
Warning: it's long. TLDR at the bottom

So about 3 months ago some new neighbours moved in next door. Kinda quite, with some small children, and at first we thought that everything would be ok, since we didn't talk to our previous neighbours much either. Alas, it wasn't quite for long. 

The neighbours got the kids into soccer, and proceeded to use our fence as a goal, which, because of the way our house is built (i.e badly) causes the shock to be heard in the entire house. We asked them nicely multiple times if they could please stop, or at least move the activities somewhere more appropriate, since there are 3 massive parks within a 5 minute walk of our houses, 2 of which have goals that anyone can use just sitting around. 

They refused, and told us that we were bring incredibly selfish and gave us the classic "think of the children". They continued doing this for a month or so, before the balls started coming over the fence as the kids presumably got better at soccer and kicked the balls harder. 

For the first few times we brought them back, each time reminding the neighbours that we didn't want them using our fence as a goal, adding that there was a big glass window on the other side which the balls could easily break. Again, little to no consideration on their part, and the games continued. We then decided to stop throwing the balls back, to which they proceeded to trespass on our property to get the balls back, even when we were home in our garden.

 We called the police, who informed the neighbours that they can't do that (obviously), but said that there wasn't much else they could do since it wasn't malicous. After a few days, they continued their behaviour. A week ago, it finally came to a head when a stray ball hit a weather cover (the plastic sheets that stop rain), and broke it. The police were unhelpful in the extreme and passed the buck to the housing agency responsible for the neighbours house (it's a state owned property), who told us their was nothing they could do. We then decided to stop throwing the balls back and just keep them in our house, and are now being blamed by the neighbours for "ruining their kids' childhood", and that I haven't been clear enough that they shouldn't get the balls back.

Am I the asshole for not doing more to stop this situation from coming this far? Should I give the balls back or leave them in the yard, with them continuing to trespass to get them back?


TL;DR new neighbours use our fence as a goal, kick balls over said fence, trespass on our property, eventually break something, and are now blaming us for everything.


