I really want something from a skip. Would you? Should you?

[Progress2019]

We are in a fairly new development. It was bad enough seeing the workmen destroying the neighbours kitchen when we could do with some more cupboards, but only yesterday dh and I were talking about buying a new garden gate, when that afternoon, I saw that theirs was in their skip. Its in far better condition than ours, as theirs was sheltered by their garage, and they didn’t use their back gate, whereas ours was in constant use, and is shabby and rickety.

I don’t know how much a new garden gate costs. Probably under £100, but its not just the money. I’m really into freegle and donate things constantly - its amazing what people can make use of. I hate the thought of stuff ending up in landfill unnecessarily. Not that the gate would, as its wooden.

Anyway. Would you take it? Could you? Sadly these aren’t friendly neighbours, so I’m not going to ask.

Just to add, I probably won’t, as I’m pathetic, but I’m just wondering ehat other people would do.

[Happyspud]

Take it! It’s in the rubbish bin basically. I’d take it in a heartbeat. You’re doing them a favour freeing up more skip space.

[Tingface]

I’d knock and ask them.

[Shutuptodd]

You need to ask them otherwise it is stealing.

[FiremanKing]

Take it.

My ex took some beautiful chandeliers out of a skip and his mother had them in her home. They were beautiful.

I saw an old fashioned bakerlite phone and retrieved it and a few years later sold it on eBay for a decent amount.

[flumpybear]

Knock and ask, I'm sure they'll love more room in their skip!

[KataraJean]

Just knock and ask.
People scavenged from the skip in my drive way when I had the kitchen done and it felt a bit violating that they were in my garden. If they had knocked and asked, I would have said go right ahead.

[Fairylea]

Knock and ask.

[ClashCityRocker]

Won't they notice that a) the gate is missing from the skip and b) their neighbour has a new gate, coincidentally the same as the missing gate?

Any normal person would be happy to give it to you if you ask, but if they are unfriendly in the first place I can't imagine they'd be too chuffed to discover you'd taken it.

[KataraJean]

Sorry just noticed these are not friendly neighbours - surely they will notice their gate on your property, though.

[Bluntness100]

I think it would be a bit weird if I'm honest, as they will clearly see you've been through their skip and are now using their gate.

I think it'd steel myself to ask. And if you really can't bring yourself to do so, then don't take it.

People can be very weird about this shit, it's like going through their bins. And if the relarionship isn't good to start, going through their skip and taking stuff without asking probably isn't going to improve it any. Even if it is destined for land fill.

One of you just knock on the door and ask if they'd mind.

[PrimeraVez]

If you take it and use it yourselves, will they see it? I would find it really weird to spot something in my neighbour's garden that was once mine, if they hadn't asked.

Can you not just knock on their door and say something along the lines of 'I've noticed you've chucked out your old gate, do you mind if I take it?' It would be really weird for them to say no.

[Progress2019]

Right. I’ve just been out and their cars arent there. They’ve probably left for work. The builders arrive at about 8, and I think the skip might be taken today as its full. I could ask them, or steal it now, like a raccoon.

Damn these light mornings.

I love hearing about the lovely things people have found in skips.

[SellMySoulForMoreSleep]

We've just had some work done and I had no problem with people taking stuff, we didn't want it! One person did knock and ask though which I thought was nice. Go for it!

[Progress2019]

They will absolutely be able to see it! The only reason this isnt a really bad idea is that my husband is currently replacing our fence, so its all changing. Also because this is quite a new build road we all have the same gates. Ours is bad because someone has driven into it, and husband has bodged it back together.

[Progress2019]

I’m taking it. My plan is to go round later, and let them know what i’ve done, but I don’t want to risk the skip lorry coming. Suddenly this gate is very precious!

[SnowsInWater]

I really don't get "theft" from a skip (and I am trained as a lawyer). Nothing says "I don't want this anymore" more clearly than putting it in a skip that you are paying for someone to remove and dispose of the contents.

We are in Aus and most suburbs have "council clean ups" every few months. You put the stuff you don't want on the kerbside and Council collects it for recycling/disposal. Anything decent is sold at the skip shop. BUT many many people will drive around the area once stuff is out out and take what they want. It is common to see signs saying things like "working", or "missing x part" on things so people can decide whether or not to take them. I put out a really good kids' scooter once that we had long outgrown so it was rusty but would clean up well and was so happy to see a family with a little boy stop and take it. The only thing that pisses people off is when someone rifles through the pile and leaves it a mess rather than neatly stacked/contained. Take your garden gate!!!

[EssentialHummus]

Also because this is quite a new build road we all have the same gates.

They won't know then, surely?

I think it's fine. Though there was an amusing message on the local FB page recently to the effect of "Whoever took the Persian rug outside the skip at 123 Green Street, you're welcome to it, but it has moths so please get it treated before use."

[GiantKitten]

Putting things into a neighbour’s skip is the sin!

Taking something out is kind & helpful

[Bezalelle]

Take it! Most of my furniture is from skips.

[Gertie75]

If you're too scared to ask the neighbours then ask the builders, they won't care, they'll be glad of more room in the skip.

We gutted our house and as part of building new interior walls the builder bought loads of timber, he threw so many off cuts in the skip, it added up to metres of the stuff so I fished it out myself and offered it to our neighbours for their log burner.

[ahtellthee]

We have a local tip for surrounding villages and find all sorts!

Including a cannondale bike, garden furniture, a cruset bowl (still with labels), a beautiful fish bowl, I just got a 8 massive terra-cotta pots for the garden last weekend. My daughter finds lots of little trinkets like shells and little cups that DC all play with (if it gets broken we just take them back).

One mans rubbish is another mans treasure, as they say.

[DisgraceToTheYChromosome]

Take it. Our old Workmate was rescued from a skip, and FIL ran all his tools from washing machine motors retrieved from skips.

[villainousbroodmare]

Take it! And paint it!

[Bloocy]

My ex and his brother used to go ‘skip diving’ outside some of the old factories/warehouses near where we lived. they figured out the day the skips got emptied and went the night before - they used to get office equipment, desks, chairs, PCs, printers, then fix them up and sell them on. Security guard used to let them in so it must have been ok!

[AvocadosBeforeMortgages]

I'd take it.

My area has a bit of a flytipping problem but sometimes people do leave useful stuff - I've had everything from pallets (used the wood for a garden project) to plant pots. Years ago I made an entire chicken coop and run from stuff I scavenged from skips (though I did have to buy the chicken wire).

But then I hate throwing out things that still have some life in them on principle - yoghurt pots are turned into plant pots, clothes with holes in them are taken to the H&M recycling bank, and I've given away everything from polywallets to out of date dog food (my dog's a fussy sod sometimes) on Olio.

If you're worried about them recognising it, give it a lick of paint so that the scuffs don't look too familiar; as they have the same style gate they're not going to know once it's been painted.