about blokes rummaging in our skip?

[SomethingNastyInTheBallPool]

We’re having building work done at the moment and have a skip on our drive.
Suddenly, we’re a magnet for dodgy-looking blokes who turn up in vans and start rummaging through the skip, taking whatever they fancy. This happens several times a day.
Now, I’m all in favour of recycling and like to think of stuff being reused but - am I BU to find it rude and a bit uncomfortable that these people are coming into my front garden in a very quiet suburban road and taking stuff without asking?
I confronted one man just now but he seemed to think I was BVU!

I had a floor cushion years ago, union jack design, that the dog had taken to peeing on. I couldn't clean it properly and it began to stink. When I had a skip I chucked it out. I was quite amused to see someone examining closely, and looking furtive, walk away with it. Good luck with that, I thought.

It's a bit rude to not ask, but I suppose they see it as fair game if it's in a skip and it wouldn't bother me unless they were going right up to my property.
I've lived on my quiet residential street for a couple of years now and i was shocked when I moved here at how many scavenging people it gets going up and down. Several times a day we get scrap metal vans and white vans going up and down, I never had it where I used to live. Its saved us a tip run a few times but on the other hand it's a pain as you daren't leave something unattended for even a minute as they never ask.

YANBU. A few years ago I was so cross to find travellers helping themselves to the skip on our drive that I went out (in my pyjamas ) and told them to put it all back.

Had a load of abuse in return. So cheeky to go on someone’s drive and help yourself without asking.

I think it means someone with a face like a robbers dog

When we have had a skip DH would put the potentially interesting items next to the skip as a kind of 'help yourself'. There was less skip dipping (and associated mess) once he started doing that.

I think it's a good thing but would be better if they knock first, can't see many people saying no!

I would have nothing against people taking stuff from my skip so long as they asked first! For all they know you may have just put some of the stuff in there temporarily and intended to use it.

I actually like the fact that whenever I put something outside it gets magically taken away! I don't drive and would have to pay someone to remove things that the rubbish men won't take so whoever takes this stuff is helping me out. I also feel happy that someone else is benefiting from something I don't need/want anymore. I would rather they just take it than disturb me by ringing my door bell.

An elderly couple across the road from us were moving and had a skip outside. I watched 3 blokes going through the skip and taking stuff. The best bit was seeing one of them open a bag of clothes, put a pair of jeans up against himself to see if they would fit and then taking the whole bag of clothes.

The ones around here are usually in vans that are uninsured, with no MOT or tax. So that is what 'looking dodgy' means to me.

Particularly when you also find them trying to remove the ladder from the top of DH's van ….. that looked a 'bit dodgy' to me, but correct me if I'm wrong.

I think that it would be nice to be asked.

As long as they don't take so much that you could have used a smaller skip!

YAB slightly U. It’s re-use and saves you space in the skip. But if they make a mess, or add their own rubbish then they’re Cheeky Skip Fuckers. I did help myself to 4 bricks from a skip to rest plant pits on.

What does “dodgy looking” mean? I think we all have our own opinion on this, based on our own prejudices. For me it means track suit trousers with pants showing and clothes that look soiled enough to have been put on dirty. Smoking, shouting and a poorly maintained vehicle.

I think skip contents are fair game - and am always impressed at what a wonderfully efficient re-cycling system skip-divers and and scrap metal collectors create.

I've only ever placed skips on the road though. Coming onto your property is a slightly different angle. Still, I think I'd be pleased the stuff is being made useful.

In one neighbourhood i lived in, you didn't even need a skip, or to arrange a council collection, most of the time. You could just place a few items on the pavement; old washing machines, bookshelves, whatever, and, as if by magic, they'd disappear.

Even in our nicer neighbourhood, I have been really impressed at the speed with which the scrap metal collectors appeared, when we placed a broken kitchen appliance outside. They must be driving around constantly. No need to pay the council to remove - and it will be put to some use.

I too, like the fact that I can put something outside my house and it's gone within the hour. Saves it going into landfill. Helps a fellow human out. Saves me having to take to the tip or pay for disposal.
Presuming the norm is to not put anything in a skip that you want to keep, then it is fair game, IMO, and also leaves more room in your skip for your rubbish.
I'd prefer people just took it than disturbed me ringing my door. It is implied that they can have it, as is is in the skip. If I needed it, it wouldn't be in there.

I agree entirely with Storm4Star. It wouldn't bother me at all.

It wasn't this lot, was it?!

This is how the Aussies do it.

www.bobinoz.com/blog/10215/more-rubbish-in-australia/

They can legally put it out the front and someone will come along and take it for themselves. Efficient, cheap and eco-friendly.

Why would anyone put stuff in a skip temporarily?

Many years ago, my landlord (I was a lodger) had a skip because the roof was being done. A woman took out some wood. My landlord opened the door and got a mouthful of abuse - you don't want this, so I can take it for firewood - before she stamped off with it. He had actually gone out to tell her it was no good for firewood because it had been fireproofed.

If you don’t want them going on your property, cover the skip. We have a skip on the road and it has a big tarp over it fixed by ropes that loop around. It’s a pain in the arse to open up, we have it to stop dumping by others. But I do think if other people can use the stuff it is better than all your skip contents going to landfill.

We had this exact thing when we got a skip last year. part of me thought, well it’s all rubbish so help yourself. but another part thought it was a little weird having men standing on your drive! Cheekiest thing was one night i saw a man rifling through for something, and the next night, came and put it back

It theft and it's trespassing.

I think my main issue (aside from the fact the thieving bastards were going to steal the gates) was that they were coming onto the property. It seems different if it's on the road.

I did have to laugh when the mattress and dismantled bed frame was taken from the skip. They didn't go together and whoever took them would have put the single bed frame together and realised the double mattress wasn't any good to them! Serves them right!

A. Its theft even though its been thrown out because you legally own it and can reclaim it at any time. I remember watching a hidden camera police show and a man was in trouble for taking a cats scratch post that had been thrown out of flats because he hadnt asked permission first.
B. If someone gets injured they can sue the person who hired the skip bizarrely.

What did the man say when you confronted him?

As long as they don't look so dodgy that they're going to get violent or anything, you could go out and take a photo of them doing it. don't talk to them , just take photos like you're getting evidence. That might unnerve them. As a pp said, isn't it theft?