We live next to an alleyway and are having problems with a few of the kids in our street and the next street, skate boarding in the alley way. It has been an ongoing problem since a new neighbour moved in and their son begun riding there. We addressed it multiple times at that time as I had a newborn who was being woken by the noise but we were made to feel that we don't own the alley way and therefore couldn't dictate what was happening. I also was given attitude by the child in question but the parents have always been sure to make sure I know he "is a good kid".. Needless to say 2.5 yrs later it is still causing a nuisance as the noise can be heard throughout the majority of our house. The constant banging of a skate board hitting the cement as the child(ren) do jumps etc is annoying. We are on good terms with the neighbours now and don't want to cause an issue but now the 1 child who was riding in there now has a half dozen new friends in there also. It is now after 8pm at night and there are approx 4 or 5 kids in there yahoo'ing and doing jumps and my kids need to go to bed.
I've called my local council before but no one could really tell me if there was any legislation against it. I would have preferred not to get officials involved but i really don't know what to do.
If you are on good terms now with the neighbours could you invite them over at a time you know the kids will be skateboarding so they can hear for themselves how loud it is? Is there a local skate park the kids could use instead? If the parents won't stop them I think the only real option is to make a formal noise complaint through the council or police.
Though I would probably tell the parents that I found a used needle in there so they should check it out before the kids play, in the hope that they will just disallow the kids.
I'd invite the parents over one night, so they can hear how loud it is in your place.
I'd explain that the kids seem like great kids, but notwithstanding that you've mentioned it a few times, they're still doing it, and so you wanted them to hear how loud it is in your house - at a time when you're trying to get your kids to bed.
If someone showed me in that way how it's impacting them in their home, that would have quite an impact on me. And I would feel like it was respectful - they're not just asking me to take their word on it, they're introducing me into the conversation.
If you need to level up, I'd go to the council.
Your local council will have something on their webpage about noise levels - if you google the website and "decibels" I would imagine you'll find the page. If you're going to make a complaint, you'd probably need to take diary notes over some time, and you probably would be helped by downloading a decibel reading app onto your phone, and taking screenshots to show the decibel level and time, to back up your diary.
But be aware, they'll probably know it's you, and if you're not ok with that, then don't go that path.
Don't have any suggestions but can empathise. We live in a small terrace house with a party wall with next door. Wooden floorboards and they are constantly thumping up and down their hallway, slamming their door & gate all day & night. Drives me mental. I haven't said anything, and probably won't. They argue quite a bit too so not something I want to start with my neighbours. Yours sound a bit more approachable [emoji3].
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Dilema with an alley way
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