My Tenants Neighbours Kids Jump The Fence and Are Peeping Toms

RADICALIST on 31/03/2023 - 10:50
Last edited 31/03/2023 - 10:58

Story from my agent is that the neighbours kids 15, 10 and 9 year old jump the backyard fence and peep through their windows. My tenants are really afraid of using the backyard to play and worried about their belongings in the shed.

I told my agent to raise a case with council and police. Is there much else that can be done? I am afraid as they are kids, they won't listen to authority.

The tenants have now told me that since the kids keep jumping the backyard fence, they have bent the fence a bit and looks like a few more jumps will make it collapse….

Home & Garden

Comments

    • TheGooniesKilldMyVCR on 01/04/2023 - 10:07
      +1

      Couple of pitbulls as well

      • Matt P on 04/04/2023 - 00:25

        What is Mr Worldwide going to do to help here? Call the kids Dale?

  • ode1online on 31/03/2023 - 11:19
    +2

    You can't do anything about it, its hearsay. The tenant should get some cameras and get a dog, they will need to ask permission if they can put up cameras anyway. If they have proof, they should take it up with the police. If your property is damaged, that's another story, ask your agent to take some photos of the fence and if it does fail, you may have a claim on property damage if you can prove they did it.

  • GG57 on 31/03/2023 - 11:21
    +9

    The way that OP has told this story, I'm assuming that they own the property but the tenants have this problem with their neighbours.
    If that is the case, OP shouldn't have any involvement (apart for dealing with any fence damage perhaps). Surely the tenant should be resolving this with their neighbours, involving the police if needed.

    • RADICALIST on 31/03/2023 - 11:39
      +7

      It's been going on for months and they have just shrugged it off as kids will be kids but it has gotten to the point where they have bent the fence and pulling vegies out of their vegie patch.

      • Iwantthebestprice on 31/03/2023 - 13:44

        Are they pulling the veggies out just to be annoying or pulling them out and stealing the veggies?

        • Sammy2000 on 01/04/2023 - 09:37
          +7

          Why does that make a difference? If they are stealing to eat or being vandals? Trespassing is a crime too.

          • TooSerious2 on 01/04/2023 - 12:13
            -6

            @Sammy2000: One is hungry kids being kids, the other is kids being pricks.

            There's more to this world than property rights.

            • dcep on 01/04/2023 - 12:58
              +6

              @TooSerious2: i don't think kids like greens even when they're hungry

    • cookie2 on 31/03/2023 - 21:31
      +4

      I catch a faint aroma of bogan and deviant behaviour. I hope you have to live next door to behaviour like this and see if it gets you off your high horse.

    • SydStrand on 31/03/2023 - 22:48
      +2

      How else would you describe it? Are you totally fine with teenagers peaking into your house?

      • TrustNoBody on 01/04/2023 - 12:05
        -2

        that’s even if it’s actually happening…sounds better by saying they are looking in windows and also the shed getting broken into , i dare say something would of happened by now if it’s been happening for months

      • drfuzzy on 02/04/2023 - 22:36

        Sure. Put on a show.

    • HelpMeiCantSee on 01/04/2023 - 08:44
      +10

      Jesus you’re a tool mate. The neighbours kids are commuting a CRIME. People like you are a massive part of why way too big a chunk of society is out of control.

    • smartazz104 on 02/04/2023 - 19:38

      The only aroma here is your bullshit.

  • El cheepo on 31/03/2023 - 11:23
    +5

    A few cheap cameras around the house for proof of any allegations and motion flood lights for night.

    • AlienC on 02/04/2023 - 20:50

      Add a sound activated creepy clown noise triggered by motion sensors to drill in the message. I was going to say put a clown doll there but that would get stolen probably.

      At least you can put the creepy clown sound in the shed and motion sensor up somewhere they can't reach without a ladder.

      Start with least harmful deterrent first then elevate security based on activity and circumstance aka if they actually try anything.

      Hopefully they are just curious and bored and not criminally minded at all but always be ready with a plan 2.

      • El cheepo on 03/04/2023 - 11:08
        +1

        All fun and games the first time it goes off…

        You can bet once something like that is worked out it will be abused and used to be annoying to the home owner and neighbours..

