To ask neighbours to pick up their rubbish

[Sundaycoffee]

Every week without fail, foxes are getting into the neighbours bin and scattering rubbish from their bin all over the communal carpark to the flats. They clearly are aware as you can't NOT see it. They will literally be stepping over it to get into their cars. It's a small car park and only 3 of us use it and I know its theirs as there are even dirty nappies sometimes (they have a toddler)
Though if they are purposely not bothering to pick after themselves is it even worth me knocking and saying something? As its not a situation where they are going to be like "I had no idea".
So I'm worried it will just cause issues instead. I live alone and hate confrontation and awkwardness!!
I'm just fed up of walking over manky fruit, eggshells, nappies and yoghurt pots!

How is it the neighbours fault that foxes are getting into their bins? They are choosing not to pick up after the foxes, not after themselves. You and the other people involved sound a bit over invested and slightly entitled IMO.

I never said it was their fault. Though if I walked out into the communal car park and saw my babies shitty nappy and last nights dinner all over the place I would pick it up? I don't think expecting someone to do that is particularly entitled imo?

You implied it was their fault IMO as you mentioned the toddler, etc. Are they leaving their bin lids open, or closed like everyone else?

I'd find a way to secure the bin lid.

It's one of the small bins so I think the foxes just knock it over and get in. The other neighbour and I dont use small ones, just the tall ones which seems to be fine. They do put a brick on top of it which obviously isn't working.
Do you think its ok to just start tampering with their bins (taping them shut maybe?) without mentioning it?

Bloody hell just talk to them! Excuse me your shitty nappies are all over the floor due to the foxes - they don't get into our wheelie bins perhaps you could get one of those?

(taping them shut maybe?) without mentioning it?

Doing that could be considered as illegal behaviour, just so you know. And you have just mentioned it, on here, which could be seen as proof. You might want MN to delete your post just in case. But this obviously isn't deliberate behaviour if they have took active steps like putting a brick on to try and weigh it down but it doesn't stop. Have you considered telling them the number to order a tall bin like yours, or do you just expect them to put up with you and your (frankly, snobby, IMO) neighbours stares of disapproval every time they dare venture out of their own home in the morning and confronted by the damage the foxes did the previous night?

Well exactly, that's why I was questioning if doing that would be wise.
I'm in no way implying it was their fault that the foxes pulled out their rubbish and in no part of my post have I said I've given them a stare of disapproval either. I'm definitely not standing at the window waiting for them to emerge from their house so i can give them evils 🤣
I just see it all when I go out to my car in the morning.

How are they not picking up after themselves if the foxes do it then ? Picking up after yourself means picking up mess you made, it’s literally what it says on the tin.

Who do you think is actually responsible for picking up the crap the foxes have dragged out of their bin, then? Fascinating that some people would see it as not their problem, because the foxes did it...
Minging.

I’ll can’t believe people don’t think the neighbours are responsible for the mess! It’s their rubbish and they need to pick it up and find a way to keep their bin secure. I can’t believe people think it’s okay to just step around your rubbish when it’s strewn over the street and think ‘it’s someone else’s problem now’.

I wouldn't. You will probably get told to fuck off. They obviously don't care.
Very annoying though.

Who do you suggest should be picking it up then? I'm sure the foxes won't be coming back to do it!

How long has the rubbish been there? Do they pick it up in time for bin collection day?

It's been there since Monday, it doesn't get picked up.

I empathise with you OP.
This is a difficult dilemma and I’m a bit on the fence. I’d be tempted to bag it and dump over their fence or chuck into their garden. They might, just might, get the massage?

I have a similar issue in my area, not so bad but when it’s windy/breezy (not a fox problem) bad enough to send loose items flying into hedges and slip sliding like tumble weed all over the place. Paper, some of it with quite personal information thereon, plastic pots, cans, wine bottles, cereal boxes. You get the picture.

To be honest I go out with a bag and litter grab-stick thingy so I don’t have to touch it and bag up the waste. I then drop it in my wheely bin. Sod sorting it out into my various containers!

I have pleasantly asked the culprit to obtain from council a proper lid for their household recycling box. Their response was non committal so I doubt anything will be done. Until they do, I’ll suck it up and do what I can to help keep our lovely rural area a pleasant place to live.

Social responsibility, citizen’s duty? God only knows as I go about it muttering under my breath. 🙄

I think you've been unlucky with the first couple of replies here. You're definitely not being unreasonable!

I would try a casual conversation first, if possible. If you see them in passing, maybe mention that you've noticed they're having trouble with the foxes getting into their bins, causing a mess in the carpark, and have they tried X,Y or Z.

Hopefully a polite conversation will help, to keep the peace, but if not you can try something a bit more direct next time?

This. Your lazy neighbours need to clean up their rubbish and take steps to prevent the foxes getting into it in the first place.

How is it entitled to expect that neighbours who obviously know their bins are being raided by foxes, to either not pick it up or to take steps to secure or replace the bins so that it doesn’t happen again ? I’d be ‘over invested’ if I had to look at someone else’s shit spread all over the car park, along with the germs, and they weren’t at least trying to address it.

I would just buy them a tall bin, as they are obviously the sort of people who don't care.

I can't believe some of the replies on here where people think that they are not responsible for clearing up after the foxes have spread THEIR rubbish across the car park

Entitled? 🤣🤣🤣
Some right bloody muck larks about, happy to sneer at people with normal hygiene standards.

I don't understand how people can think that it's not the neighbours problem. Who else's problem is it? Are they expecting the foxes to pick it up?!

YANBU, despite those who don't understand the meaning of 'entitled' or are making ridiculous statements out of boredom or a desire for a fight. They ought to clean up the mess and try to find a solution. You could tell them about the superior bins, posed as helpful advice rather than criticism, but I'd find that awkward, so I can imagine you might, too. There's not much you can do other than telling them about the better bin option, gathering it up yourself, or ignoring it. If I did pick it up, I'd do it while they were out, then leave the bag by their bin as a passive aggressive hint.

How about asking them whether they’d mind if you get a bungee strap or something that would secure their bin lid as you’ve noticed that the foxes keep getting in their bin.

I was thinking something like a bungee strap would work.
Otherwise I'd be tempted to replace the bin like a pp suggested.
I agree with you, it's disgusting and I wouldn't like it either.
And I would do something about it but not tape the bin shut.