Neighbour being cheeky? Or AIBU?

[Motheringthrough]

We moved in a couple of years back and as I am a keen gardener, I arranged for our house to have a green bin collection (not sure if this is the case everywhere but it’s a service you pay extra for with our council)

About a month after moving in our next door neighbour asked if it would be alright if he put his grass clippings in our green bin. Trying to be friendly and neighbourly and all that, I said yes, thinking it would be a one off. They’ve never had a green bin and prior to us moving in next door, he used to take his garden waste to the tip.

Every time he has mown his lawn since (every 1-2 months I’d say) he asks me if he can put his grass cuttings in our green bin.

It is now starting to bother me that he doesn’t pay for his own green bin when he clearly would get a lot of use out of it. I just think to keep asking each time now is being cheeky and almost overstepping with the favour.

Am I being silly? I realise this is probably the most silly and middle England issue to post but I need to put my mind at rest!

Maybe say to him as it's now every grass cut he's using your bin, that when the permit is due for renewal how about we go halves?

Have voted YABU as there is space in the bin and he asks. You aren't paying any more for his waste to be taken and you are getting the service that you pay for.

We pay for two bins at about £65 each, and wouldn't begrudge my neighbour the use of some available space.

Exactly this!

Sod that. We have to pay an annual fee for green bins here too and I’d let a neighbour use it as a one-off but not regularly. But, your situation should be fairly easily fixed- just say it’s full up every time he asks you to use it in future. After about the 3rd time of him asking I’d then say “sorry neighbour, but we actually fill the bin up most weeks. It’s easy to get your own green bin though, just apply on council website” etc.

It wouldn't bother me at all. I want my green bin, I don't fill it, so someone may as well be getting use out of it as well.
It seems silly to prefer a 3/4 bin be emptied each week.

Oh my god of all the things you could moan about neighbours for this is not an issue.

It would be different if you were not using the bin but still paying for it and he used it. But you are and as long as his cuttings don’t mean he fills it and you can’t use it for your own waste then I really couldn’t get bothered about it. Especially if this is your only gripe with them.

You just need to read some of the bad neighbour threads on here to know that this is not that bad

That is going to be hugely problematic, as if they do that, he’s entitled to use half of it. I’d really not recommend it.

i really can’t see the issue, the op has the bin, it doesn’t cost her any more money, it isn’t emptied by weight, and if she has the space it makes no difference to her if his cuttings are in there or not.

for me it’s really petty to say yes I’ve the space, but you can’t use it, even though it makes no difference to me,

Agree that as your bin isn't full, and he asks, it's fine. Its always wise to have a nice neighbour on side, especially one that owes you a few favours!

I’d say to him, I’m being asked to commit to next years bin collection. Do you fancy sharing the cost with me going forward? I’m not sure I’m going to bother otherwise. It seems a lot..

Omg you’d lie so he couldn’t use the available space ? Wow.

I don't think he's cheeky as he asked and you agreed. If you don't fill your bin, why not share?

In our town you've got a small window in the summer to apply for a green bin collection - maybe 4 weeks. I had a lot going on 2 years ago and missed the deadline, cue a whole year of trips to the tip. Just wondering if something similar has happened to him, rather than him being a cf.

Why not come to a cost share agreement with him if it works for you both?

Why don't you ask him to pay half towards it that way you both benefit?

I assume as it then entitles him to half and she doesn’t wish half a bin.

Id be fine with it but I’d also expect general neighbourliness in return, in whatever form that took, be it taking in parcels when I’m out, not whingeing about me having people in the garden for a BBQ on the reg or making noise or whatever. Basically a bribe. And if there’s nothing you’re bribing him about right now, there probably will be at some point! Always good to have a favour in the bag… or bin

Proper cheeky. Ours is £100 - there is no way I’d let that happen more than once - he either splits it with you or starts going to the tip again. It is irrelevant that yours is not always full - he’s not even offering a token amount or favour in return.

Next time he asks…
”sorry can’t do this time, it’s full of my waste/I need to use the remaining binspace for the garden jobs I am planning - making sure I get my moneys worth for that £50 a year”

@Roseyjane are you the neighbour? Would you quite happily let someone else pay for the service so you can get it free?

Def a CF. It's whats known as taking a liberty. A one off yes, but every time, no. Cant you throw some hedge clippings or something else in there as a one off to fill it up and see if he gets the message?

I wouldn't be at all bothered if my bin had space.

Why not take turns paying for it, you do a year and he does a year. Or just say no?

Personally it wouldn’t bother me and I’d let him carry on if I had the space in the bin

Op the neighbour needs to pay half or stop using your bin.

I'd do this too.

Ask him to pay half for the costs and agree to only fill a half of the bin each. If
he says no then give him the info on how to get this bin himself. Tell him not to use your bin.

So he uses it a max of probably 8 times a year? (Around here collections stop between Nov to Feb)
And all he uses it for is his grass cuttings?
And you don't fill it?
And he asks every time?

I'd be ok with it. Why should he pay a small fortune for something he barely uses when you have space?

Maybe nice of him to give you a bottle of wine or flowers or something as a thank you but really saying no just makes you look unfriendly and unhelpful