        • AlienC on 03/04/2023 - 18:13

          Yeah pretty much.. Triple edged shield

  • brendanm on 31/03/2023 - 11:40
    +4

    Doesn't sound like a you problem to be honest.

  • deme on 31/03/2023 - 11:41
    -5

    OP originally wrote:

    Story from my agent is that the neighbours kids 15, 10 and 9 year old (aboriginals)

    hmmm

    • RADICALIST on 31/03/2023 - 11:49
      +4

      What is wrong with being aboriginal?

      • deme on 31/03/2023 - 11:49
        +15

        You tell me, you are the one that included it and then removed it.

      • TrustNoBody on 01/04/2023 - 09:12
        +4

        nothing.i’m aboriginal but why did you need to put aboriginal in brackets ? why wouldn’t you just write kids ? cos that’s what they are .

    • OMGJL on 31/03/2023 - 12:51
      +37

      Story from my agent is that the neighbours kids 15, 10 and 9 year old (American)
      Story from my agent is that the neighbours kids 15, 10 and 9 year old (English)
      Story from my agent is that the neighbours kids 15, 10 and 9 year old (Australian)
      Story from my agent is that the neighbours kids 15, 10 and 9 year old (Indian)
      Story from my agent is that the neighbours kids 15, 10 and 9 year old (Chinese)
      Story from my agent is that the neighbours kids 15, 10 and 9 year old (Black)

      Did OP said anything stereotype? No. Was OP biased because of the race? No. Did OP posted any hate comments about one race? No.

      I see nothing wrong. Over reacting when you hear a race is also racism.

      • GG57 on 31/03/2023 - 12:54
        +12

        OP's inclusion in their original post of the kids' race was totally irrelevant to the post, unless OP specifically wanted to call it out for some reason.

        • ozhunter on 31/03/2023 - 13:15
          +27

          Completely relevant unless you are delusional and think all cultures are all the same.

          • GG57 on 31/03/2023 - 13:24
            -8

            @ozhunter: I'm pretty sure that there are kids in almost all cultures that have jumped a fence.
            Or is it that OP might think that kids from this specific race wouldn't usually do this, and it is worth noting as unusual?

            • ozhunter on 31/03/2023 - 13:39

              @GG57:

              Or is it that OP might think that kids from this specific race wouldn't usually do this, and it is worth noting as unusual?

              Possible, but I doubt anyone here thinks that.

              • GG57 on 31/03/2023 - 13:40

                @ozhunter: And the other comment?

                I'm pretty sure that there are kids in almost all cultures that have jumped a fence.

                • OMGJL on 31/03/2023 - 17:54
                  +5

                  @GG57: but does parents in all culture handles this the same?

                • ozhunter on 31/03/2023 - 18:49
                  +8

                  @GG57: I'm sure they have.

                  Still don't see any issue when someone mention's person's race. It's like mentioning a person's age or sex. It helps in case there is a pattern then maybe steps can be taken find a solution to the issue.

                  • cookie2 on 31/03/2023 - 21:42
                    +8

                    @ozhunter: Or possibly better ways to deal with it depending on what you know of the culture. Some ppl just think a mention of race = racism. It's very strange. I don't know how some people decide what overseas countries to visit or not. Don't they have to think of the pros and cons including the culture, the ppl etc?

      • Protractor on 31/03/2023 - 15:38
        -8

        You know what click baiting is? You know what click baiting with race =?
        Race baiting

        • cookie2 on 31/03/2023 - 21:43
          +9

          Stop making up words. You're race baiting.

        • hueylewis on 01/04/2023 - 10:47

          race baiting, do you mean like what barry obama did as potus?

      • Protractor on 31/03/2023 - 15:49
        -4

        You do know what 'motivation' means don't you?

      • timthetoolman on 31/03/2023 - 18:35
        +6

        My nephew is actually from Black

      • TooSerious2 on 01/04/2023 - 12:19

        Yeah, but I've never seen an example of the first 3. We whiteys point out the last 3 because they're different/the other.

  • Sleeqb7 on 31/03/2023 - 11:59
    +7

    Your tenants should contact the police if people are trespassing. They're living there, it's their responsibility. You can't do anything based on hearsay and minor fence damage.
    What a bizarre thread.

