Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Are we jerk neighbors?

I'm going to have a 8-9 year old boy some time here but are we the "jerk" neighbors?

Our subdivision does not have a fence as a standard to a home. So our home doesnt have a fence. Our neighbors to the right have a poorly constructed, falling down POS fence. The neighbors to the left have no fence. Both sets of neighbors have kids between the ages of 7-15. We are constantly asking the kids to not walk through our backyard to play at each others houses. This has been going on for almost a year now.

The teenage boy and his friend cut through our backyard to the empty field behind us to get to the main road.

The boys have walked past DH while he's edging the lawn without saying a word right through the middle of our backyard.

The right side neigbor boy cut through our backyard last weekend and when DH told him that he's asked to many times the boy answered "Sorry dude."

Both sets of kids walked repeatedly through our backyard after we had it re-seeded. We spent close to $600 in seed, labor and water for the re-seed.

Tonight I yelled at them for playing in our wood pile at the end of our property and he mumbled something about getting his back that magically rolled 200+ feet from their drive to the back of my property, up-frickin-hill.

We've talked to both sets of parts 3-4 times now. And if it was just getting a ball that would be different, but they frickin' cut through and play in our yard.

Are we the "jerk" neighbors because we want people to respect that our backyard is ours? And not a cut through to the main road, or to play at another kids house?

We are setting up estimates with three fence builders within the next week or so.

5 comments:

Heidi said...

No you are not being jerks! If something were to happen to them on your property they would probably sue you so you have the right to ask them to stay off.

Are you having an electric fence, LOL! Good luck because fences are expensive!

Household6 said...

Oh Heidi you had me ROLLING!

keri said...

You are NOT a jerk. The kid next door to us ALWAYS cuts thru our yard, even after we've asked him to stop - guess what -HIS HOUSE IS FENCED. He is too lazy to jump the fence or walk around the block so he GOES IN MY YARD.

2nd example, at our old house, we had an emergency access easement on our property. Eveyone assumed it was a cut thru to the other neighborhood, WHICH IT WASNT. So we constantly had to tell people to stop cutting thru, walking their dog, riding their bike. It was SO IRRITATING AND Heidi is right, if they hurt themselves they can sue you!

Its totally ridiculous. Stand your ground!!!

Jenna said...

I agree, that is why it is YOUR property. Hmm I am thinking a vicious big scary dog. Or a hot shot. :D Good Luck, people don't understand until its their yard that is getting the walking path worn into it.

ABW said...

Heidi's right! I'd put a fence up ASAP! (Hmmm.....electric....now there's an idea, lol)

People are way to sue happy these days.