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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:
Thread gallery
13
IncreasinglyGrumpy · 15/11/2023 19:33

Sadly elderly people without much else to do can get obsessive and unreasonably so. Do they have family you could approach and suggest a Xmas pressie of a leaf blower - or vacuum ?! Spring will no doubt bring blossom and a new issue.
Good luck
X

TheKnittedCharacter · 15/11/2023 19:37

We have many trees in our garden. The lawns are currently covered. I rather like it. When we open the patio doors or the dog comes in, 2 or 3 leaves come in too. I can’t imagine caring.

The neighbours are completely in the wrong. If they want to sweep up leaves, good luck to them. But it’s outrageous that they’re dumping them on a neighbour.

backinthestoneage · 15/11/2023 19:41

empty the bag everytime!

GoudaThunkIt · 15/11/2023 19:45

Do you have a green bin collection for garden waste in your area? If you did, getting one of those for the leaves would be useful. The batshit neighbours could at least dump the swept up leaves in the bin for the council to collect then, rather than dumping them in your garden.

pollymere · 15/11/2023 19:51

I wish I had something constructive to add. They are definitely fly-tipping the bags though and Councils are usually very unfriendly to those that dump bags if you report it. You can usually upload videos as well as pictures onto Council sites to report fly-tipping.

Tryingmybestadhd · 15/11/2023 19:53

I would film them leaving the bags , contact the council and tell them what they are doing is disposing of waste illegally . If it doesn’t work I would gather bag over bag of leaves and one night a few weeks from now dump them on their doorstep .

Silvers11 · 15/11/2023 20:00

Can you warn them that if the Black Bags find their way onto my property again, you will take the bags back to their garden - AND EMPTY THE LEAVES BACK OVER THEIR GARDEN? And just do it every time? They might give up if you do that as it will give them extra work

HappyMavis · 15/11/2023 20:05

Great thread, reminds me a bit of that one from Dadfromthesea about his neighbours trees or the one from Wordsworse about their neighbours trees! Funny too!

LMNOP100 · 15/11/2023 20:05

Defo nip it in the butt before it gets out of hand.

Unfortunately I was too nice to a similar style neighbour, and she now thinks she can super glue notes to my window telling me my bins need to be paid for to be taken by the frigging council! She's now finally being done for harassment by the police!

Good luck!!

LMNOP100 · 15/11/2023 20:09

Get a leaf blower or similar and blow all the leaves theyve collected for u in their letter box

FatherJackHackettsUnderpantsHamper · 15/11/2023 20:14

Sweeping up leaves is a chore but costs nothing apart from a little time (and it's good exercise!).

You could say that about anything, though. Polishing silverware takes time and effort, as does dusting ornaments or walking dogs and picking up their poo.

Many people deliberately decide not to have any silverware/ornaments/a dog precisely because they don't want to budget any of their time in the associated chores.

You can't just dictate to random people what hobbies they must spend their own time doing, just because it matters to YOU.

Lollipopsicle · 15/11/2023 20:24

CatherinedeBourgh · 13/11/2023 21:18

As a gardener, I'd be delighted. Raking up leaves and putting them in plastic bags to leave for a year and make beautiful leaf mould is a drag, but worth it for the benefit to the plants.

I'd love it if someone did that for me.

Me too! I have to go out and rake all the ones in my garden myself.

BlueSapphireEyes · 15/11/2023 20:26

Fuck sake I have the same problem only I own the tree. Neighbour says she hates trees and complained to the housing authority because we rent she owns her house below us, she’s an absolutely fucking nightmare of a neighbour,

OhNoOhNo · 15/11/2023 20:34

LMNOP100 · 15/11/2023 20:05

Defo nip it in the butt before it gets out of hand.

Unfortunately I was too nice to a similar style neighbour, and she now thinks she can super glue notes to my window telling me my bins need to be paid for to be taken by the frigging council! She's now finally being done for harassment by the police!

Good luck!!

Nip it in the butt?! 🤣

PianPianPiano · 15/11/2023 20:57

IaaFLf68 · 15/11/2023 18:01

I think both you and the elderly couple are being quite petty, but given their age I think you should cut them some slack. Sweeping up leaves is a chore but costs nothing apart from a little time (and it's good exercise!). They will probably have too much time on their hands to dwell on what you might consider unimportant things. Its not worth falling out over a pile of leaves. Bite your tongue and get out the sweeping brush!

