Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask this woman to stop?!

374 replies

MarriedMama23 · 30/06/2024 08:25

It's really starting to bother me now but I'm annoyingly polite.

Basically I have a driveway and quite often I will put things at the end of it (within my boundaries) for passing tat men to take away.

Recently there's this woman that walks past quite often as I think she lives nearby, if there is something at the end of my driveway, she will pick it up and come knock my door. Conversation went a bit like:

Her: You left this outside
Me: Yeah, I put it out for the scrap men, it's broken/don't want it anymore
Her: ....
Me: You can have it if you want it?
Her: head tilt, confused looking at me and item no...
Me: Can you pop it back where it was then please?

She did so but she keeps doing it! Always similar variation of this conversation above. She will pick the item up (most recently, an old broken speaker) and trot up to my door to tell me I left it outside? Why? How do I explain to this woman? I'm fairly sure she's native English speaking so I don't think it's a language barrier?

Aibu?

OP posts:
AGodawfulsmallaffair · 30/06/2024 08:26

Put a ‘Free to take’ sign up

Emmerald · 30/06/2024 08:27

Pop a sign near it to say it's free?

Original poster
MarriedMama23 · 30/06/2024 08:27

AGodawfulsmallaffair · 30/06/2024 08:26

Put a ‘Free to take’ sign up

Why? It should be obvious surely? And I've told her she doesn't need to bring it to me but she continues doing so.

I would stick a free sign on it if it was usable but most often it's quite clearly broken things for tat men, lots of people on my street do it but I've only seen her being stuff to my door.

OP posts:
Original poster
MarriedMama23 · 30/06/2024 08:28

Oh I should add. I've told her she could take it multiple times she never seems to actually want the item? Just wants to tell me I've left it outside?

OP posts:
Needmorelego · 30/06/2024 08:29

Try it with a "free" sign and see if it makes a difference.
If it doesn't.....well then she is just odd.

DustyLee123 · 30/06/2024 08:29

Tell her that if she trespasses again you’ll call the police.

Move22 · 30/06/2024 08:29

How often is quite often?
and how long does it sit there?

Wordsmithery · 30/06/2024 08:30

Is she related to Jim from Friday Night Dinner? Exactly what he'd do 😂
But hugely irritating if it happens to you.
Don't answer the next few times. It'll all become too much effort for her.

Original poster
MarriedMama23 · 30/06/2024 08:30

Move22 · 30/06/2024 08:29

How often is quite often?
and how long does it sit there?

We have tat men passing very frequently so it's not usually out there much more than 24 hours. It's on my property so it's not obstructing

My record was a tumble dryer being taken 10 mins after I put it out on the drive haha

OP posts:
Maray1967 · 30/06/2024 08:30

Might she think the street looks messy and it’s her (clumsy) way of saying don’t leave crap out in the street/in view of the street?

I’m not saying she’s right!!
Either that - or she is not very well, mentally.

autienotnaughty · 30/06/2024 08:31

She doesn't like you dumping rubbish at the bottom of your drive and she's making you aware and giving you opportunity to rectify your mistake.

You may have to be a little firmer and ask her to stop doing it

swayingpalmtree · 30/06/2024 08:32

autienotnaughty · 30/06/2024 08:31

She doesn't like you dumping rubbish at the bottom of your drive and she's making you aware and giving you opportunity to rectify your mistake.

You may have to be a little firmer and ask her to stop doing it

This. Its pretty obvious this is why she's doing it.

I'd just tell her, you have the right to put it on your drive, it's not affecting anyone else and it's removed quickly. Please stop knocking on my door. Thank you.

Original poster
MarriedMama23 · 30/06/2024 08:32

Maray1967 · 30/06/2024 08:30

Might she think the street looks messy and it’s her (clumsy) way of saying don’t leave crap out in the street/in view of the street?

I’m not saying she’s right!!
Either that - or she is not very well, mentally.

I feel I put it quite neatly it's only usually one or two things like old pots and pans etc as well.

OP posts:
Maddy70 · 30/06/2024 08:32

I wouldnt think it was free to take. You need a sign

Original poster
MarriedMama23 · 30/06/2024 08:33

Maddy70 · 30/06/2024 08:32

I wouldnt think it was free to take. You need a sign

I disagree, thanks though!

OP posts:
Simonjt · 30/06/2024 08:34

Its likely making the street look messy and unkempt, a bit like fly tipping in a rural layby.

Are you checking the person collecting your rubbish has an appropriate waste license??

saveforthat · 30/06/2024 08:37

How much stuff are you putting out if this happens regularly? She probably thinks it looks awful to have junk at the bottom of your drive (it does). We have an "any old iron" man who comes around weekly and someone posted on Facebook to say he had taken their brand new washing machine that had been delivered outside.

MarriedMama23 · 30/06/2024 08:39

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

bigageap · 30/06/2024 08:39

Middle class fly tipping I think is the term used!

maudelovesharold · 30/06/2024 08:40

In places where it’s the done thing - one of my dc lives in Bristol for example, where it’s really commonplace, and obviously where the op lives - you literally see stuff left out all the time and no-one puts a sign up! Maybe she’s recently moved from somewhere where it’s not a usual thing to do? You may have to explain the concept to the woman!

Londonrach1 · 30/06/2024 08:40

You need a sign and not to put random rubbish on the street

Original poster
MarriedMama23 · 30/06/2024 08:40

Londonrach1 · 30/06/2024 08:40

You need a sign and not to put random rubbish on the street

I'm putting it on my driveway, not the street, work on your reading comprehension please.

OP posts:
KoiKoiKoi · 30/06/2024 08:40

Simonjt · 30/06/2024 08:34

Its likely making the street look messy and unkempt, a bit like fly tipping in a rural layby.

Are you checking the person collecting your rubbish has an appropriate waste license??

HmmHmmHmm

Simonjt · 30/06/2024 08:41

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

In the UK if your rubbish is dumped you are the one responsible, not the one dumping it, so you should very much care that you’re making the street lookg scruffy and potentially causing flytipping elsewhere. If you’re struggling financially and can’t afford to pay for your waste to be collected, save it up out of sight and take it you the skip every few weeks instead.

2dogsandabudgie · 30/06/2024 08:42

Do you have a local Facebook group? We have a scrap man who comes round and collects scrap metal but we let him know on there and he lets us know what day he's collecting.

How often are you leaving stuff out and is it other rubbish apart from scrap metal?