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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU? Bin-gate

16 replies

Inexpertjuggler · 10/03/2020 20:36

So, 5 weeks ago ( collection day) I was gutted that when I got back home, my paper and card recycling bin was nowhere to be seen. My green garden/ food bin was there, my plastic/ glass, but no paper..each of our bins have those big stick on numbers on, plus the small panel at the back of the bin with the number on, from council issue I presume. Had a quick scout around neighbours, but no sign. I knew from a friend that they sometimes get mangled on the bin lorry, and disappear, so ordered another from the council. No charge for replacement bin, but it continued to rankle me, particularly as a random paper bin had appeared further down the street, no numbers, and very dirty. Jump forward to next recycling day and I’m on a mission, checking as many of neighbours bins as I can. Nothing. Plus, still no bloody replacement bin, so my paper / card pile at back door, grows massive , and the scruffy paper bin continues to mock me. So.. I rang the council again 2 days ago, who admitted the order hadn’t been processed and I’m now getting a new bin delivered in 5 days... meantime.... Someone and I don’t know who, has found this bin and is continually putting it at the end of my drive... I flipped tonight as came home and it was there again! So I’m guessing that when Council arrive, they’ll think ‘madwoman, she has a paper recycling bin!’ Leaving me to clean someone else’s dirty bin. Also if I claim the dirty bin, what if it’s actual owners appear and then accuse me of taking theirs?? AIBU to want either own bin back or a new one, and to think that taking someone’s else’s bin isn’t the answer? And wtf is moving the bin to my drive?? I keep moving it back to its ‘ kind of no mans land’ place where it isn’t outside anyone’s, where it lived quite happily for 4 weeks til someone decided I should take it as mine. AIBU?

OP posts:
TimeTravellersHat · 10/03/2020 20:50

I can only conclude that the person putting the filthy bin at the end of your drive is the culprit. How else do they know that your bin has gone missing?

Cancel work and any plans. Plan a stakeout. Confront the culprit after catching them red handed with the filthy bin!

MintySpud · 10/03/2020 21:52

Quite right, Time.

OP, you won't know who the culprit is till you see them skulking around outside, laden with the bin. Then you must immediately text the CIA "CRIMINAL BIN LADEN IN MY GARDEN." OK, so your postcode and the surrounds will get flattened by drone strikes. But you'll perish knowing they GOT the bastard.

T0tallyFuckedUpFamily · 10/03/2020 21:55

MintySpud oh my Gaia, that’s brilliant! 🤣

ForagingForFaerieGold · 10/03/2020 22:10

Destroy the bin

ChevalierTialys · 10/03/2020 22:14

I need a diagram.

YourVagesty · 10/03/2020 22:16

Some bastard stole my glass bin and then returned it the next week absolutely reeking of used cat litter Angry

DrierThanANunsNasty · 10/03/2020 22:18

I’d recommend getting some of that anti theft paint and sticking it on the bin. Then, when the culprit touches the bin to move it back to yours, their hands will end up covered in it. You’ll be able to tell from the big, blue hand mark on a neighbours front door who has been moving the bin. It’s the only logical way forward now. May the odds forever be in your favour!

TrainspottingWelsh · 10/03/2020 22:51

You need to sit in the bin and wait for the mystery bin gifter to come and move you. And then pop up and shout 'surprise surprise' in your best Cilla Black impression.

Or if you have a valid excuse for not sitting in a bin, set your alarm for 3am and go out and paint a house number that doesn't exist on your road on it.

InAPrettyCabinet · 10/03/2020 23:07

I know it seems daft to people but I remember this happening when we lived at our old house. If we didn't bring our bin in immediately after it was emptied it would disappear.
Terraced houses with a grassed back so getting them in in winter was awful. Thick mud and puddles so people put it off if they got home after dark as it was lethal!
Turns out most of the neighbours had had the same with their blue bins and it was always the lot at number 7 who had taken it. Apparently it was the teenage sons job to take the bins back and he just grabbed the first one.
From then on if I was in on bin day I would leg it out as soon as they had been emptied and drag ours and most of the neighbours bins back to their gate in the hope the lazy lad wouldn't steal someone else's!

dogcatbaby · 10/03/2020 23:10

I quite like to moan about bins in my road but this is too much. Can't you just take the unclaimed bin and put your rubbish in that? How dirty is it?

JuanSheetIsPlenty · 10/03/2020 23:15

You need CCTV

Guarantee you that dirty bin owner has nabbed your lovely clean bin and is now freaking out that you didn’t claim “your” scruffy bin and might go looking for your original one so they’re making sure you definitely have a bin in the hope you just accept your bin fate.

OchAyeThaNoo · 11/03/2020 00:24

You really need to do a good stakeout. Do you have a nice but nosy neighbour who you're sure has their original bin? Maybe they too could keep watch. It's obvious the bin thief is the one returning their shitty bin to you.
My MIL would know within the week who's done it, why, what time they skulked about and probably what colour underwear they were wearing at the time. Honestly, my IL's are the nosiest bastards you could ever know. They know EVERYTHING going on in their street and what they don't know, they fabricate so they can be shocked or disapproving of whatever shite they made up using little details and seemingly obvious completely unfounded assumptions. You need people like them.

TerrorWig · 11/03/2020 00:28

You're going to need to mark that new bin really really well or it'll be gone, swapped with the grotty one before you can say Dusty Bin.

NewtonPulsifer · 11/03/2020 01:04

Go down Poundland, buy a bin number that isn’t for your house and stick it on.
One day, when I am in the mood for mischief, I am planning nighttime shenanigans around our road by sticking random house numbers on the bins out overnight. Then I shall sit back with a G&T and my CCTV and enjoy the live drama Grin. I shall be out in the middle of the night dressed like Gangsta Granny on her way to the heist.
If anyone wants to actually do this too, please post a live thread about it with diagrams.

PigletJohn · 11/03/2020 01:27

You can use gloss white paint and a half inch brush. It won't peel off like stickers. Paint huge numbers on front, back sides and lid, and on the inside of the lid so it can be read when hanging open. Your handwriting will improve as you go.

Get up early (or stay up late) and patrol the street looking for your kidnapped bin while the culprits are in bed.

You can hose out your bin if you find it dirty.

MrsClatterbuck · 11/03/2020 01:36

I feel for you. Similar happened to me. My brand new blue recycling bin was replaced by someones dirty manky blue bin which most certainly was not used for just clean and dry recycling only. I knew the moment my DH was bringing it round the back. Have never found out who took mine though even if I did get it back it probably is pretty manky by now. I do have my suspicions. I since have been tempted to just buy a new one especially since my Dm got one when the lid on hers got broken. It only cost £25 and they took away the old one.

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