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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Neighbour burning garden waste

54 replies

fifi669 · 20/06/2014 19:50

Neighbours used their garden incinerator and ruined the washing on the line. They'd cut half out dividing hedge to less than 5ft so in all likelihood they could see it was on the line. I quietly seethed but said nothing.

A couple of days later, with all the hedge now under 5ft (so they can def see our garden) I just happen to see neighbour emptying the incinerator so I rush outside, bring in the washing and ten minutes later he's lit it.

DP had the same problem, catching the washing just as the fire was lit and asked if we could be warned so we can bring in our washing. The lady neighbour apologised and said of course.

Come back home today grumpy enough as it is in this heat, 37 weeks pregnant and after dragging my toddler through the supermarket to find the note in the photo and smoke billowing through my garden. I asked neighbour why he didn't wait and he said be knocked but didn't know when I'd be home so went ahead. Another load of washing that needs to be redone.

AIBU to think that as he can see my washing on the line he doesn't light his bloody fire?

Neighbour burning garden waste
OP posts:
SauvignonBlanche · 20/06/2014 19:52

YANBU, that's very selfish.

Original poster
fifi669 · 20/06/2014 19:58

Just to show my lack of exaggeration here are a couple of shots from DS's bedroom...

Neighbour burning garden waste
Neighbour burning garden waste
Neighbour burning garden waste
OP posts:
ajandjjmum · 20/06/2014 20:01

That is so bloody annoying - our neighbour's gardener has the habit of doing this when there's full line of washing! Someone told me that it is illegal though to light a bonfire until dusk - must look that up to see if it's true!

I think in your current hormonal (and presumably knackered) state, murder would be forgiven! Smile

LIZS · 20/06/2014 20:07

There may be local regulations (check council website) but most areas you just have to be considerate to neighbours with smoke. op, I sympathise, I think we are in for similar this weekend. Does anyone know about burning work-related rubbish on domestic premises?

YouTheCat · 20/06/2014 20:10

Hose it?

twistedsista · 20/06/2014 20:16

You have an anti social neighbour, there are lots of them.

They feel its their property and they can do what they like regardless of how it affects other people. Complain to the council and they will send out a letter and leaflet, that may help?

RockinHippy · 20/06/2014 20:23

There are definitely regulations covering this, & it is illegal, but regs vary depending on how close your property is, etc etc it - comes under environmental health - it does vary slightly from area to area but you can ring them & ask - there's probably something on your local councils website if you google it

Good luck - we've had similar problems, though in our case they nearly set fire to our house with a badly placed bonfire that set fire yo a tree in their garden - other neighbours called the fire brigade & they came before we even realised Shock - in our case because of how the buildings are, it was completely illegal

Good luck

RockinHippy · 20/06/2014 20:29

More general info here

The bonfire itself isn't illegal - but the nuisance it causes IS

So you do have grounds to complain - I would keep a diary & take more photos - video or photo evidence with time & date if you can

Original poster
fifi669 · 20/06/2014 20:29

Just looked up the regulations and they can do it anytime. My council does say to ask the neighbours if it's ok, to avoid doing so when neighbours have washing out or in any other way wish to use their garden... But it's not an offence although repeatedly it would be so. By the time it was logged etc they would have cleared the garden I assume. Sigh.

Funny thing is when I moved in we bought a garden incinerator ourselves. With the very first lot we put in we found there was so much smoke going everywhere, including the main road out front (as is also the case here), that we put it out and never used it again.

OP posts:
RockinHippy · 20/06/2014 20:38

Fifi, it IS antisocial behaviour that it's bothering you so much though & that amount of smoke is a health hazard - you will have young baby soon & what if you or other neighbours had asthmatic DCs, or are the self

Do ring your council, there may even be an out of hours emergency number - you don't have to put up with this, your neighbour needs to learn some respect for others

YouTheCat · 20/06/2014 20:41

Fifi, they haven't followed the regulations because they have done this even though there was washing out.

Complain to the council and send them the photos you took.

Original poster
fifi669 · 20/06/2014 20:50

I'm glad the consensus is he's a moron as he was looking at me like I had two heads to even think he's being unreasonable. Pretty sure I would have had more sense out of the lady had she been home. A very small part of me thought it might just be my hormones making me overreact.

OP posts:
RockinHippy · 20/06/2014 20:58

Definitely him being an antisocial arse & not your hormones

whiteblossom · 20/06/2014 21:10

my neighbour did this, I checked my local council online and they wont allow it. I complained to him and another neighbour rang the fire dept it was that bad.

Made a note every time its lit, and email the council, inc your pics.

I cant attach council link as it has to be local to you.

You have a right to enjoy your garden, and have your windows open and washing on the line.

Its not your hormones. Some people are just so fucking selfish and they don't care or think about anyone else.

rowna · 20/06/2014 21:28

What time of night? I think it's allowed here after dusk? Maybe I'm remembering from 20 years ago though.

Original poster
fifi669 · 20/06/2014 21:35

He said he knocked at 6, I got DS from nursery around 5.30 and popped into the shop for some bits, I was back before 7.

OP posts:
GoringBit · 20/06/2014 21:42

Keep notes, take photos, complain to the council. That's what we did with pyromaniac twat neighbour. The council were onto it like a shot and he stopped. He would squirt petrol on his bonfires, so I probably saved his life. Grin

Runesigil · 20/06/2014 21:42

You have a right to enjoy your garden, and have your windows open and washing on the line

Inthedarkaboutfashion · 20/06/2014 21:47

The bonfire itself isn't illegal - but the nuisance it causes IS

How does that work with barbecues? Most of my neighbours must be terrible at BBQing because they create loads of smoke and smell and I always have to bring my washing in if I see any of them lighting a BBQ. I wouldn't dream of accusing them of illegal activity though.

RockinHippy · 20/06/2014 22:26

If it's a regular nuisance inthedark then the council will take seriously - especially if they are causing a lot of noise & it's keeping you awake etc - BBQs shouldn't normally cause that much smoke, so initially they probably won't take that so seriously, but if you can back it up with photos etc, then they will have too

Original poster
fifi669 · 20/06/2014 22:27

In all honesty if someone was about to light a BBQ I'd expect them to forewarn me so I could bring in my washing. With the garden waste it could have been burnt at any time so there really wasn't an excuse to do it before I had chance to being it in.

If you see the photos with the amount of smoke you'll see it was far worse than a BBQ!

OP posts:
wheresthelight · 20/06/2014 22:29

We had this with a neighbour amd unfortunately we got told that as long as they waited u til after 6pm to light the fire then there is nothing that can be done and there was nothing that said they had to let us know

Joysmum · 20/06/2014 22:34

In all honesty if someone was about to light a BBQ I'd expect them to forewarn me so I could bring in my washing

PMSL really!

You'd be disappointed living round here then. Nobody have ever warned of a BBQ and nobody would ever think to. You sound like a barrel of laughs to live next to.

RockinHippy · 20/06/2014 22:51

Not really, the OP is just rightly pissed off that her personal space is being invaded by her neighbours thick smelly, dirty smokeConfused

I don't think anyone would really complain & expect forewarning of normal BBQ use, but she's replying to a post that's comparing BBQ smoke to her photos above - which in most cases highly unlikely

Inthedarkaboutfashion · 20/06/2014 23:20

But a BBQ still leaves the washing stinky so it would be nice to be pre warned. Unfortunately my neighbours just light up and create a stink. I still wouldn't think of it as being illegal though.