My neighbour (let?s call them X) is accusing me of trespassing in their garden and of stealing their garden bin 
, which seems like a bit of a 
to me as I think I am entitled to have it. Before I go blowing my top unnecessarily and making a fool of myself about all of this, tell me, AIBU? Here are some facts:
? We shared cost of the collection service pretty much 50/50 over a period of several years.
? X told me at the end of last year that they no longer wanted to share the bin.
? It was just sitting in their garden unused this year.
? I asked X about it and they said it was going to be collected and no we couldn?t have it.
? I phoned the council and found that everyone who had a waste collection bin last year was given the bins (when they were rented prior to that), as the council was changing their admin procedure for them.
? I offered to buy the bin from X, but I didn?t tell them how much I was going to offer, X didn?t name a price, and I have since changed my mind and don?t think I should pay X for it. I consider that the bin was purchased when we first went into the arrangement with them.
? X doesn?t want to use the bin or share it with me, so it seems right to me that I should just take it and use it. So, when they were on holiday I did just that ? went into their garden and took it. I haven?t paid them anything for it because I don?t see why I should. They don?t want it.
? I wasn?t trespassing in X?s garden because they had my bin, and so it is my right to go and retrieve my goods.
I?m not BU, am I? My neighbour, X seems to think I am. WWYD, oh wise and lovely people? I haven?t ?stolen? it, have I? Apparently the council has told X to report the theft of their bin by us, and us trespassing in their garden to the police!!
AIBU?
AIBU? My neighbour thinks I’ve stolen their garden bin.
SukiTake · 13/06/2013 23:18
Pork I?m glad to hear you think a) offering to buy the bin from them and then b) changing my mind and just taking from their garden makes them petty. I guess they?re being like that because I probably shouldn?t have gone into their garden while they were on holiday and taken it. But I don?t see how it constitutes trespass or stealing. The police couldn?t possibly be interested in either, right? What about Safer Neighbourhoods? Don?t they deal with neighbour disputes?
They set the contract up and did all the admin for it. Plus I used the bin loads more than them and couldn?t ever really be bothered to take it out, so just used to wait for them to do it, and then filled it up as quickly as I could manage. Oh, and I made them wait 10 months last year before giving them half of the rental, and they had to remind me plenty of times to give them the cash. But it is just being petty isn?t it?
Wanda I can?t do that unfortunately, though it is a nice idea. The council have changed the way it?s dealt with so you have to buy them now from a contractor which is nothing to do with the council, and I guess if it?s broken they?d tell you just to buy another. I can?t think why your council responds differently if your bin is broken vs stolen? Are wheely bins fetching masses on Ebay? Is there a massive black market for them??!! So apart from sticking pineapples up their arses, do you think I should keep the bin? Or are you saying you think I should give it back?
Reggie I will keep my eyes peeled for that fence. I want to try and steer clear of such unreasonableness!!
Well, Lora, as it happens, I have lots of emails about sharing the bin. I?m pretty sure it?s all mine and I don?t see why I should pay them for it. Oh, I live in one of the UKs most expensive boroughs. Free with council tax? Where are you? I hope you are near the ninja fence painting lady. I might have to move there after all. 
They may have stolen your bin, but you have committed the ultimate sin of reverse AIBUing.
(x_x)
May God have mercy on your bin deprived soul.
Okay, okay. If it makes you feel better, I have done a role reversal on this. It was just easier to explain that way. I thought I could state the facts a bit less emotionally. Plus I really wanted to try and understand things from the other point of view. I didn't realise it was such a crime! And that is despite being a regular and avid MN user. Obvs I have name changed otherwise I'd be far too easily identifiable.
So ThisIs I'm liking your suggestion that X is a bloody annoying neighbour. I agree entirely.
And zen you have some lovely suggestions too. I will start crafting some glasses and a moustache now and place an order for a camouflage net.
It's the principal that's really bugging me. I've spent over £80 on the damned thing and they think they get to keep it for nothing and now have ownership of it? And they can just walk into my garden without my permission and take it (which is trespass)and take it? And of course, this isn't just an isolated incident.
Kryptonite obviously there are a lot of people behaving badly out there. It's not MN which is weird though. What phase is the moon in?
But anyway, thanks to those who've made me laugh a bit about it. I especially like the idea of getting a pig - do they like garden waste? I agree, it is just a bloody bin, which would cost £25 to replace. But that doesn't make their unfair behaviour any better.
I was going to say: It's just a bin, you don't use it, get over it. Until you said you have spent over £80 on it I thought my council were tight but all my bins were free.
So how come you paid over £80 but it's only £25 to replace (not that you would because you don't use it)?
Ah... all becomes clear! Thought you were just incredibly eco-friendly and didn't create any waste .
Let them keep the bin. Then next time they have a bbq or drinks in the garden, have a bonfire with all your green waste and a few old tyres whilst loudly lamenting the fact that you no longer have a bin to put it in...
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Good Heffalump. I am glad this thread is making your laugh. I aim to please. It has cheered me up no end too. I have more than enough problems in my life too to deal with, but I am pissed off with being trampled on by all and sundry.
You see, I reckon if I'd said my neighbour let themselves into my house and stole £25 there would be a different reaction.
Coughing my money's on Dirty Den.
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