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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Neighbour putting bins against our fence

232 replies

LouRidley · 31/01/2021 16:54

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

OP posts:
sneakysnoopysniper · 03/02/2021 00:13

When I moved into a new neighbourhood 20 years ago I had a neighbour who put her bins in front of my gate where mine should have gone. I moved them back and the following week they were back in front of my house. It was just before Christmas and the following week there were bins, bags of rubbish and sundry tat. My nephew and his mate (both big guys) moved them back and knocked at the neighbours door and instructed her to keep her rubbish in front of her own gate otherwise they "would be back to have words". She never did it again.

NotFabulousDarling · 03/02/2021 00:45

Joan of Arc of bins
Now I'm imagining you riding into battle with a rusty ironing board as a shield. Grin
Shame he didn't put his bin out though.

Jeremyironseverything · 03/02/2021 01:05

It's a shame if something undesirable is smeared on the handles of said incorrectly place bins... Especially hidden on the underside. Blasted foxes.

Anystarinthesky · 03/02/2021 02:23

I would have to keep moving the things back against his fence.

HangryPants · 03/02/2021 03:45

I would repeatedly move his bins back to his, but I’d also clear as much of his side waste as possible using my bin and those of obliging neighbours.

Is there no convention for returning bins to the garden after collection? Bins left out can be used by burglars.

HashtagAnonyMouse · 03/02/2021 04:07

Please put your bins against his fence Grin

ellenpartridge · 03/02/2021 05:28

A few people have correctly pointed out that unregistered absolutely doesn't mean "noone owns it". It just means the ownership hasn't been registered.

If your neighbour is telling you he owns it but you've seen its unregistered (did you look on Map Search at the Land Registry?) why don't you just tell him that and ask if he is able to show you the deeds he has evidencing his ownership of the unregistered land? He may well tell you to sod off, but on the other hand he might be able to show you that he does actually own it, and then you'll know. Did you see whether his house is also on unregistered land?

lovelemoncurd · 03/02/2021 05:37

I think it's a bit petty. I may have got the wrong end of the stick but you can't see this rubbish it's behind a fence? My neighbour puts her bins the other side of our boundary hedge. It's honestly never entered my head to say move your bins. In fact she always puts her bin and ours back in place after the bin men have gone. It's a silly dispute that will end in a lot more pettiness and disharmony!

HerkyBaby · 03/02/2021 06:02

If these are rubbish bags. Call environmental health and inform them that you have seen rats in the vicinity. Tell them where the rubbish is coming from. That should do the trick!

happinessischocolate · 03/02/2021 12:13

I think the best suggestion has been to put rubbish in his bin. Put your vin inside your garden so he can't reciprocate, and have a good clear out filling his bin up.

Original poster
LouRidley · 03/02/2021 14:20

All right so the update is...he moved his bins and junk. In front of another neighbour’s fence. It’s not even a joke. It’s now at the end of the alley, sort of in the middle and definitely in front of my neighbours fence. How bizarre! I guess not my issue anymore but this man definitely has strong opinions about keeping his rubbish in front of his property.

OP posts:
Original poster
LouRidley · 03/02/2021 14:26

And @lovelemoncurd agreed not the end of the world, very menial and not my issue anymore. He seems to be very, very hung up on the fact that his rubbish should definitely not be in front of his fence though, unlike all my neighbours as he’s made very clear through his actions, don’t ask me why. I haven’t started a dispute and definitely won’t! The end. Smile

OP posts:
BewareTheBeardedDragon · 03/02/2021 14:37

Don't rest on your laurels - you must take action to prevent him just moving it back. Since he'd been presumably doing it for some time before you noticed he may be lulling you into a false sense of security and thinking you won't notice when he quietly put it back at yours again.
I'm still on team heavy planter!

Original poster
LouRidley · 03/02/2021 14:38

Haha well I will put nice potted plants along my fence for sure - it will look nice regardless!

OP posts:
Jeremyironseverything · 03/02/2021 16:22

I don't think this is the end. Will the neighbour get involved? Will there be musical bins?

VinylDetective · 03/02/2021 16:25

@LouRidley

Haha well I will put nice potted plants along my fence for sure - it will look nice regardless!
Don’t bother, they’ll get stolen if they’re on communal land.
TheyIsMyFamily · 03/02/2021 16:33

So..... he's an entitled jackass who thinks his property should look nice and his garbage can make other's look not so nice. And smell not so nice.

BewareTheBeardedDragon · 03/02/2021 17:08

Don’t bother, they’ll get stolen if they’re on communal land

That's why they have to be too heavy when full of soil to move

Original poster
LouRidley · 03/02/2021 17:18

@TheyIsMyFamily yep, seems like it!

OP posts:
VeganCow · 03/02/2021 17:37

Have you asked him WHY he is putting his stuff against yours and not his? That would be the only thing I said to him, even if he owns the whole path, why is he not putting it against his fence??

StoneofDestiny · 03/02/2021 19:08

Thanks for the update OP - he'll get his ass kicked again I'm sure. No longer your problem - get the planters out PDQ.

Skyla2005 · 03/02/2021 19:13

If it's stuff not taken by the bin men you could inform the council that he is flytipping

banivani · 04/02/2021 07:53

So bizarre OP! I agree it doesn't seem worth starting a war over this, but it could be an idea to check land ownership and stuff so you don't end up having an issue with your planters and so on.

MsMiaWallace · 04/02/2021 08:58

What a nob.
His rubbish will end up strewn all down the alleyway.

VinylDetective · 04/02/2021 09:26

@MsMiaWallace

What a nob. His rubbish will end up strewn all down the alleyway.
Will it? If he put it against my fence it wouldn’t bother me in the slightest.
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