am i in my right to puncture a ball if its on my property?

Question

i have terrible neighbours and i have loads of balls constantly in my garden because of them. do i have this right?

its not just balls thumping loud music til 1:30 in the morning and when you go ask them to turn it down you get assaulted.

We have a 6ft high fence running the length of the garden the other side only have a 3ft high fence but they never get any balls over. seems strange does it not?

Answer 1

I do understand what you're going through and for those people who've answered this question telling you not to be so grumpy, they must live in areas where this doesn't happen. Where I live, when their ball comes over your fence they don't even knock on your door to ask for the ball, they just climb over the fence and get it themselves, which I think is very ignorant. The kids round here don't give a toss. How can anyone say 'they're only kids'.
Kids nowadays have no manners and if you have an opinion you get punished for it. It used to be the other way round but society has changed and is paying the high price now.

Answer 2

sorry to hear about your 'terrible' neighbours..its sad but its something that you got to learn to deal with sometimes...kids are kids...maybe talk to them about it....or the kids..make a deal. If the balls keep coming over into your garden, then start keeping them in a special box or bag. Why get so upset over it. Balls do bounce and kids seem not to realize it that much, but when it happens it happens...wish I knew more about your problem. Sounds like your neighbours are not respecting your views. Maybe a higher fence might work but dam that can be costly. Maybe the kids are not being respectful and the parents don't care....I have the same probelem too, all I do is throw the balls back into their yard. Maybe talk and get advice from the police on what your rights are, and if you kept the balls do u have that right? Check this out first.
good luck
Michelle

Answer 3

Criminal damage, don't do it.

Honestly how much effort is it to throw a ball back ?

Answers.... Grow a tall hedge, put up a tall fence, report the neighbours to the authorities. Sadly there's not much you can, do... and I guess you feel pretty impotent in this situation, but resorting to petty acts like damaging footballs.... It's really not worth, and it will make maters worse.
The best thing to do is, (and I know it's hard) ignore them, and whatever you do, dont antagonise them, these people are plebs right ? so how do plebs react to antagonism ? Yeah, they dont spend a lot of time thinking things through do they ?

If you can move, move away, if thay are tennants, report them to the local authority (even if they own thier home you can STILL report them). Antisocial behaviour is high up on the top of the task list with many authorities at the moment, given an oppertunity to sling and ASBO, they will ! (if you're in the UK that is)... but other countries have silmilar restricitive notices they can serve.

The main point here is, antagonising them will make it worse, ignoring them will not cure it, but it will keep a lid on it to a degree.

Answer 4

That kind of sounds mean. Are these kids and their balls fly over the fence? no way if they belong to the kids. It will take you less time just to throw them back over. Talk to the adults in the house and let them know that your garden is getting ruined by their balls and see if they don't have the kids play in another part of the yard. If they are adults that are doing this then tell them about the garden and if more balls come over then you will just keep them. Keep them and donate them to a school or daycare, don't pop them. If it comes down to it then call your local police/ or your housing society and talk with them about the situation. Maybe they could give them a warning and things could get better.

Answer 5

I don't know but I moved house because I was so sick of the neighbours kids kicking the ball against my house, and into my garden at all times. 8am in the morning until 10pm at night would be 'thud thud' on my wall. They would climb over my fence and into the garden 20 + times a day if I ignored the door to the continual requests for "can I have my ball back?" And their parents told me that thier kids could play football wherever and whenever they effing well wanted to! So you have my sympathies! I have 2 kids of my own, aged 10 and 8 but its not nice to have this kind of intrusion day after day, and its not being a miser either!

Answer 6

I'm sure you cannot do puncture a ball just because it lands in your property...

If it has been there for a long time...then you have legal claim to it.

Think about it this way. If someone happens to park on your lawn without permission, you might have the right to have the car towed away (a legal third party)...but you cannot take a hammer to the windshield...

You could, if you wanted to...take the ball to the police station or the fire station and have your neighbors deal with them... but you cannot destroy their property, just because you are upset.

Also, that seems more trouble than it is worth... Just give the ball back to the kids...and tell them... "be careful with your ball kids, please"... A little kindness goes a long way...

Answer 7

you have set all your heart and mind against your neighbours,hece in your angle, i would have to answer that you have the right.but,wait a minute,you mean loads of BALLS.it must be only from the kids next door,not the elders.so,pl.dont start a war with kids,which will turn as world war with your elder neibours.you have right to object it,in a very decent way.not in the way you have opted.yet you have the right.what will your kid feel, if his ball is being punctured by a heartless grownup neighbour,.on seeing this, will you be keeping quiet,you may even puncture that mans belly.dont take things about kids seriously, and legaly.afterall,all of us have crossed that stage,and sure know abut uncontrolable bounce that balls make.further,the kids next door will soon switch over to some thing of other games, as they grow.calm yourself,you have the fullest right to cotroll your own self.you are your property.

Answer 8

The ball still belongs to the kid. When you refuse someone else's property (or destroy it), you have committed the tort called conversion. You can be sued for the value of the ball plus punitive damages.

I'm sure that you will think that you have some sort of trespassing claim, but you don't. Deliberately throwing a ball into your yard is trespassing, but accidentally doing it is not.

There are also criminal issues here, too. Good luck in front of a judge or jury with that.

Answer 9

Are they damaging any of your plants, breaking the glass in your greenhouse or knocking holes in your shed. Keep the balls till they ask for them, and then ask them to pay for the damage, before you will hand the balls back. They might be more careful. If no damage is being done, keep them in a bag till they knock on the door - how are you to know where they come from, it could be from the other side or the bottom of your land. You may be throwing the balls back to the wrong person. Make them wait and perhaps they will run out of balls.

Answer 10

technically yes I suppose. But if you put the question like this: 'My friend visited me the other day and forgot to take his glasses home when he left. I then decided to stamp on them. Was I right?' In this case no and most people would have to replace them. This is a tricky question. I understand your frustration as my neighbours are the same. I think you should think about what sort of retaliation you will receive. Maybe you could just keep the ball so they have to ask you for it. Then warn them that next time it comes over you will puncture it?