Neighbour being cheeky? Or AIBU?

Meh. I don't think driving to the tip is very environmentally friendly and clearly not enough clippings to pay for a whole bin. So greater good says take his clippings.
I wouldn't be fussed about bin sharing. What if he feels like putting in loads of other crap one month.

how is he cheeky if he's asking? just say no?

I can't see the issue, but if letting him put grass cuttings in your bin once every few months is pissing you off then stop agreeing to it.

Cos the rogue is only doing it cos its free. If OP asked for £3 he'd sharp find an alternative.

My Neighbour gives me £20 at Christmas, he fills it 3/4, we hardly have anything. I hate to tell him from October it’s going up to £75 per year.

He’s not a cheeky fucker because he asks for permission each time and you give it. 🤷🏻‍♀️

To be honest, I think you’re very strange for not asking him to contribute towards the cost of the bin collection, especially if his cuttings might fill it up on occasion.

How hard is it to say “Hey Bill, as you’re using my green bin more frequently now, I’d like you to contribute towards the cost, say £3 a month?”

That’s still cheaper than if he had to set up a contract with the council himself and he won’t be using it in the winter months.

Why dont you wait until nearer the end of year and say “sharing the bin has worked out quite well this year hasn’t it! So if you pay for it next year and I’ll put my clippings in yours. We can take turns paying for it each year 😊”

and see how he reacts, I bet he’s not keen on that reciprocal arrangement and might stop

In summer grass is cut weekly for us. Not enough room for our own never mind anyone else’s he is definitely taking advantage he could at least offer to pay part. What happens if you have a lot of trimmings of shrubs etc as well as grass do you not get to use the bin you pay for. Ok to ask for one off I think more is out of line

This is a brilliant Mumsnet conundrum.

On the one hand, you are literally paying a fee for the guy, who has no intention of paying himself. This is the rational argument why, of course, you shouldn't be paying for him.

On the other hand, it's a few grass clippings in an empty bin. For your neighbour. This is the emotional argument why, of course, you shouldn't make a fuss.

Frankly, I couldn't be arsed to care about it. I would choose not to feel "used". I would invite anyone who felt used to just let it go. Give and take.

Just tell him that it is no longer convenient. Ignore the posters that say you are being unreasonable. you bin is your property, how you use it is your business. Allowing him to use it as a one off is very different to you agreeing to pay for his green waste to be collected.

1. There was one occasion last summer where I had done both my lawns during the week and he then did both his at the weekend, the bin had only just been collected so it was full for another week until the next collection and I was unable to use it. I was just worried this might start to happen now that it’s summer

This is th eonly really important point I feel. So if he wants to use it at the beginning of the fortnight, I'd be inclined to say to him., "dave, totally happy for you to add anything just before collection but I'm a bit worried about space as we have mowed once already, will do at least another one and I'm planning a big weed over the weekend. can you store it on your side and if there's space [the day before collection] you're very welcome to add it. "

Can you tell him to please not use it right after it's been emptied? As it's filling up to quickly and you've been unable to use it. If he accepts that then I'd say he isn't too cheeky. I hope he gets you a bottle of wine or nice box of chocolates at Christmas time to say thanks!

If it's full and you cannot use it yourself - say so. Say you're sorry you're normally perfectly happy with the arrangement, especially given that he continues to ask permission rather than just assuming its a given. But that due to the fact you're unable to use it yourself sometimes, you think he's going to have to arrange to get his own grass cuttings bin. I think that would be fine. I don't understand the need for coffee and cake. So British and weird.

We have to pay it wouldn't bother me as long as I have space. Suggest you split the cost then it's not only you that is burdened with it. If you don't always have space tell him he needs to get his own.

Indeed, one minute you are turning a blind eye to some neighbours grass cuttings in your bin and the next thing you know he is on the Champs Elysees at the head of an army.

The council notify us yearly of the cost and whether we would like to continue or cancel. I would ask neighbour if he would like to split the yearly cost to the next time so you can both benefit.

Ask him if he minds washing it out every so often, if he's so keen on using it. Or split the cost of it?

You are seriously comparing unused space in a green bin that is of no consequence to the OP with a rented storage locker? I'm glad I live on street with nice neighbours, we are always lending/borrowing stuff and doing favours for each other without bean counting who owes what or shitting ourselves over being down a few quid.

@Motheringthrough

I agree it would be 'weird' although I'd call it dog in the manager, if you never needed the vacant space yourself. If, however, as it seems your neighbour is asking on such a regular basis that it's their default, then yes, I would be put out, particularly if it was week one and the bin filled to the extent that you couldn't use it yourself for a week until it was emptied again.

Can appreciate that he asks, and that you want to keep a cordial relationship that you feel might sour if you say no, but I would say that you didn't mind when you have space, but he'll have to wait until next week when you know there's room because a few times it's been too full for your own waste.

Its 60 a year but only for 6-7 months so why calculate the cost over 12 months?

But it did happen - in OP's comment at 16.57.

£60/52 weekly collections=£1.15 a week
/2 households = 57.69p each
x he uses it 12 times a year max
= £6.92 a year.

(If he uses it 9 times a year, average of every 1-2 months, it's £5.19 a year)

Plus £1 symbolic compensation for every time he's filled up your bin and you can't use it and it annoys you

Make it a tenner a year?

thats not what’s happening so it’s irrelevant.

Think id be tempted to bite the bullet and say to him theres not gonna be enough space over summer but you can send him the details to pay for his own bin collection

Wow.

Because tbh if my neighbour bought me the odd coffee or glass of wine, that would be fine by me to use the bin once every month or two, provided I hadn't filled it up already.

But what if he filled it up before you'd managed to do your lawn?