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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Neighbour has put bins on footpath who to complain too?

104 replies

caramell · 01/09/2025 18:16

For the last couple of weeks a neighbour has been placing their bins on a footpath that leads to my house.

She lives a door away from me and this is causing me a nuisance as I have 3 kids with the youngest being a baby.

She puts her bins there so they are not in her garden or driveway.

AIBU to complain about this?
I have asked her politely to move them to no avail.

OP posts:

bitterexwife · 01/09/2025 19:33

Or wheel them bang smack in the middle of the road, or tip them over (accidentally) when returning them to her front garden/driveway

ThreePointOneFourOneFiveNine · 01/09/2025 19:36

Well she can’t keep her bins on your property. Does she know it’s your property?

Tablesandchairs23 · 01/09/2025 19:37

caramell · 01/09/2025 19:24

The footpath leads to my house and is part of my property.
She leaves the bins there all the time.

What would it come under for the council?

If you own the path move them.

SummerFrog25 · 01/09/2025 19:39

Neighbours were putting their bins on the pavement in front of our house on bin day, sort of fair enough due to the way the street is, but putting then in front of the path to our door instead of either side where there was plenty of space, then just started leaving them there day after day (when there's easily accessible specific places for them around the back & specific access to that space) at first I took them to the place, but got fed up of them being so lazy. So instead I started taking them to their front door , first couple of times a couple of feet away, but when they didn't get the huge hint, I started putting them on their door mat.

I felt petty, but FFS, healthy couple in their early 30's, lazy bastards. Try the same!

DancefloorAcrobatics · 01/09/2025 19:46

I'd wheel them back to the edge of her property. Does she have a car & driveway? Then place them so that she has to get out and move them.

If not, make sure it’s what she sees when looking out of the window...
If that doesn't help, as others suggested, thake the bins for a walk up the road... I assume she's labelled them, so it will be obvious who they belong to. If you have a neighood WhatsApp group, you could innocently post a picture of them in the middle of the road...

Pinkissmart · 01/09/2025 19:48

For heavens sake, just talk to her!

MimiSunshine · 01/09/2025 19:49

I wouldn’t waste your time trying to complain to the council. Honestly, what do you think anyone there can do.

Either take them back and put them right outside her front door. Literally touching the door and if questioned say, you’re just returning them as they keep wandering off on to your property.

or just inconvenience her, push them out on to the path or road, preferably further away from her house. She’ll eventually get fed up of it.

do it every single time.

BabyCatFace · 01/09/2025 20:03

caramell · 01/09/2025 19:24

The footpath leads to my house and is part of my property.
She leaves the bins there all the time.

What would it come under for the council?

Not if it's not council land.
If she's leaving them on your land I would steal them. At least hide them for a bit so she gets really cross.

Studyunder · 01/09/2025 20:04

I agree with keep moving them back. If she then does the same, I’d move them back PLUS move your own bins onto her property then knock her door and ask if she finds it acceptable. Perhaps this might get the message across more clearly. If it doesn’t, I’d then move their bins onto the road or another property and see what happens….

LaughingCat · 01/09/2025 20:26

Pinkissmart · 01/09/2025 19:48

For heavens sake, just talk to her!

OP makes clear that she already has tried talking to her. It hasn’t worked.

OP - environmental health for fly-tipping, keep putting the bins back. If nothing changes, move the bins back onto public property a distance away each time so she has to go and get them herself. Make it more problematic for her to put them on your land than to keep them on hers.

Seriously CF.

Imagineallthepuppies · 01/09/2025 20:29

What did she say when you asked her not to?

starballoons · 01/09/2025 20:29

Can you take her bins so she can’t use them?

gamerchick · 01/09/2025 20:29

Cool more bin space..I'd absolutely start filling them up.

helenmelonmoon · 01/09/2025 20:33

I would send her a formal letter. You have asked previously and if the behaviour continues, you will report her for antisocial behaviour. You can contact the council.

dodobedo · 01/09/2025 20:36

caramell · 01/09/2025 19:24

The footpath leads to my house and is part of my property.
She leaves the bins there all the time.

What would it come under for the council?

Every time she leaves a bin there take it and hide it in your shed or garage. She'll soon get the hint.

Lavender14 · 01/09/2025 20:41

MyToeHurtsBetty · 01/09/2025 19:30

I'd move them 3 streets over and look confused when she asked... Cheeky fucker

I'd ask once more, and say you asked before and nothing happened but you need the bins moved as its on your property and blocking your buggy. If she doesn't move them then you'll have them removed from your property and she'll need to buy new bins. I'd also tell her that if she has a mobility issue or similar that makes it difficult for her to move the bins kerbside for collection she can request the council take them out and leave them back for her so she doesn't need to manoeuvre them. Leave them back on to her property immediately before the conversation.

If she moves them back out then have them removed by the council as bulky waste or the waste disposal team might collect them.

OneKhakiFish · 01/09/2025 20:43

Keep putting them back on their side, some people are just so rude. We had new neighbours and they were using our bins for their rubbish, even though they have their own, our number on ours, they also put the wrong rubbish in our bins, the council do check now and again, I just grabbed the bags and dropped them on their side, had to do it twice but they got the hint.

MrsBungle · 01/09/2025 20:46

Put your bin on her drive!

Friendlygingercat · 01/09/2025 20:49

I noticed that one poster asked "Does she rent". What on earth does that have to do with where the neighbour places her bins? Even if she does do you really think her LL is going to approach her over such trivia? The LL is her business partner not her parent. A sensible LL is not going to sour his relationship with the person who is paying his mortgage because of a whinging neighbour.

I had some bin problems with a neighbour when I first rented a house in the area, On bin day my neighbour used to park her bins directly in front of my gate, alongside where I put out mine. This made no sense as she had to drag them a few yards along the pavement to do so. I think they must have been in her way when she was getting her car in and out. Perhaps she somehow imagined she was my social superior because I was renting. Each time I moved them back to by her gate. Next week they would again in front of mine. One windy night I dragged the bins back to her gate and they must have "accidentally" blown over. Nexy day all the rubbish had blown onto her drive and into the street. She never did it again.

TFthatsover · 01/09/2025 20:50

Walk them up the road out of sight and let her go hunting for them. Total CF.

Owly11 · 01/09/2025 20:51

She is leaving bins on your land - why do you need to ask her to move them? Just move them back on to her land every single time. Be 100% persistent and consistent and if she is till doing it after a month you need to up the ante. This is a battle you can absolutely win but you need to do it yourself not expect anyone else to, because no one else is as motivated as you are.

Haggisfish3 · 01/09/2025 20:51

This happened near me. Council sent a letter to every house on the road saying bins were being left out and it contravened a bylaw and to stop doing it.

Friendlygingercat · 01/09/2025 20:53

Or move them somewhere out of sight so they dont get emptied that week and she has to hunt for them. Im sure she will get the message.

HoskinsChoice · 01/09/2025 22:34

If you own the land, it is surely a private dispute, nothing to do with the council. They would only get involved if the bins are on a public highway.

Tollington · 01/09/2025 22:57

Start using her bins instead of your’s

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