Neighbour putting bins against our fence

[LouRidley]

Hi MN,

First time house owner here and first neighbourly feud! (Lighthearted)

We moved into this house that has a shared path where neighbours all put their bins against their fence along the path. Except for our neighbour it seems who likes to put his bins against our fence, along with some other items such as bikes, old ironing boards, etc. I discovered the issue when our dog was digging in our garden persistently at this one spot and when I looked on the other side of the fence, some bin bags were just on the floor against our fence.
So I moved the bins across the path against his fence but realised earlier he moved them back against ours!
I went to knock on his door and while he was not that unfriendly, he basically explained to me in a very patronising way (repeating “do you understand?”all along) that he owned the path. I checked our title deeds after that and he definitely doesn’t, it’s unregistered land.
I therefore wrote a courteous letter and posted it at his door, saying that he got me curious about the ownership of the path and that actually, no one owned it, so that I kindly asked him to put his bins against his own fence.
Bit of a suspense what’s going to happen but my hunch is that he is going to do nothing and that his bins and rubbish will keep leaning on our fence.
Any clever plan of action you can advise here?
We all love a bit of lockdown drama!
Thanks
YABU- leave his bins against your fence
YANBU- and in this case what can I do not going OTT

Also if that whole area is just for bins then presumably it doesn't matter too much which side they are unless he has unbagged nasty stuff in there. Or is it for access to back gardens as well? Wheelbarrow access needed?

I would get a long planter and put some lovely flowers in the planter along the length of your fence. He's then got no choice bit to put his bin somewhere else! I don't think putting your bin on his side would help, it'd probably just cause more bad feelings

I checked our title deeds after that

You need to check his title deeds though.

(But it doesn't sound like it's his)

Put your bins against his fence

@UrAWizHarry actually I didn’t until DH told me it could become a nuisance in summer when all these bin bags start smelling and rotting against our fence, which would attract all sorts of flying craps. But we’re not there so I’ll just let it go! Bet it would bother you a tiny bit to ask something v reasonable nicely to your neighbour and him saying “no” for no possible reason though. Luckily all my other neighbours are lovely!

@AlwaysLatte there has been half open bin bags because they’re so full he didn’t bother closing them completely + his bins are always overflowing, I wonder how many people he lives with to have so much rubbish

Please put your bins against his fence, and move them back when he moves them. When he comes round to ask you to move them, give him the same mansplainy explanation as to why you're meant to do it.

He probably said no because it's such a petty request. it's actually doing nothing to you or your fence, and he probably thought it's the thin edge of wedge and your requests may become even more bizarre if he gave an inch.

I can understand why its winding you up but whatever you do don't go on any True Crime podcasts or you'll see where petty things like this can lead. 😲

To all those saying it sounds petty, would you feel the same if during the height of summer someone left overflowing trash propped up against your fence causing a stink.

There is a reason he doesn't want his shit against his fence, it's untidy or it's likely to smell or he prefers an unencumbered view through his fence.

I also think you should put some inexpensive and heavy pots along your fence, then fill with soil and bulbs. Leave enough space for only your bin so he will have nowhere to ditch his shit!!

If it’s unowned land then why don’t you claim it? Although you would have to upkeep

Is it tarmac? You may find all the oaths are in fact the responsibility of your local unitary authority, they don’t always register

To all those saying it sounds petty, would you feel the same if during the height of summer someone left overflowing trash propped up against your fence causing a stink.

Complain about it at that point then, when it's actually a problem, not when it clearly isn't.

How do you know it's your fence?
We thought the same with our neighbour and it turned out neither owned it or any other on our street, it was mended, replaced etc by mutual agreement.

Report him for fly tipping the bikes etc.

I'd be inclined towards growing something in a pot there, but would he be likely to move or damage it? You'd need a big old pot so that it was too heavy to move and too tall to squash the plant with him leaving his crap there regardless.

To all those saying it sounds petty, would you feel the same if during the height of summer someone left overflowing trash propped up against your fence causing a stink

Well no, I’d also not feel the same If he smeared it with dog shit, but as he’s doing neither it’s frankly irrelevant 😂

Did you tell him the smell from the bags is causing the dog to damage the fence? Because without this info you just sound a bit controlling.

@44PumpLane

To all those saying it sounds petty, would you feel the same if during the height of summer someone left overflowing trash propped up against your fence causing a stink.

There is a reason he doesn't want his shit against his fence, it's untidy or it's likely to smell or he prefers an unencumbered view through his fence.

I also think you should put some inexpensive and heavy pots along your fence, then fill with soil and bulbs. Leave enough space for only your bin so he will have nowhere to ditch his shit!!

A couple of meters will make no difference to how much a bag of rubbish smells, you realise? That's a total non-argument.

A bit of junk piled up against a fence is not going to damage it.

Put your bins against his fence.

I'd be tempted to apply for ownership of said land whilst using the planter idea mentioned up thread.

My mum’s neighbour did that. I guess that made their bin more visible from the street, because every time they put it there it mysteriously got stolen and set fire to. Totally melted and they had to buy a new bin. But when it was against their own fence I guess the vandals couldn’t see it 🤷‍♀️

@stackemhigh

I might be being dim but I can't visualise this at all.

I can't either.

Technically shared land so no one has a right to put their bins there. Residents should all have unrestricted access to all of the land.
I fear the waste will build up so it does need to be sorted.

I would put the waste back against his fence.
If he moves it back, report to the council fly tipping & a fly tipped overflowing dustbin.
They'll take it away.

1. Plant a protected species on that patch - one that it is an offence to disturb or uproot (names can be found on the government website - you may have to raise these plants from seed).
2. Mark out the area containing the plants with clear signage.
3. If he continues encroaching on the space, report him to police. With luck he will be arrested and prosecuted.
4. There potentially exists the unintentional side-effect of the lane being designated an SSSI and none of the residents being allowed access to it. But there are downsides to every plan.

Yes, it is a long-term scheme and requires some effort on your part. But seeing your neighbour arrested for failing to move his bins will make it all worth it. AND you'll be doing your bit for nature.

A minority of people say I’m petty but I really don’t think I am! I’m actually chilled and not going to start a dispute or start as a poster said “further unreasonable requests”. Like what? Asking for permission to dance naked for the solstice in his back garden? I find it petty though to choose my fence over his for his rubbish and move it back after I moved it against his (I thought it was pretty clear in a non agressive at all way). He obviously finds it appealing to stack his rubbish against the fence of our property instead of his, unlike all our other neighbours. Seems like there’s nothing I can do though apart if it becomes a smelling nuisance rather than just a visual one when I access my back garden from the alleyway. Oh and by the way, as a result his fence is pristine, no bins, no junk. Bless him and his flip flops