WIBU to shout at neighbour rummaging through my skip?

[Bobthebobbin]

Moved to a new area and managed to fall out with a neighbor already.

I came home the other day to find an old man rummaging through my skip and a pile of "treasures" on the floor that he was helping himself to.

I asked him why he was on my property and what he was doing, he said he needed a few bits! He then proceeded to turn his back on me and carried on sorting through the skip. DP was at home but the man did not knock or ask to remove anything.

I said he can't just come on to my property and help himself to whatever he likes without asking. He said it's in the skip so fair game.

Things got a bit heated and I shouted at him to get off my driveway.

I am furious but also shaken up by an attempted burglary when we first moved in so perhaps that experience is colouring my view.

Genuinely cannot tell if IABU.

You had put it in a skip - no good to you anymore so what's the problem!

As pp said I'd be happy they were freeing up more room, also the upcycling instead of landfill.

I had one on the go whilst moving, man-with-a-van stopped and started emptying all into it- I was at home, popped out for a chat and ended up inviting him into the garage (which was next to be cleared by me, a hefty job with some heavy stuff to go) and he cleared that for me too! (Including old dishwasher and washing machine, piles of old bricks...)
Win/win!

I don't think I'd have got all that worked up about this. As others have said, it's helpful to have some space freed up. It does sound like he was very rude though, which isn't on.

Skip waste doesn't just go to landfill, however. The vast majority is recycled and reputable companies will display their ratios. The one we used in the summer was between 80 and 90 per cent recycled.

Yes he could have made himself a few quid @Umberta if he'd knocked and asked. I would have been more than happy to let him have it. But you don't just take from other people.

Op, I don't think you are 'pathetic' etc.
It's very intrusive to start rummaging through someone's skip and he should have sought permission first and stopped when asked.

You want my scraps, peasant? BEG FOR THEM

You have potential customer. Set a price!

@Umberta

Umberta

I know you are jesting but you’ve managed to put into words quite the tone of this whole thing for me. It’s all very distasteful really!

I suspect your initial approach was less than friendly, which is why he chose not to engage with you. I would have been more than happy for someone to make use of things I didn't want. Maybe he lives on a meagre pension and was trying to make his life a bit more comfortable.

@Pardonwhat

OP, you do need to apologize, or your street are going to have you pegged as the Hyacinth Bucket of the neighborhood

....now I'm thinking I missed out on a few quid....!
Just wondering (picturing Hyacinth Bucket now, thanks @BiBiBirdie !), did you come out and 'Shoe, Shoe!' him straight away from the skip? Maybe if you were more 'help you with something?' you'd have got a different attitude from him....(in my case I got my garage cleared!)

It's actually theft if he takes from the skip without permission. I remember a couple of teenagers getting charged with theft from a skip in my home town when I was younger, it went to court and everything and it was something random like a pair of scissors and something equally as pointless creating in mho a waste of time and money for a whole court case, solicitors (probably legal aid but someone foots the bill) etc,etc. I actually felt sorry for these kids ending up with a criminal record for skip diving a pair of scissors.
If things can be recycled I will always give it away to charity or free cycle stuff-hell I Freecycled a toilet seat and someone took it. So fair game, it's not ending up in landfill and being given a new lease of life. However, it's polite to ask and I would have been stressed if I came home in a bad mood and found someone on my property and I would have been equally as pissed off if someone had the audacity to be rude to me then turn their back on me and carry on.

Saying that, if he is a neighbour maybe go apologise and explain you felt wary due to the burglary incident, but if he knocks to let you know he is there, then he is more than welcome to help himself.

I said YABU as I think it's better to reuse things. That said of course he should have asked and been polite.

No you are definitely not being unfair , I bought a house and was working on it , put some stuff outside the front door to give us more room to work , clearly not throwing it out as some things were new and yet we still had people wander onto our property and sift through the items , thankfully they were seen and ask to leave before anything was taken
People can knock - I've no problem with giving providing it's surplus and politely asked for

YANBU - whatever next? Mooching around your property whenever he feels like it, having a shufty in the garage/greenhouse/garden shed just to see if there's anything he fancies? Treating YOUR property as if it was an extension of his personal fiefdom?

Arrogant b*gger!

I'm glad you stood your ground.

I cant answer YBU or YNBU to be honest cos its both. Hes unreasonable coming onto your drive and not asking. But hes not unreasonable in taking your junk for all the reasons posted previously.

For the record, I now deliberately smash items I take to the tip
Reason - a few years ago I was cutting my hedge and went through the cable. I decided rather than repair it - I’d take the cable off one at the tip
Went, emptied the cuttings I had then walked over and pulled a garden strummer out of a cage, grabbed my pliers and cut the cable off. Straight away I was shouted at. Told No, I couldn’t have it.
The chap in the car behind had a bike and patio set, the same man who shouted at me told the guy not to throw them and duly walked over and carried them over to the office where there was a huge array of “good” stuff.

So, now I think fuck you. And smash every item. I had to buy a cable from Homebase cost more than the damn hedge cutters.
I will never again take stuff that they can sell. Fuck them...it works both ways.

had then walked over and pulled a garden strummer out of a cage, grabbed my pliers and cut the cable off. Straight away I was shouted at. Told No, I couldn’t have it

That’s because you didn’t ask. If you had, he’d most probably have said yes. Why on earth shouldn’t someone pick up a bargain from the tip? People with a dog in the manger attitude like yours make my blood boil. I seem to recall you accused an entire generation of selfishness the other day, the words pot and kettle spring to mind.

YANBU OP - i'd be massively fucked off if someone started rummaging through a skip on my driveway without at least knocking the door and asking. You don't just go onto other people's driveways for any reason without some sort of discussion.

Most tips are now recycling centres where perfectly reusable items are sold. Why would they be put in landfill when someone could enjoy them? How mean to smash things up so no-one else can have them.

For the record, I now deliberately smash items I take to the tip
The chap in the car behind had a bike and patio set, the same man who shouted at me told the guy not to throw them and duly walked over and carried them over to the office where there was a huge array of “good” stuff.
You are acting like a fucking idiot!!

The good stuff is given to local charities. In our area it helps the woman and children's shelter and a charity that helps young people set up home.
You are riddiculous, you dont want the stuff so you will destroy it.

YABU and your attitude shines through with this comment, I'm sure you were damn rude to the neighbour as well!

Those are separate incidents. Is your reading comprehension always so poor?

I think you'll not be making many friends in your neighbourhood..