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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think neighbour should pay for damage?

183 replies

Lauren1983 · 12/03/2019 16:05

Our next door neighbour's wheelie bin has crashed into our car and damaged the taillight. The bin is left by her garden backdoor in the private car park we all share. The bin was empty and unsecured and the high winds have caused it to roll 6 feet away and cause the damage.

Neighbour says she is not liable to pay as it was an accident however we will now be left £36 out of pocket. AIBU to think she should pay?

OP posts:
ivykaty44 · 12/03/2019 18:21

You knew it was windy so why park your car where it could get damaged?

10IAR · 12/03/2019 18:21

Tied down wheelie bins 😂

Ahahahaha oh MN really is an alternate universe where folk give a shit about whether their neighbours took the bin in or not Grin

Pinkyyy · 12/03/2019 18:22

@ThreeBagsFullofWool have you considered that the woman (who the OP has already said was elderly) may not have been capable of bringing the bins in, in the extreme wind?

LaBelleSauvage · 12/03/2019 18:24

Maybe your neighbour has an invisible disability that prevents her taking her bin in?

LaBelleSauvage · 12/03/2019 18:26

Jokes aside, pinkyyy is right- give your elderly neighbour a break.

Kintan · 12/03/2019 18:28

Ooh your note was really unfriendly and demanding! Although she said she wouldn’t pay earlier, perhaps on reflection she realised that she’d rather keep good neighbourly relations than lose £36 so had changed her mind - but then your note (quite rightly from her point of view) pissed her off and made her realise you had no intention of maintaining neighbourly relations yourself, so why should she! You should have waited to speak to her face to face. I’m guessing £36 worth of damage to a car doesn’t make the car road unworthy, so this really could have waited until you saw her face to face.

Mrsmadevans · 12/03/2019 18:28

'Are you having issues with puddles at the moment? '
Grin
Nice one Shart

Original poster
Lauren1983 · 12/03/2019 18:29

In hindsight I should have knocked but I felt that would have been more confrontational as she would have caught on the hop so to speak. The note would have given her time to think about it.

I regret putting the amount in but the reason I did was so that she would know it wasn't going to be an expensive job and worry her that way.

As I've said I've paid so the matter is done. Her bin is now in her garden so hopefully it won't happen again.

OP posts:
Gingerkittykat · 12/03/2019 18:31

I agree it is her responsibility since the bin should not be out.

We have got gale force winds right now and my plastics bin is really light so wedged in, if I couldn't wedge it then I would tie it down somehow.

I wouldn't be too impressed with a note though, I would want a neighbour to approach me in person.

Original poster
Lauren1983 · 12/03/2019 18:33

The neighbour is in her late 30's/early 40's. She took the bin into her garden easily as I saw her.

OP posts:
Pinkyyy · 12/03/2019 18:38

My bad about the age then, was sure you'd said she was old but just looked back through and I think I had another post in mind.

Original poster
Lauren1983 · 12/03/2019 18:40

Re the damage, dp works nights so is not thrilled to be driving around with a defective tail light in the dark.

OP posts:
Original poster
Lauren1983 · 12/03/2019 18:49

Just to clarify she told us she wouldn't pay after the note. We posted the note through and then 5 minutes later saw her outside. She said she wasn't happy about the note, I apologised and said it was because I believed she was out and I felt a note would be less confrontational. She said she wasn't aware her bin was rolling about (it was empty and has been very windy so not sure how) and was now taking the bin in.

She said she didn't have any money on her right now which I said was no problem at all. She then said it was an accident which I agreed with, said I didn't believe at all it was intentional etc. She then said as it was an accident it wasn't her fault. I replied saying I was ordering the parts regardless and it was up to her to do what she felt was right.

She then knocked a bit later to again say she was upset about the note. I said I should have knocked and again expressed regret. She then said did I have proof it was her bin anyway and asked about receipts. I told her the parts were the cheapest we could find on ebay and could show her. She then said she wasn't going to pay but might have if we had knocked. We then left it there.