    • cookie2 on 31/03/2023 - 21:45
      +3

      Cops prob don't do much considering they're 15 and under. So what about after that you think? How else to resolve? Or if you live around my area you won't even get the cops attending or even answering the phone.

      • Sleeqb7 on 01/04/2023 - 10:02
        +5

        Cameras for proof followed by repetitive calls to the police whenever an incident occurs.
        It's a crime, and no matter how rubbish your local law enforcement may be, eventually they will need to respond to it.

        Alternatively cover your fence and yard with barbed wire.

    • ozhunter on 31/03/2023 - 12:33
      +12

      All seems a bit odd that somehow you know the race of your tenants neighbours.

      Who do you think told him? Bob from the local Woolworths?

      Anyway maybe the neighbour kids were friends with the previous tenants kids and they just got used to hopping the fence to play.

      If that was the case, you don't think they haven't noticed that the previous tenants haven't come out to play? Maybe they could learn some manners and go knock on the front door instead of jumping people's fences.

      I'm sure this can be sorted out civilly without racially vilifying anyone or hurting anyone's feelings.

      Who is vilifying anyone and why would their feelings get hurt?

      • pjetson on 31/03/2023 - 14:46
        +2

        Who do you think told him? Bob from the local Woolworths?

        Bloody Bob, someone needs to have a word with him.

    • cookie2 on 31/03/2023 - 21:52
      +2

      'this can be sorted out civilly without racially vilifying anyone or hurting anyone's feelings.'.
      Please describe the vilification you're suggesting and why repeated tresspassers (even where minors) or parental guardians feelings would be relevant in this situation? Is it because of their race that you are suggesting this because that seems a bit racist to me.

      • AustriaBargain on 31/03/2023 - 22:32
        +1

        Are we talking about hardened criminals here or 15, 10, and 9 year old children?

    • Gnostikos on 01/04/2023 - 12:48
      +1

      All seems a bit odd that somehow you know the race of your tenants neighbours.

      Maybe he has eyes, has traveled the world, experienced different cultures and can identify patterns?

      Even Chimpanzees can do this extremely well in experiments.

  • spackbace on 31/03/2023 - 12:47
    +4

    Become nudists. They'll quickly stop looking in (well, depending on looks/gender etc!)

    • bdl on 31/03/2023 - 16:12
      +4

      +1 to scary sausages

    • cookie2 on 31/03/2023 - 21:46
      +8

      Don't mention gender, people already have their knickers in a twist over race.

      • lachhelix on 01/04/2023 - 02:59
        +1

        knickers in a twist

        One of my favourite sayings lmao 😂

    • OzzyOzbourne on 02/04/2023 - 12:09

      Technically illegal to be naked on your own property knowing someone can see or knowing you may cause offence. Actually a crime whereas trespass is only a civil offence

  • dogboy on 31/03/2023 - 12:51
    +1

    How is this your problem?

  • OMGJL on 31/03/2023 - 12:54
    +1

    I am afraid as they are kids, they won't listen to authority.

    How about their guardians? Don't you think it's very neat that parents are responsible for the action their kid did?

  • simplerick on 31/03/2023 - 13:06
    +2

    Don't come to OzBargain asking this kind of advice, use your head for **** sake! lol

    interesting read none the less

    THIS

    'Your tenants should contact the police if people are trespassing. They're living there, it's their responsibility. You can't do anything based on hearsay and minor fence damage.
    What a bizarre thread.'

  • prisonmike on 31/03/2023 - 14:24
    +2

    Get them to install a camera facing the fence. That along with a high power strobe light should stop them.

    • Loopholio on 02/04/2023 - 02:16
      +2

      Do you want random back yard rave partys? Because that's how you get rave partys!

  • RADICALIST on 31/03/2023 - 14:39
    +20

    I only made this post for extra advice and trying not to be a scumlord and actually helping my tenants I guess being a decent human being is frowned upon

    • gromit on 31/03/2023 - 21:23
      +6

      The only thing you can do is advise them to call the police.

      Edit: And plant some nice spiky bushes or roses.

    • Hardlyworkin on 01/04/2023 - 07:58
      -7

      I think the jury is still out on you being a decent human.

  • Protractor on 31/03/2023 - 15:40
    -6

    Call it out where it counts>
    https://callitout.com.au/

    • brendanm on 31/03/2023 - 16:22
      +16

      Damn, I need a website like this where I can complain about all the times I've been called a white dog, white cu in the nt, threatened with a bashing etc.

