For neighbours to complain about me already?

[roseunicorn45]

Just moved into a new place around 6 weeks ago. It’s in a smaller village and the bin men come once every two weeks. I’m expecting a baby and have had lots of new furniture/decor delivered and of course it’s just been Christmas so there’s been more rubbish. There’s a few bin bags next to my backdoor step in my back garden, away in a corner and there is a large fence between us so the only way they would see is by looking over into my garden. They have contacted my estate agents to complain about it and I’ve had an email. I haven’t even met my neighbours yet and now feel awkward. I was waiting to put them out for the bin man on Tuesday. What do I do here? Do I go apologise or?

I utterly LOATH people like that. Take a picture of your rubbish and send to estate agents with explanation and dont engage with the miserable fuckers next door.

I couldn’t quite believe it to be honest - I don’t know how they even managed to see it without actually climbing up to look over their fence.

Are you renting? (Otherwise I can’t see why they’d email estate agents?) Just ignore - some people will complain about anything. If you are renting, it might be a case of snobbery - some homeowners look down on renters.

One of my pet hates, grassing like this.
Don't be tempted to set fire to dog shit on their step, that'd be childish.
Have you any outbuildings to store any?

Yes I am renting! @pinyinchahua and it’s in quite a posh, sought-after area. I live alone though so now I just feel really awkward!

Imo put cctv up...
Let them know you are vigilant about trespassers.

Are they looking out of a back window of their property to see into your garden? It seems really petty to message estate agents.

I have a summer house @TheQueef but the bags would be more visible in there than where they are now hence not putting them in there!

Unless it's full of food and attracting rats YANBU just take a picture and send an explanation to your landlord.

Definitely sounds like snobbery if you're renting, we have experienced at our two previous homes.

I hate neighbours like this, and wish they would just mind their own business.

We are fortunate where we are now, we have lovely neighbours who all help each other out and it makes life so much nicer.

@BadgerBadgerMushroom I’ve looked and the window is too awkward to see down into my garden, unless they have another way? I really thought they were quite out of side and they’re hidden behind the tallest part of the fence which is more than 6ft tall!

Ignore it. The rubbish will be gone on bin day so they won't have further cause to complain. Meanwhile just make sure for your own sake that birds don't rip the bags while they are outside.

Can they see it from their upstairs windows?

Don’t do anything in retaliation. If you want to then send an explanation to your management agency.

We had excess rubbish outside our place once and a neighbour very kindly offered to take it to the tip for us.

You've done nothing wrong.
You don't have to do anything other than ignore the miserable fucking shits!!!
If you bump into them a cheery 'HELLO' should cover it!
Don't be intimidated.
As a PP says, take pics and send to your EA and tell them that they literally would have had to climb their fence to look over into your garden to see the bin bags so they can get to fuck.
Did you buy this property or are you renting?

Xpost

Ugh ignore. Some people are obsessional about bins.
We have communal bins that we all take it in turn to take out. Our elderly neighbours aren't happy unless they are taken out no later than 4.30 pm the day before collection today. If not they do them themselves. I don't get home til 6 some nights. By which time they've done them and are glaring at me as I park my car because I haven't (been able to )taken my turn.
I've told them to leave them until I get back. They refuse to do so and yet get mad that I've not taken them out.🙄

Bin insanity is rife!

@roseunicorn I would ignore them then. They obviously have nothing better to do with their time.

It's a bit grim having bags of rubbish piling up in your garden though. They're probably worried it's attracting vermin. Why not take it to recycling if it's all just packaging?

Can you rearrange the rubbish to spell out "Fuck off!" Just till bin day like.... :)

It’s not ‘bags full of rubbish piling up in my garden’, it’s a few bin bags hidden next to my front door, and it’s not attracting any vermin. As I mentioned I was waiting for the bin men on Tuesday, but I’ll be paying someone to take it to the tip for me tomorrow now.

*Back door sorry typo.

Unless they've seen rats?
As others have said just ignore it. They've probably had bad tenants in there before and are just being petty.
The other option is to nip round and just say "I've been told you have concerns in regards to the rubbish, it's been a hectic time due to move/deliveries/ collection dates, so it's meant you're not able to avoid it." You could also introduce yourself and guage what they're like.

It's petty to go straight to contacting the landlord/agent, but if the previous occupants were bad the neighbours might reasonably be wary.

If you leave loose bags outside and there's food waste in them that's not double-bagged (and sometimes even if it is) then it's going to attract rats, foxes, and so on. That's probably what the neighbours are concerned about. Sure, the bag might be nothing but plastic packaging and wrapping paper, but the neighbours don't know that.

Hi OP,

If I were you I wouldnt be paying anyone to remove them earlier.

Whatever you were planning to do go ahead ad do that. Dont allow the CF to dictate to you lke that.

As suggested send a photo on to the landlord explaining how it couldnt be an issues for you CF neighbour and inform when it is planned to be picked up by the routine bin collection.

Keep a copy and details of this in case more issues arise.

I had similar a few years ago and stood my ground.

I'm amazed that people can live next door to each other for 6 weeks without saying hello.