OP posts:
HarrysOwl · 12/03/2019 18:55

It really wasn't her fault and you did come across as passive-aggressive with the note.

If it was me (& my bin) I'd have offered to go halves as a gesture of good will, wanting to keep on good terms with my neighbour.

One to learn from?

bridgetreilly · 12/03/2019 18:57

In this kind of situation, I'm afraid you can't expect someone else to pay. If you thought your car was at risk, you should have parked elsewhere. It's reasonable for her to leave her bin there, and the high winds are no one's fault. And, as you've learned, notes are not 'less confrontational' but 'more passive-aggressive'. I'm afraid you have to chalk this one up to experience and move on.

NiceNewShiny · 12/03/2019 19:05

I think she should pay. I'm surprised so many people think otherwise.

Original poster
Lauren1983 · 12/03/2019 19:09

Unfortunately there wasn't anywhere else to park apart from on the street and that would involve pavement parking. I still don't think it was unreasonable to think she should keep her bin in the garden if it is empty and windy especially as she was home all day (I'd understand it more if she had been out all day). Her bin is kept outside her door but it is not her property as the car park is jointly owned. Everyone else keeps their bins on their driving spaces in front of their garage.

I will definitely chalk it up to experience- we've had various car issues through the years and they get fixed and we've moved on. I don't see us having any sort of relationship with our neighbour again but we can ignore each other easily enough.

OP posts:
PolarBearDisguisedAsAPenguin · 12/03/2019 19:25

Is a defective tail light legal? I think your DP should be getting a taxi.

CheerioHunter · 12/03/2019 19:26

*If I was your neighbour I would offer to pay.

If I was you, I would decide not to sweat the small stuff. But I would make it clear to neighbour that please could they take the bin in in future, especially if it's windy, as it's an accident that could be prevented in future.

Don't fall out over it.*

This

Just because it wasn't a deliberate act doesn't mean she isnt responsible.
She should not have left it in a position where it could be so easily blown away and cause damage.

If it often has to sit there she could fix a simple hook to enable her to chain it in place etc etc.

BUT I agree with picking your battles, and certainly, you have worked hard for the money and have dozens of things you probably need to spend it on instead of fixing damage caused by someone's laziness. But, it is a relatively small amount, and it probably isn't worth the ill feeling.

Ask if she could go halves, because you work hard for your money and have more pressing things to spend it on etc... If that doesn't go down well then emphasise you won't wish to fall out about it but you really must insist it can't happen again and can she put it somewhere safe as you can't afford similar happening again.

MyGastIsFlabbered · 12/03/2019 19:27

I'm obviously a slattern, my bin was emptied today and it's still out.

youknowmedontyou · 12/03/2019 19:33

Do it's ok for your OH to drive with a defective tail light, potentially much more dangerous that a bin that's not tied down.......

How's that ok OP?

Peanutbutterforever · 12/03/2019 19:34

It is absolutely her responsibility and liability. Doesn't sound as though she'll do the decent thing though OP and it's too small a sum to be worth going to court for. My sympathies OP.

Pinkyyy · 12/03/2019 19:37

It is absolutely her responsibility and liability

How? Did she huff and puff and blow the bin down?

livinglavidavillanelle · 12/03/2019 19:37

It was an accident. It's not worth the aggro, honestly.

A neighbour from about ten doors down parks his car in 'my' spot outside my house. It's not actually 'my' spot, but I get the rage anyway when he parks there for five days at a time. Anyway, the tree in my front garden is dead and I genuinely cannot afford to have it chopped down or trimmed, and a big arse branch fell off in the recent high wind. Hit his bonnet. I can't wait for him to come and tell me that I'm liable for the (very small) damage.

minionsrule · 12/03/2019 19:41

Its very windy here tonight, we have 4 wheelie bins in various states of empty. .... each one have a house brick on the lid!
When its windy my neighbour brings our bins in after collection as we are at work.
I would have let this one go though OP unless you are really skint

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