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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Obsessive neighbour losing the plot over leaves

578 replies

Sparkies2012 · 13/11/2023 20:40

Our neighbours are a relatively elderly couple and since they moved in have had a bee in their bonnet over leaves that blow onto their driveway. The gate to our driveway is opposite to their open driveway, separated by a narrow road. Our next door neighbour has a massive old tree in their garden that produces a lot of leaves, most of which fall into our driveway. We don’t really bother collecting the leaves, as it is an endless task at this time of the year, but the elderly couple is constantly on at us because the leaves blow across the road into their driveway and the odd one gets in their front door. Now we have told them we don’t produce the leaves, and they don’t bother us, so if they are bothered by the leaves either pick them up or take it up with our neighbour who owns the tree. But now they have even started collecting them in black bags and, under the cover of darkness, leaving them in front of our driveway gate, or throwing them over our fence. I’m tempted next time they do this to open the bag and dump it over their driveway again. AIBU by not picking up the leaves in our garden?

OP posts:
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13
Mittleme · 15/11/2023 18:18

It's your garden . You can leave leaves there for all you want as long as it's not affecting the neighbours .

Nickinoo22 · 15/11/2023 18:19

Ballsbaill · 13/11/2023 21:25

Seriously go round her house and knock the door. Dump the bags back and say it's not your tree and tell her who's tree it is.

Tell if she does it again you'll report her for harrassment and fly tipping. Tell her you have a ring door bell and know it's her.
Say it to her face, no games. If she does it again report her.

This 👍

Strictlymad · 15/11/2023 18:21

Colluding with the tree owner!!! I’m sorry op for your issue but that is priceless!!!

bubmut · 15/11/2023 18:24

Yes, they are fly tipping. They could be prosecuted. Obviously you are not going to do that, but it won't hurt them to think you might!

MamaSharkDooDooDooDooDooDooo · 15/11/2023 18:24

I watched Shetland the other day - there are no trees there, apparently. Or at least very few... You could suggest they move there. Otherwise, ignore them. Oh for a life where leaves are the biggest concern!

SharonEllis · 15/11/2023 18:25

Nuts. I can't imagine getting upset about leaves?! But yes, chuck them back.

Chalkdowns · 15/11/2023 18:27

The thing about leaves and old people is that they get worried they are going to slip over on them. Just in case you want to think about their point of view??

ThatWhiteElephant · 15/11/2023 18:28

Our neighbours are obsessive over leaves but they just get their leaf blower out, all the time!
We just wait until all the leaves have fallen then do one big clear up. Can't we arsed with picking them up every day!

But, blimey your neighbours are taking the right royal piss!
I would put the black bags back on their drive but arrange the bag so when they pick it up all the leaves fall out the bottom onto their drive 😂😂

Evan456 · 15/11/2023 18:29

Leave the bags there with the tops open so all the leaves blow back on their driveway

Doris86 · 15/11/2023 18:30

Chalkdowns · 15/11/2023 18:27

The thing about leaves and old people is that they get worried they are going to slip over on them. Just in case you want to think about their point of view??

So they then need to take issue with the owner of the tree. Not some other random neighbour whose garden some leaves just happen to fall into.

mumoftinyterrors · 15/11/2023 18:30

Nuke shopping this weekend 🤣🤣🤣 These nutters sound like my neighbours

GreenFritillary · 15/11/2023 18:32

Keep the bags, somewhere out of the way, and leave them to rot down anaerobically into beautiful leaf mould. If you don't want it for potting, give it away or spread it over flower beds to improve the soil.
We had a neighbour like this, used to go mad every year because leaves in autumn were so untidy. She got worse as she aged. She had six beautiful pear trees in her garden chopped down purely for that reason. We grew the hedge between us high, so she couldn't see and criticise our organic gardening. She complained that she couldn't see what the neighbours were doing. We teased her a little but we were nice to her and she liked us.

Ilovecleaning · 15/11/2023 18:32

Chalkdowns · 15/11/2023 18:27

The thing about leaves and old people is that they get worried they are going to slip over on them. Just in case you want to think about their point of view??

FFS!

Goldieremson · 15/11/2023 18:34

This 100 %

MaMoatsart · 15/11/2023 18:36

You’re not being unreasonable at all. In fact you’ve been extremely tolerant. May I suggest that you advise them either verbally or in writing that;

Fly-tipping is a crime, which carries serious penalties.

In the magistrates' court, persons convicted of fly-tipping can be fined an unlimited amount, jailed for 12 months, or sent to The Crown Court for more severe penalties. The legislation creating the offence is section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

Furthermore, don’t physically dump/return the leaves (rubbish) onto their drive, you could be seen as committing the same fly tipping offence.
Hopefully, when they’re aware of your intentions to report them, backed up with cctv evidence they will stop this nonsense 🤞

GrumpyPanda · 15/11/2023 18:39

They're bonkers. But honestly, if you have a decently sized garden I'd see if there isn't a suitable corner you can pile them all up for a hedgehog hotel.

Violahastings · 15/11/2023 18:44

I genuinely wonder how people like this cope when something actually bad happens

Santaiswashinghissleigh · 15/11/2023 18:46

Get some sprinklers set up.

whynotwhatknot · 15/11/2023 18:52

people saying maybe theyre worried yes thats fine but dont dump them on ops garden because theyre not her bloody leaves

MachineBee · 15/11/2023 19:00

GreenFritillary · 15/11/2023 18:32

Keep the bags, somewhere out of the way, and leave them to rot down anaerobically into beautiful leaf mould. If you don't want it for potting, give it away or spread it over flower beds to improve the soil.
We had a neighbour like this, used to go mad every year because leaves in autumn were so untidy. She got worse as she aged. She had six beautiful pear trees in her garden chopped down purely for that reason. We grew the hedge between us high, so she couldn't see and criticise our organic gardening. She complained that she couldn't see what the neighbours were doing. We teased her a little but we were nice to her and she liked us.

I agree with this is you have the space in your garden. Leaf mould is wonderful for conditioning the soil.

mylifestory · 15/11/2023 19:06

Do what you need to bt don't interact with them, they'll only keep going as they have nothing else to do. This a hobby for them.

StBrides · 15/11/2023 19:11

we are colluding with the tree owner

Ermagod

FindingNeverland28 · 15/11/2023 19:24

Fill some bin bags up with inflated balloons and take them round. Tell them that the wind blew their air onto your drive, so you wanted to return it.