      • morse on 02/04/2023 - 11:47
        +1

        I’m also white and this has never happened to me, lived and worked all over metro, regional and remote NSW, QLD and NT. Granted it may be a gender thing as I’m female, but I do wonder why this might happen to you regularly as it’s not something I hear of a lot of white people experiencing.

        • brendanm on 02/04/2023 - 15:54
          +6

          Who knows, this wasn't in any of those places though. Regional wa. Wasn't just me it happened to. Most people in this country have never spent any time outside the city.

          I do think that it's hilarious that it's ok to minimise my experience, however if the roles were reversed, anyone doing any minimising would have people piling on calling them a racist, and that they don't understand how things are.

        • Gnostikos on 02/04/2023 - 20:30
          +6

          I’m also white and this has never happened to me

          Jesus, you must have lived a sheltered life.

          Back in my uni days, seeing groups of Aboriginals hurling racial insults at passersby either on the bus/train, at the bus/train station or on late night shopping days at the shopping centre, whether they were Australian, Asian, African, etc was a weekly occurrence.

          One of my favourite memories is that of a meek, middle-aged lady on the bus whose cardinal sin was to have her eyes inadvertently meet the gaze of an Aboriginal woman sitting across from her, whose immediate response was: "What are you looking at, you blue-eyed c**t?"

          Then there's the time a group of Aboriginals were yelling at an African guy on the train and calling him a "black c**t" and telling him to go back to his own country, which was inadvertently comical given the irony.

          Or there's the Aboriginal woman who accused me of "calling her kids bastards the other day".

          Almost all of this abuse was unprovoked.
          I could probably list off enough of these experiences to compile an essay on racial relations in Australia.

          it’s not something I hear of a lot of white people experiencing.

          Lol, go live in a low socio-economic area for a bit with a good amount of state housing and train/bus stations nearby.

          • morse on 02/04/2023 - 21:13
            +1

            @Gnostikos:

            you must have lived a sheltered life

            I really haven’t many of the suburbs I lived in have been ‘gentrified’ now but when I lived there, were not. I’ve literally had a very rich life and visited very diverse places.

            Things are definitely different now but honestly Dubbo, Redfern, Alice Springs,
            Darwin, Townsville, Cairns, Toowoomba, remote Aboriginal communities in NT, literally ALL over NSW for work. Places where people kept cars in cages. Sometimes I’ve slept in swags for work and back in the day we needed satellite phones to be allowed to make a work trip. I didn’t get racially abused and I’m very obviously white. ICan’t speak for others experiences, but I know mine. TBH, I think with my remote gigs I think people struggled more with me beiny vegetarian ( as I was at the time) and looking so young - I was in my early twenties and looked about 15. One Aboriginal man did have a go at my in a large metro hospital due to this, but it was my age and gender not my whiteness that was the issue.

            • Gnostikos on 03/04/2023 - 11:40
              +3

              @morse: Good for you, I'd say you're most certainly the exception to the rule.

              Where I grew up, which wasn't even that bad from a crime rate perspective, everyone and I mean from all racial/ethnic backgrounds, disliked Aboriginal people.

              And it was rarely, if ever, a racially-based prejudice on their part, it was entirely experiential. Everyone had either had a run-in with a group of Aboriginals late at night somewhere or knew someone who had. A few had even been beaten up/assaulted for no reason as well.

              Case in point, a friend of mine in high school who worked at the local Coles was minding his business in the freezer section one evening (late night shopping, as was typical for shopping centre brawls back in the day) and a group of Aboriginals he had never seen in his life, jumped him and beat the s**t out of the him in front of dozens of customers. Needless to say, his opinion of Aboriginal people was lower than dog sh*t afterwards.

              I will agree with you that things are different now and generally better, even in the dodgier suburbs, but lived experiences make for very different perspectives and if you were catching a couple of Aboriginal fists to the back of the head while going about your job one day, you most certainly wouldn't be sporting the cheery, upbeat, racially-harmonious outlook you do now.

