To want my neighbour to do something about this?

[Aceinthehole]

We've been living in our house for 6 years, we share an alley with our neighbour. They constantly "clear out" their house and then fill their alley with rubbish. The picture below shows a typical example of what it's like, it can get much worse, never better. I hate how it looks from the front of my house, and hate my kids have to push their bikes past all this crap to get in and out of their own garden. I've tried to speak to them about it, when we first moved in it was significantly worse but we were met with a barrage of "it's our alley too...." Occasionally the husband will refer to it and say "yeah we must clear that..." but never does, despite having his own transit van. Recently we hired a van and I was so tempted to ask them if they wanted us to get rid of it but my DH absolutely refused saying it's their crap. I'm quite house proud and just think it reflects badly on my own house, as well as safety and hygiene concerns. Can I report to council or is it "their property, their rules". Name changed for privacy.

Love your thinking Meercat.

Let me think......you are decorating and are bringing lots of wide (empty)) boxes of furnishings down the alleyway. Borrow one of those trolley things that delivery drivers use to wheel boxes around.

Unfortunately you are so busy that this is happening at inconvenient times. 6am on a Sunday morning. 11pm on a Friday night..... and each and every time you insist they live their crap....

Move* their crap.

Would your home /building insurance cover legal costs to see a solicitor?

You could find someone with a pet rat and ask for a few droppings. Then scatter them around the rubbish. Then report it

Definitely a fire hazard. What if the emergency services need urgent access to the back with all their equipment if there was a fire? I think you can request a fire safety check where you could point it out to them, not that it needs pointing out!

Yes it’s their alleyway too, but if you did the same on your side, it would be unusable by both parties.

You could try that for a week to see whether the penny drops.

Anything more than a single bin bag of rubbish is Flytipping. I would get back on to the council about it myself. i would also leave messages on there social media page such as twitter and facebook - amazing how quick they deal with things when you call them out in public.
www.gov.uk/guidance/fly-tipping-council-responsibilities

@VoluptunaSneezelips

I don't think the fly tipping route is an option. I got the following info from government website on the issue:

*Land councils must keep clear
Council litter authorities are responsible for land where all of the following apply:

it’s open to the air on at least one side
it’s under their direct control
it’s publicly accessible (with or without payment)
This is called ‘relevant land’. Relevant land includes beaches (above the average high water mark).*

Can you reclaim your garden OP they stole? That would annoy me more than the alley

Id definitely enquire. Our council state that shared alleys are an access point only and neithet occupant is allowed to build or store in it as it needs to be a clear access point at all times in case of emergency. We have paperwork saying this, but may be worth just an enquiry at least to your council

Did you mention that big ugly rat that you saw when you rang the environment agency?

Fill your side with crap so that nobody can use the alley.

Definitely phone the fire brigade, I have known it to be done. They would also come out to hoarders properties as that is also a fire hazard.

We have this with our neighbour that we share our work premises alley with. He's a bloody hoarder and just as one lot gets cleared, another appears. We had most success with the fire brigade as it was hindering an exit route. You've reminded me to contact them again .

OP- I would either write a letter or go round again.
I would say- you've spent to officials informally, without reporting them but just describing the situation and they say it is an environmental hazard and a fire risk and is unacceptable.
Ask they do several visits to the dump at the weekend as it is also a safety issue for your children getting past without objects falling on them etc.
If its not done by say 2 weeks/1 week- tell them you will then unfortunately need to make an official complaint to the council. Be friendly but formal, say you hope you can keep this between yourselves without involving official bodies- but the time has now come to act. I'm pretty sure most people in this situation would get rid of their crap...

All great points, and actually such a great point about our bins, I will move ours into our garden today.

Of course it's a private matte. Forget the council.

You will have a right of way over their half of the alley. Check your deeds. They are causing that ROW to be significantly obstructed. You have a right to expect it is kept clear, and can enforce that. Speak to them about that (after checking your deeds) and if they don't clear it, check your house insurance for legal cover and see a solicitor.

You need to suddenly need a wheelchair...the council will act then.

Yes about rat droppings and environmental health concern.
Yes about wheelchair access.
Yes about reclaiming your stolen land.

It's a mess and would drive me nuts - how the hell do people live like that!

That's odd, OP, because our Environmental Health does get involved. Anything that stops you enjoying your home or garden can be dealt with by them.

That's aside from a health hazard.