AIBU?
To think that letting my neighbour use my bin once was not an agreement for it to be used forevermore?
LunarGirl · 10/07/2017 14:48
Neighbour asked me a while ago if he could pop a few things in my garden waste bin. I said it was fine as I wasn't putting anything else in it that week. All fine.
2 weeks ago I cut some trees back in the garden, went to put the bits in the bin to find it half full. I actually thought at the time it was my other neighbour as we have a shared drive and part of it had been tidied so wasn't going to complain about that.
I've just gone to put my grass clippings in and it's literally full to the brim. This is a 240l bin that hasn't been used since it was last empty. I know now it is the neighbour who asked to use it before as his gardener was here earlier. I know I'm probably irrationally angry about it but it's my bloody bin. That I pay for!
AIBU to think that asking once didn't mean I'd given permission for him to use it whenever he pleases and he should ask each and every time? Or at least have the decency to not completely fill it?
LunarGirl · 10/07/2017 14:58
Yes we pay £61.50 for it. It's not even on the street, it's at the back of my garden so he would have to come all the way up the drive and round the back of the house to get to so it's not a quick job or a case of mistaken bin identity.
He has his own bin. I have no idea why he hasn't used it unless it is already full. I've knocked but no answer. I don't want to fall out so I will definitely not go in all guns blazing but surely it's bloody common sense to not fill up your neighbours bin without even checking that they might want to use it.
DH wants to empty it all on his front garden. I said I'll try the communicating approach first!
Brittbugs80 · 10/07/2017 15:00
Lock.
Or go halves on the bin collection cost. We let our neighbour use our garden bin and don't go halves, but when we go on holiday, he comes in, waters our plants if needed and puts our bins out.
He also does the DIY for the house opposite and she cooks him three dinners a week for this. The house opposite fetches the old ladies shopping two doors up for her as she struggles walking and we put her bins out when we do ours.
We are fortunate with our lovely neighbors.
LunarGirl · 10/07/2017 15:07
I want your neighbours britt. I don't mind him using it at all as long as he asks and there's space. I would have said no today because I need to use it so there wouldn't have been space. I don't even know how he can have so much garden waste. I think I will suggest he pays for another bin for himself as obviously the one he has isn't enough for his needs.
steppemum · 10/07/2017 15:13
go and empty it out in a corner of his drive.
Or knock and ask him for the £61 as he is using it more than you!
With my more sensible hat on, his gardener may have got the wrong end of the stick, or is being cheeky (no problem I'll take the clippings away....)
But seriously - empty it on his property, its his rubbish and it won't attrach rats etc as it is just green stuff
Collaborate · 10/07/2017 15:29
Don't make suggestions for how they deal with their excess waste. It's simply not your problem. If you get involved in it that will draw them in to involving you in the solution.
Just tell them to have it removed so that you can use it, and if they refuse you can then dump it over the fence.
HipsterHunter · 10/07/2017 15:40
I'd go speak to him first.
"Hi Neighbor. There seems to have been a misunderstanding, I do actually use the garden bin and didn't mean you could use it all the time. I have my own waste to use this week. Please can you empty your waste back into your garden so I can use my bin? Thanks"
kaitlinktm · 10/07/2017 15:47
I'm wondering if the gardener has misunderstood too. But if not, how selfish! Does he think you pay sixty odd quid for something you never use?
You are right to try communicating first, but don't be too smiley and nice. You need to look annoyed and say that you need the bin emptying for you to use it.
I would be annoyed at someone just walking into my garden too - it needs to be clear that either he checks with you every time or he no longer uses it. I would urge the latter.
LunarGirl · 10/07/2017 16:06
DH is home from work and has had a rifle through the bin. He reckons there's no way all of it came from the same garden so the theory is that the gardener has dumped stuff in there from a previous job as well. Which is even more bloody cheeky if that is what happened.
Ewock · 10/07/2017 16:32
Yanbu. My neighbour very kindly said we could use her green bin as we dug up 2 awful bushes and filled our green bin and about 6 black bin bags. We thanked her but said we were taking it to the tip. She then said we can use it when ever we need to as she never fills it. It is really kind of her and we may take her up on her offer but I will always check first. To fill your bin is not on at all.
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