              I can see both sides of the argument here, that Aboriginal people have undoubtedly suffered innumerable injustices since the colonial era but also that they're incapable of channelling their deep-seated anger into a constructive/productive outlet instead of lashing out at random members of society, who have nothing to do with their historical oppression (again, the guy I referred to earlier was Costa Rican; I'm fairly certain his ancestors had no idea who Aboriginals were). The mindless and senseless nature of their petty rage is what most people take issue with; I could care less if they stormed Parliament House in Canberra and burned that f**king thing to the ground, good riddance I'd say. Maybe even string up a politician or two. But stop lumping the ordinary, innocent people of society who had no part in your historical suffering into your pseudo-historical revenge fantasy against your oppressors, it does nothing to garner sympathy for your cause and just breeds resentment against you.

          • TrustNoBody on 03/04/2023 - 21:27

            @Gnostikos: which state was this at ? i do live in a low socio-economic area and i don’t really see this going on but my area has mainly arabs living in it

    • RSmith on 01/04/2023 - 05:23
      +7

      Give them a free pass to do whatever they like without any consequences for their own actions. If someone dares to raise a voice, threaten them with the "raciam" card.

  • Ehty on 31/03/2023 - 15:54
    +1

    Get a nasty Dog!

  • NevC on 31/03/2023 - 21:11
    +4

    I'm not racist, I hate everyone equally.

  • hopper on 31/03/2023 - 23:19

    Adopt a pitbull

  • RSmith on 01/04/2023 - 05:21
    +4

    Rabbit proof fence.

  • humilem servum tuum on 01/04/2023 - 06:05
    +3

    Could always install anti bird spikes on your fences. Not the rubber ones but the ones with stainless steel spikes.

  • WT on 01/04/2023 - 09:01
    +2

    id guess cameras, then trespassing, then restraining order? would be the process

    Can also get Venetian blinds which are cheap and easy, angle it so some light can get in but you cant see shit inside unless looking at the correct angle, any then you can only see floor or ceiling

  • mrvaluepack on 01/04/2023 - 09:52
    +4

    Is this in Alice Springs?

  • Hangryuman on 01/04/2023 - 10:47
    +3

    'My tenants are really afraid of using the backyard to play and worried about their belongings in the shed'

    belongings in the shed - sounds like a job for padlock - that is commonsense anywhere - unsecured stuff gets stolen.

    they are afraid of the neighbour's kids ? - this suggests fear of assault - a criminal matter

    my first thought was trespass - a sign on the front fence, and/or notice to the neighbours, that they may not trespass on your property or they may be arrested

    if they are aboriginal kids and the elders are unlikely to want to constrain their energetic kids, maybe visit the elders for a friendly chat - 'how can we make it better?'

    positive spin - why are the kids peering in the windows - are your tenants having sex with the curtains open - that would be an invitation to teenage kids to look - or cooking delicious aromatic foods - the kids may be hungry, could they share some food ?

    • Daabido on 03/04/2023 - 19:52
      +2

      Padlock? May as well put up a velvet rope.
      Afraid? Police would do nothing.
      Trespass? Can they read or care about a sign?
      Elders? Good luck finding the same clan's elders.
      Positive spin? Who cares about their motivation. Wrong is wrong.
      Don't feed stray animals or humans. They'll never leave and very quickly believe it is not a gesture of good faith, but something they deserve and demand.

  • May4th on 01/04/2023 - 11:26

    I must have missed the part where you tell us why this is your problem. It's the tenant's problem to deal with. there's no damage to property or trespass, being noisy/kids/ATSI (as per edit) is not a crime if you do that in your own property. if tenant make complaints it should be to the REA who should tell them their options and not get you involved apart from a courtesy notice. a camera pointing at their own backyard might be helpful if you want to catch evidence of alleged misadventures. you may just need to prepare to find a new tenant if lease is coming up for renewal

