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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to report neighbour's bin store?

142 replies

Passthegin99 · 29/09/2022 09:31

My house is end terrace and next door's front garden shares a fence with our back boundary. I don't know who the fence belongs to. Next door has been a state for years but they've started smartening it up a bit recently and have made their front garden into a drive (ignoring the fact they don't have a dropped kerb but never mind). All fine except they've now built a whopping great bin store up against the shared boundary which is essentially a massive, stable, platform for would-be-burglars to climb up onto and hop into our garden!

Given my previous house not far from here was end terrace and we were burgled using exactly this route in - standing on bins to get over the fence, and then obviously in through a door - I'm feeling extremely stressed about this. DP - who is normally a massive curtain twitching complaint lodger (whereas I'm normally live and let live) is being infuriatingly calm about it and says there's nothing we can do and that I'm being ridiculous.

Technically it's an illegal construction unless they have planning permission (no way they do given they made a driveway without a dropped kerb) as it's in the front garden, so I could complain to the council. Would that be unreasonable? So as not to drip feed, they have form for this themselves as they previously complained to the council about DP making excessive DIY noise in the garden which upset him so much he's barely picked up a tool since. If they'd just come and knocked on the door he'd have packed it in happily.

I could go and knock on their door but I can't see them taking it down as it won't have been cheap to build and then if I complain to the council they'll know it was me (yes, they probably will anyway but still). What can I do so I don't fall out with the neighbours but also so I can sleep at night??

to report neighbour's bin store?
OP posts:
MrsR2018 · 02/10/2022 07:07

*CCTV and light

JaNaJanice · 02/10/2022 08:03

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Norriscolesbag · 02/10/2022 08:29

You are being paranoid based on your past experiences. Unfortunately if someone wants to steal from your house they will find a way, bin shed or no bin shed.

They are smartening it up- good. Usually people do this if they are intending on perhaps selling so they may go anyway.

I find it a bit ironic you are calling them on their house being untidy yet they are still wrong in trying to sort it out. It suggests you just don’t like them. I appreciate money is an issue for things like this but that fence is also an eyesore too.

Dotcheck · 02/10/2022 08:33

OP
Stop worrying about your neighbours and just increase your own security. If the worry is causing you so much grief, get a proper security system.

GemmaEdKitten · 02/10/2022 12:02

Passthegin99 · 29/09/2022 09:31

My house is end terrace and next door's front garden shares a fence with our back boundary. I don't know who the fence belongs to. Next door has been a state for years but they've started smartening it up a bit recently and have made their front garden into a drive (ignoring the fact they don't have a dropped kerb but never mind). All fine except they've now built a whopping great bin store up against the shared boundary which is essentially a massive, stable, platform for would-be-burglars to climb up onto and hop into our garden!

Given my previous house not far from here was end terrace and we were burgled using exactly this route in - standing on bins to get over the fence, and then obviously in through a door - I'm feeling extremely stressed about this. DP - who is normally a massive curtain twitching complaint lodger (whereas I'm normally live and let live) is being infuriatingly calm about it and says there's nothing we can do and that I'm being ridiculous.

Technically it's an illegal construction unless they have planning permission (no way they do given they made a driveway without a dropped kerb) as it's in the front garden, so I could complain to the council. Would that be unreasonable? So as not to drip feed, they have form for this themselves as they previously complained to the council about DP making excessive DIY noise in the garden which upset him so much he's barely picked up a tool since. If they'd just come and knocked on the door he'd have packed it in happily.

I could go and knock on their door but I can't see them taking it down as it won't have been cheap to build and then if I complain to the council they'll know it was me (yes, they probably will anyway but still). What can I do so I don't fall out with the neighbours but also so I can sleep at night??

"Extremely stressed"

woodhill · 02/10/2022 12:09

I'd be more concerned that they haven't paid to drop their kerb

LakieLady · 02/10/2022 12:20

Just get that trellis repaired and grow prickly stuff. Loads of suggestions upthread!

LIZS · 02/10/2022 12:32

It only needs permission if forward of the building line, is it on their drive?

ancientgran · 02/10/2022 13:14

LIZS · 02/10/2022 12:32

It only needs permission if forward of the building line, is it on their drive?

Depends where you live. We can't erect a building infront or behind our house, or put up a sky dish at the back or even an ordinary shed, we can't have any fences in front of the house. It is something to do with when planning permission was granted about 40 or 50 years ago. I don't think the council are patrolling the streets to look over fences to see but if someone complains (my neighbours) they will investigate. In our case the investigation was a mini bus load of the planning committee to have a look, then have a good laugh at the nonsense and a chat with us. I only hope the neighbours were hiding behind the fence and heard how they were laughed at.

DangerousAlchemy · 02/10/2022 15:08

LydiaBennetsUglyBonnet · 29/09/2022 09:41

That’s actually a really nice bin store I’m now wondering how easy it is to build 😂 as we have loads of bins in our yard for different things

Thinking the exact sane thought! 🤣 I hate the ugly bins in my front drive

saraclara · 02/10/2022 15:49

A bin store is not an outbuilding.

Seeline · 02/10/2022 17:26

Bin stores come under the same Regs as outbuildings which include a whole range of things.

It needs PP as it's in front of the house.

Jjones8 · 02/10/2022 22:18

Write to the council re the bin store and dropped kerb, increase your security and then forget about it. Be aware though that if you start a war with your neighbours re the above then they are very likely to object to anything you ever want to do in the future.

Creameggs223 · 02/10/2022 22:25

OK report the bin store, but they can still leave the bins their so you would be in exactly the same position or are you going to tell them we're there bins should be placed aswell? If someone wants to get in your back garden they will bin store or not!!!

5foot5 · 02/10/2022 22:45

HappyHamsters · 29/09/2022 10:09

Well it looks pretty but surely you have to pull the bin out every time you want to put something in as you can't lift the lid otherwise? Bit of a faff.

JaNaJanice · 03/10/2022 03:19

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SpringIntoChaos · 03/10/2022 07:13

You need to get a grip love 🤣

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