Neighbour problems

[rov1200]

We are being driven to destruction by many kids playing in next doors semi detached garden... There are swings, slides,,a bouncing castle and a full sized trampoline. The children range from about 3 to 9 years old and scream at the top of their voices for up to 8 hours per day and there never seems to be less than 5 children at play. Some of the children are not resident there and are dropped off by their parents. We believe they are acting as childminders. Can anything legal be done or are they breaking any council by laws?

[rov1200]

We have children of our own so we don't need lectures on how to behave. The other neighbour is selling up. Maybe this is the answer! And we wonder why Britain produces some of the most violent, anti-authoritan, knife wielding thugs, unable to face discipline and a drain on society. Its probably not their fault but the parents.

[ethanryan]

i cant see what the parents are doing wrong they are allowing there children to have fun, just because they are noisy dont mean they are going to turn out to be thugs. maybe ur neighbour looks after other peoples children as a favour when we were kids they were6 moms that all helped each other out by taking it in turns to have 8 children a week at a time, this way the moms only had to lose one week out of 6 from work.

[obNOXious]

You clearly DO need lectures on how to behave because the consensus amongst normal people on answerbank is that it's you with the problem, not your neighbours.
I'd also suggest that you don't ask people's opinions on a public forum if you don't want their opinions. This is not geared up so that you can have only the answers you require and not be critisised, this is wht people really think about the situaiton that you posted about.
My children were brought up like these people's rov100 and NONE of them have ever been in trouble with the police, carry knives, take drugs, behave in a thuggish way... they are however anti authoritarian which in my book is a good thing... look how you turned out :)
I imagine that the people can't move house quick enough, I know I would be.

[LoftyLottie]

I would add that the knife weilding, violent thugs that you speak of are probably that way because their parents didn't want them around when they were kids and didn't have any interest in where they were playing as long as it wasn't it their own back yard!

Glad you are not my neighbour, Mr Meldrew!!

[ruthann58]

here here redhelen when mine were young we somtimes had as many as 14 kids here at once at least we know where they were and what they were up to ,they are now 30 and 26 the oldest is due to move in to his own place in the next few weeks and i shall miss all his mates turning up and saying have you got the kettle on mrs m we have had some great partys over the past few years with ages from 6 to 75 and their mates still being here till 3 oclock in the morning with bin bags helping us clear up real glad rov is not my neighbour

[Solarjunkie]

It is quite possible that your neighbours are unaware of the effect their "open house" is having on you.
You have to live with them, so the last thing you want is to upset them - think how much noise they could make if they were actually trying to do so!
So what you need is mediation. Record some of the noise from inside your house, to use if necessary. Drop them a very polite & understanding letter along the lines of "I'm a parent too and I know how the volume can increase when kids are having a good time, they are all so lucky to be able to play in your well-equipped garden" but could there please be some quieter times? Try and imagine the boot on the other foot - how would you like to be asked to restrict your children and their friends? Could they agree to send them all home at 6pm for example?
I am a parent, I understand they make noise, but I don't enjoy the yelling and screaming that comes from the nearby school, howevermuch I like to think they are running around and letting off steam between classes.
Most councils have a mediation service, so if polite approaches don't work, you may have to contact the council.
Good luck.