  • Amanda3724 on 01/04/2023 - 11:30
    +12

    Speaking from experience here.
    This type of story is nothing new. The parents won’t do anything if they allow their children to do this kind of thing already. The courts won’t do anything as they’re children and they’re generally unafraid of a stern telling-off from the president of the children’s court anyway.
    The only thing to do with feral neighbours is to get them evicted and cross your fingers the next ones are better.
    Do everything you can to get them out. Do a mail drop for other neighbours and give them details of how to complain to the housing association - make it easy for them. Follow every procedure the housing association have for problem neighbours, follow them up regularly and question what they are doing. Make them accountable. If they aren’t taking action, (they can; they are often just reluctant), make an appointment with your local MP and take all your evidence with you, (photos, damage etc). If that doesn’t work, write to your Premier/Chief Minister. Finally - if that doesn’t work, find a local solicitor with experience in housing issues and speak to them about the possibility of litigation against the housing corporation for failing to manage their tenants - which they have a LEGAL responsibility to do.
    It’s not OK for neighbours to allow their children to behave this way. Cheap housing is a privilege thousands would be grateful for. If they can’t behave like civilised human beings, get them out.

    • May4th on 01/04/2023 - 11:57
      -1

      did OP say the neighbours are living in public housing?

      • TrustNoBody on 01/04/2023 - 12:13
        +4

        yes in one comment they are in community services house which i’m assuming is a government housing

    • TrustNoBody on 01/04/2023 - 12:19

      ..seems a bit extreme..how do you know the parents even know the kids are jumping the fence ? how do you know the tenants ain’t just making it seems worst then it is by saying they are looking in windows ?
      also it’s very very hard to get someone kicked out of government housing especially for something that is petty as this …
      and from your experience what actually was the issue you had ? what was the outcome in your case ?

    • RADICALIST on 01/04/2023 - 14:54
      +3

      Thanks this is great advice and I will be passing this to my tenants and agent.

  • 2esc on 01/04/2023 - 12:35

    Decades ago i ran a bottle shop never ever had problems with people of aboriginal background being agressive. I did have problems with white people though. For every intoxicated aboriginal i turned away i had to turn away 20 Caucasians.

    • Emerald Owl on 02/04/2023 - 13:23
      +2

      That depends on the racial makeup of where you are, disproportionally high for Aboriginal

    • infinite on 02/04/2023 - 14:49
      +1

      Aboriginals make up 2% of the population.

      If 1 in 20 trouble making customers you had were Aboriginal, then they sure were a disproportionately bad problem compared to everyone else.

  • THICKnSLOW on 01/04/2023 - 14:38

    Tenant should ask the neighbours parents over for a swingers party. Traumatise those kids for good.

  • Mistredo on 01/04/2023 - 14:49

    A few solutions:
    - Bigger fence
    - Razor wire
    - Anti-climb paint (probably the best if possible)

  • OzBargainGirl on 01/04/2023 - 15:53
    +1

    I would make an appointment with a local council representative. You are paying rates. Where is the Local Council security? You are paying for that, as well. Go to a local council meeting. Present photos of damaged fence. Do a letter drop to everyone on the street, and exactly which numbers to call: Local Council representative first, then Police, then anyone else required.

  • dcash on 01/04/2023 - 17:49
    +4

    Taking into account the word you used in your original post which apparently isn't allowed to be mentioned for reasons I honestly can't fathom (#VoteNo), I'd say that unfortunately there is very little you can do.

  • ben10 on 01/04/2023 - 18:28
    +1

    How about planting some prickly bougainvillea along the fence line? The spikes are great and the tree grows fairly quickly.

  • drprox on 01/04/2023 - 19:22

    NOT YOUR PROBLEM, next!

  • Gold Sanchez on 02/04/2023 - 02:22

    From the Landlord perspective, I think installing a bunch of motion sensing flood lights, along with perhaps a couple of "No Trespassing" signs would be a relatively affordable option. As you mentioned they are great Tenants and probably don't wish to lose them; It show you are actively trying to help and gives them a little piece of mind.

  • GourmetFoodie on 02/04/2023 - 09:37

    I think all you can do is contact the police and maybe get a restraining order or file trespass claim? The police can advise best approach.

    Maybe build a higher fence too? Or add trellis and spikes so it’s harder to jump?

  • serpserpserp on 02/04/2023 - 11:53
    -3

    Why do you need to vent here? Just follow through with what you advised the agents. Get the police around, or get the agent to visit the neighbors.

    • infinite on 02/04/2023 - 14:53
      +4

      Their just asking if anyone has any ideas on what else can be done to deal with the problematic aboriginal children who are trespassing, invading people's privacy and damaging property. Seems pretty reasonable to me.

      Why do you feel the need to vent about someone clearly not venting ?

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