Advice on nuisance.

Hello all

I live in a terrace house, semi detached, as we have the alleyway to the side of the house. We own the lease of the house & land, and this includes half of the alleyway itself.

However, there is a problem.

Children for some reason come to the alleyway and kick balls around, throw balls around and general disturbances. It's annoying as heck as the balls are hitting against the side of the house (which as you can guess is one heck of a sound as the walls seem paper thin!) and not to mention balls ending up in our back garden. That in itself is a serious problem, as they will let themselves into our garden (despite signs saying please shut the gate and beware of dog) and our dog is a nervous dog that could very well get defensive at someone or child waltzing into our garden.

Do I have a right to put a sign up on the side of my house (the alley side) stating no ball games? Do I have a right to insist upon this?

I don't understand why they play here. There are large park areas right nearby - a minute or two walk away, and a lot of the times the balls are kicked out onto a busy through road, and have even hit my parked car outside the house. It's dangerous and not suitable to play here, but they do.

If it would not inconvenience neighbours, could you gate the alley way? Or else padlock the garden gate - I did this once when my elderly dog became grumpy and I could no longer trust her with unknown children charging in the garden - to play with the dog.

No, I can't do either of those.

It's public access to go through the alleyway.

Also, unfortunately we can't lock the gate either, as our three neighbours have right of way to pass through our garden into their own and take bins through etc. (unfortunately).

Luckily, currently this isn't used accept on bin days and when the postman is posting letters to the other doors.

Thanks anyway for the advice.

No, I can't do either of those.

It's public access to go through the alleyway.

 

Also, unfortunately we can't lock the gate either, as our three neighbours have right of way to pass through our garden into their own and take bins through etc. (unfortunately).

Luckily, currently this isn't used accept on bin days and when the postman is posting letters to the other doors.

sounds like you need to contact the council - keep a notebook with date, time and general description (how many kids / how old etc)

Where does the alleyway go ??? if the right of access were to be removed by the council, what would be the impact ?

It shouldn't be an issue to have a lock fitted to your garden gate and issue your neighbours with keys, but the postman will be tricky - any reason why they can't put post through the front door ? Our neighbours used to have their mail delivered to back door, but we put up a lockable gate explaining the security concerns we had and how it would benefit them and they agreed to use their front door for post. If your neighbours could not have post to front door you could perhaps offer to pay and have installed some 'post boxes' for them ?? Might need to get some legal advice.

The alleyway is just a large alleyway between houses.

Just like this: http://i43.tinypic.com/eakwok.jpg

My house has the letter box the front.

My direct neighbour has it at the back, but i think they may be able to be persuaded (is it easy enough to install a letterbox to a wooden front door?)

The next neighbour along only has a postbox, so that could easily be transferred to the front instead of the back - but the house is currently up for sale and no one visits to discuss this with.

The final house also has a letterbox to the back door, but i have never spoken to this people so i do not know whether they would be happy or not to change anything.

I have already popped a latch onto my gate, so i can secure it when out there with the dog, but obviously i have to keep it unlatched because i cannot block the access. Its a shame because if the post part was solved, i could probably keep it latched all the time and secure as it is otherwise not used.

in all honesty, i'd consider a move longer term. these sorts of problems dont go away, they just die down a bit and then a new group of kids come through and it starts up again. you'll only get stress and not the enjoyment of your property. we used to own a semi detached house on a corner on a nice estate, and kids used to play football up against our hedge, you'd go out and move them on politely etc and it would die down, a few months later back to square one. why they didnt play outside their own properties is obvious, people dont like football noise and move them on etc.

it goes in cycles, and you get over it, then when it restarts its like groundhog day. when you finally move on and get somewhere more private/less well used and look back its so much easier with regard to stress at home which you dont need.

Had same problem all we used to do is ring police if it is not a public footpath and they don't live at any of the properties you have mentioned then they have no right to be there the police are good about it they just come out an shift them once the kids know you are going to do this everytime they will go somewhere else!

in all honesty, i'd consider a move longer term.

We will move, eventually. But it won't be for a good few years yet (unless we win the lotto! Ha!)

We will move, eventually. But it won't be for a good few years yet (unless we win the lotto! Ha!)

fair point, but with a public area alongside your property kids wont really take notice of signs etc. maybe direct action thro local SNT sending down a PCSO etc (depending upon ages of kids).

can you chat to their parents ? (do you know where they are from)?

some people can and will put up with certain annoyances, some people cant, imho there is only so much you can do without moving on eventually. good luck tho!

The right of access through your garden isn't usually universal. I know I certainly have right to lock my gate so long as I provide the neighbours with keys. The details will be in the deeds but more than likely there will be restrictions. There are many terraces in the city with locked security gates fitted to the shared access.

It is interesting that you own half the alley. Are you responsible for its upkeep?

Such a right is rarely a public right of way. It's almost always an easement- a private right that:

a. burdens one property; and

b. benefits another/others (but not the general public).

Are the children those of a house-owenr whose property is one of those benefitting from the easement, perhaps?

Such a right is rarely a public right of way. It's almost always an easement- a private right that:

a. burdens one property; and

b. benefits another/others (but not the general public).

 

Are the children those of a house-owenr whose property is one of those benefitting from the easement, perhaps?

Even on the alley in the photo Jeffrey?