What's any of that got to do with the neighbour dumping leaves from someone else's tree on the OP's property?

Stellastag · 15/11/2023 21:12

Funniest Best thread I’ve read in a while. Please keep us updated!! I really do like the naughty idea of opening up the black bags on their driveway but that’s just the naughty inner child in me. Probably best to just keep retiring the bags and all the other great ideas above.

Stellastag · 15/11/2023 21:12

**Returning not retiring

Imagwine · 15/11/2023 21:54

It is annoying. They collect in our doorway and several end up in the hall every time we enter the house. Maybe I should be having words with all our neighbours about it, especially those who don’t have trees…

Radiohat · 15/11/2023 22:02

I've read most of the comments and I am sure it is difficult. Sometimes we don't understand why people become transfixed on a particular thing ..... I am waiting for someone to tell me I am not writing this in the correct way - poor spelling -bad grammar.......

Could it be they are old ? & that the leaves really bother them ? Would it be possible to get the local children to clean them up ? The neighbours could contribute and pay per bag ?

Life is not always easy and many of us do not know hat is around the corner.....

The oldies are upset by the leaves , we don't really understand the reasons ,why it bothers them so much....when we live in a world that is so bad - is it not possible to try and solve the issue and ask what they think would help?

I have probably upset so many people- bad grammar, spelling etc...

BUT REALLY

WOULD IT HURT TO TRY AND FACILITATE A SOLUTION ?

There are families with nothing trying to survive- cold - hunger and death.

Generalfrancoswife · 15/11/2023 22:02

😂😂😂

Shuggie1234 · 15/11/2023 22:21

Oh my god you are me! This happened with our neighbour tree surgeon was caught in the act of cutting down one of our trees wasn’t even a big tree and planning on chopping several more
they moved we have lovely neighbours now

T1Dmama · 15/11/2023 22:21

My elderly nan is obsessed with leaves! It annoys her that the neighbours don’t maintain their gardens and leaves fall into hers, she hates how untidy they look.. she’s 97 and it worries me sick because she does take her Walker out and sweep the leaves!! If she falls she’ll be unable to get herself back up!… she obsesses over the front too… there are huge oak trees and the leaves blow onto the main path leading to all the houses and on to her path… she moans like hell about the ‘lazy’ neighbours for never taking pride in their gardens or surroundings! I went there today and swept what I could… will go tomorrow and do the main path I think.

in your situation @Sparkies2012 if the dumping of leaves continues I would simply report them to your local council for fly tipping and send in the countless videos. I wouldn’t take them back over as then technically you’re also fly tipping.

Whalewatchers · 15/11/2023 22:22

Radiohat · 15/11/2023 22:02

I've read most of the comments and I am sure it is difficult. Sometimes we don't understand why people become transfixed on a particular thing ..... I am waiting for someone to tell me I am not writing this in the correct way - poor spelling -bad grammar.......

Could it be they are old ? & that the leaves really bother them ? Would it be possible to get the local children to clean them up ? The neighbours could contribute and pay per bag ?

Life is not always easy and many of us do not know hat is around the corner.....

The oldies are upset by the leaves , we don't really understand the reasons ,why it bothers them so much....when we live in a world that is so bad - is it not possible to try and solve the issue and ask what they think would help?

I have probably upset so many people- bad grammar, spelling etc...

BUT REALLY

WOULD IT HURT TO TRY AND FACILITATE A SOLUTION ?

There are families with nothing trying to survive- cold - hunger and death.

If they are so bothered by the leaves and have so much time on their hands, I would offer to allow them on my property to collect them up.

It doesn't bother OP - they have more important things to be doing rather than bowing to pressure from a couple of batshit crazy neighbours.

Poodleydoodley · 15/11/2023 22:26

Wait till they’re out and then empty the leaves on to their drive and cover in resin. Maybe add some glitter. Yes.

Snazzysausage · 15/11/2023 22:30

Imagwine · 15/11/2023 21:54

It is annoying. They collect in our doorway and several end up in the hall every time we enter the house. Maybe I should be having words with all our neighbours about it, especially those who don’t have trees…

Yes you should.
Just make sure it is the neighbours without trees you have strong words with. They're absolutely the ones you need to target.

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