To remove neighbours bins from my back garden

[Bindrama]

For background we bought a house a year ago but completed some renovations before moving in and so haven’t lived here for very long. Neighbours have lived in the house next door for over 30 years. They have decided to keep two of their three bins in our back garden (outside their back gate in a little nook against their wall but very much on our land) and will not move them.

They say they’ve earned a right of way by prescription through our garden to take their bins out. For various reasons I don’t believe this to be correct but it would be outing to expand.

They have direct access to the road from their own garden and a massive amount of land (5 times the size of ours). Title plans on the land registry are very clear as landmarks are obvious and there are no such recognised easements in the deeds.

Even if they were to obtain a formal right of way across our garden surely this doesn’t give the right to keep their bins here?

AIBU to just move them? I’m worried about formal consequences mainly.

I was going to suggest a lit match also...

@PizzaForOne We ripped out a hedge to the road side as we have been doing work to the garden. There were two gates to the road here that weren’t lockable before. Not unusual in the area.

We are younger and it’s their way or no way! There are a long list of issues but I couldn’t say more without outing myself!

I am registered with the land registry for notifications on the properties and we have multiple no unauthorised access signs up.

Thank everyone for the reassurance I’m not mad and that they’re being very unreasonable!!

Fuck me they are barking. Move the bins, lock your exterior gate and move a wheelbarrow full of bricks in front of their gate until you get the new fence. Tell them covid means you want no one trespassing on your land. Let them bring legal against you, they’ll get fuck all

Just block the "access"

I still say burn the bins.

Get a really large and heavy trampoline and set it in that corner, blocking that whole area off. It’ll be too heavy for them to lift so they’ll have to just start taking their bins through their own damn yard.

Frustrating. It's possible that they do have what is called a "prescriptive easement" over the land if they meet the relevant requirements (FYI prescriptive easements do not need to be formally registered at the land registry to take effect so they may not come up on a search). Usually PEs are claimed to give a right of access over land or run vital utilities over it, but in theory it could cover something like storing possessions on someone else's land.

PEs can be gained after 20 years - so history is key here. Tenants' use can also establish a right.

You'll need legal advice from someone versed in land law. Some reading here though www.gov.uk/government/publications/easements-claimed-by-prescription/practice-guide-52-easements-claimed-by-prescription#how-prescriptive-easements-may-be-acquired

Very cheeky of them

If they insist on placing their bins in your garden then feel free to use them. That’s what I’d do.

You need something really heavy close enough to the gate they can't get the bins through, but far away enough that a person could slip through. That way you're not actually blocking access, just access with the bins. (Making sure the bins are not on your property first and fencing off the item side of garden.)

Actually, fuck that. Just block the gate with a 6' fence and let them try to take you to court!

I'd go for a life size (or bigger) painted concrete statue of Mr Blobby strategically placed in their favoured bin spot, or just where the gate is, hopefully they'll see him leering at them through the windows with his stupid blobby grin.

Yes I am that petty.

Looks like the perfect place for a mixed border of blackberries, pyracantha and berberis. And maybe a few hawthorns and roses. Rosa Felicité et perpetue has pretty whitish flowers, and its large thorns will enable it to ramble through the shrubs and over the fence in no time.

Because they are all really great for the wildlife, you know.

I'd phone the council and tell them that somebody had abandoned two bins in your garden (assuming they are the 'this bin remains the property of X council' type bins) and ask them to collect them. Then block any and all access they have to your garden, the cheeky pair. Some people are just unbelievable!

How frustrating. I’d definitely start filling their bins.

Can they actually prove the length of time they have been doing this for?

Plant something(s) at least medium size in the nook area. If you want to block the gate have a large cement pot delivered in front of their gate for an ornamental tree to be planted in.

OMG I have to leave the thread as my blood pressure is spiking at this but OP please keep us updated, have you removed their bins from your back garden?

@LaurieSchafferIsAllBitterNow

catch the bin men, tell them those bins are surplus to requirements and to take them away

when cf neighbours come round to ask about them deny all knowledge of bins and just keep asking " but WHHHHHYYYY would YOUR bins be in MY garden? "

This! Genius!

If I were you I'd move their bins onto their own property (without damaging them obviously) and put in a robust six foot fence on my side with my own gate where theirs is.

The reason for your gate is that you can secure it with a padlock, and when they need access to do any maintenance to the area of their building that's within your garden, they will have to access it through you (unless they go round the long way, but they shouldn't be going into your garden without asking you first). Is the fence going round the boundary of your garden theirs too?

Try to keep or get things amicable if you can, it's not nice living next to bitter enemies!

Do what you want. In your shoes I think a 6.5ft high fence completely blocking access would do the trick very nicely. They can lump it.

Wow! Hope you're able to stomp all over their sense of entitlement, Op. CFers.

@Bindrama oh I feel your pain. I only rent but my neighbours have been here 30+ years and have access to use my washing line, it's in the deeds and sweet FA that us or landlady can do! They dont even speak to us but are ballsy enough to come and go as they please.
Fence and F them!

They are both CFs AND massive chancers!!

Move the bins. Move them every time they put them back.

Having right of way across land (and you're not even sure they legally have that) means you can literally use that access route when necessary, NOT that you have the right to leave things on the land you cross.

We had this situation in our old property and had to cross a neighbour's yard to get to a shared alley to put out bins. I literally cannot imagine ever leaving anything of ours on their side of the gate!!

Don't put up with it, OP. They are entitled arseholes and you do not have to bend for them.

Dump gravel all around the bins. About a foot high.

😜

In actuality just tell them to take you to court and in the meantime move the bins or you’ll destroy them.

Yes do not speak to them about new fence etc. Just do it.