that there will be noise. Somehow this couple has turned this neighbourhood into hate crime against me and they want to yell and harm me. The police thinks this in innocent, everything involving children is supposedly innocent. This couple looks a lot like the gang stalking couple in ohio, who turned everybody , the whole town including some policemen, fire fighters etc to honk their car horns in front of their neighbours home for revenge .
Well it is horrible i am horrified by human cruelty like noise is noise, regardless who is making it.
I have many neighbors across the street and neighbours each side of my house and neighbours next to my back yard.
All of them choose to spend time yelling on my side of their house.
They have been brainwashed to think that if they do not spend all their time outside making noise then some basic human rights are stolen from them.
There are many parks and forests and fields for playing ball games within 2 -5 minutes walk.
But about 20 different families have choseb to spwnd time in the street in front of my home and they are noisy.
The kids find it boring to stay here but the paremts are obsessed with this idea that their children and grandchildren (the grand parents are often here, daily, and that used to be the case with the people who were yelling here before the other families moved who picked up this yelling and screaming and crying and banging and general racket in the street.) shouldn't do what they please and be free. One grand mother said whose husband is member of EU Parliament that they might end up as pushovers if they can't yell and scream as much as they please. Well her daughter said it is always quiet here but her husband who is involved in energy business is talking loudly his work phones in the garden a couple of metres from our garden. If not doing that they (the kids)are screaming or listening to music or having friends over (more kids) . They have about ten vehicles they keep washing in the back yard. In their garden there is not enough room for all of them, so don't know where they keep them.
Another side of my house is a semidetached house. Both families have small kids and use the same trampoline which is next to my fence. My two children are teens.
At the back pf my back yard lives a kindergarten teacher. Basically their two children do not leave the garden ever to go anywhere else. They yell "one two three" on their trampoline all summer, in the winter they walk around the hoyse yelling.
Before that three families across the streret had visitors non stop and whenever they had children over, which is all the time, they gathered in the street in frint of my house.
Also about 10-20 other families used to gather in front of my house or they pass my house (together with kids or kids alone) several , maybe even ten times every day screaming.
This doesn't happen anywhere else. I am a student and go to place of study by bike, ten kilometres and never, never are there children around. They go to kindergarten, come home, watch telly, eat dinner, and if outside, they go for a walk.
Basically it is impossible to enjoy your home whike these families with children are outside becayse their noise is sudden screaming and yelling and i am all tense when they strart and startl
I wear wireless headphones for the TV and have my music on louder so try to ignore it, if I could afford triple glazing windows that would be wonderful. What should I do if the football starts being hit against mine and my neighbours properties? I am thankful we have not yet had it as yet but time will tell. I don't have a job alas failing to get one so am stuck indoors most of the time worrying about the noise levels. The family across the street from me put up a bouncy castle and kids right after school were shrieking about on it, lucky weren't too loud. I didn't think you would be allowed to have a bouncy castle on a council house! I cannot wait for the school holidays to end before they have begun.
I'm losing my mind I feel. People such as that will never reason nor take anything on the chin. If I report it I'm convinced it will end badly for me. She has pointed out no one ever bothers her. I wonder why. She's plays into the hands of such an unhinged I'll do what I want when i want moron stereotype no one will do anything. Therefore she will know without a doubt it was in fact me reported her.
Any advice is welcome.
Many thanks
Tired and fed up.
If someone is rude and aggressive enough to put throwing projectiles into your garden, possibly causing damage or injury, your dealing with a knuckle dragger. They were already aware of the issue, they didn't care.
Have a polite word, then notify the police that projectiles are being thrown into your garden and it is unsafe for you to be on your own private property. If a football were to hit an elderly person or child, it could injure or worse.
I have 18months old toddler and he likes running and when he is cheerful he stomps his foot a little...that is the main reason why our downstairs neighbor bangs the ceiling every eveing! He is a very lonely man and seems quite rude and unfriendly. We live in a first floor flat (two floor building) and the floors are all carpeted. I am trying not to encourage my son to run too much or stomp his feet but I feel guilty for not letting him be a child!! What can I do to make my neighbor understand that it's not us making the noise but our son and that I can't really do much about it at the moment as he is so young? Forgot to mention that he is usualy up at 7am and goes to sleep at about 8:30pm...and makes no unusual or excessive noise during the night.
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