To use dead neighbours bins

[Lovelyskyx]

My elderly neighbour sadly suddenly. died a few months ago, and I always used to use his bins (with his permission) as he had very little waste and we have a big family and many pets.
I haven't put anything in them since he passed as it felt disrespectful, even though I know he would say yes if I asked him and he was here, but we have a few extra bags of rubbish and the bins are being collected today, so I popped them in and put his bin out.
Now I'm feeling bad and worrying that his relatives would take it badly if they saw (they come round once or twice a week , but I haven't had chance to really talk to them or ask permission as it wasn't on my mind). , I'll obviously pop the bin back as soon as it's emptied.
Am I terrible for this?

Blimey - imagine all that crap going into a landfill every week.

Use them. It’s what he would have wanted.

My dm died last year and the council advised me that no council tax was due until 6 months after probate was granted. Bins were emptied as normal, but as I was clearing the house I would not have wanted neighbours to fill them with their refuse. If there was space on the day of collection - no problem at all, but as our refuse is only collected one every three weeks (recycling weekly) I don’t think there was a time it wasn’t full.

You should ask permission from the relatives, as they may need the bin to help empty the house out or fill with their own rubbish. You sought permission from the previous owner, not the owner now who may have different requirements.

Long term you will need to find a solution anyway if someone moves in who does not have the space available to give to you.

This ^

Glad someone else has said it.

When my Dad died, the council gave us a council tax break but in turn we couldn't use the services so no bins were emptied. So its not just as simple as using his bin and then it being emptied and putting it back. If you want to council to empty your bin you have to pay for it. So be prepared for the fact the council may not empty it. The bin men, of course, may not realise the council tax for the property is not currently being paid and empty it anyway. But I would be worried that it won't be emptied and the family will then have to get rid of your rubbish.

That aside I do think its a little cheeky using his bin without even asking the family for permission.

My father-in-law's neighbours started using his drive and his bins after he died and when we asked them to desist, got quite arsey about it! When we turned up to clear his house, they shouted, 'Oh, we suppose you want us to move our car, then?'

Well, yes.

Don't me to derail but sone councils do have systems in place to charge on top of council tax eg garden waste collection - I think we pay £45 a year for this every 2 weeks but not over Xmas/NewYear and we are given stickers to put on the reverse if the bin to show were in the scheme

Our council allows us to purchase extra bins so maybe you could do this? Or have some sort of system where you store the waste safely and do a tip run once a week or something?

Sounds like something I’d do and regret it and feel guilty. I wouldn’t use his bin after today, it does feel a little disrespectful and if I was his family and a neighbour bothered me asking if they could continue using his bin I’d find it a bit insensitive. If the bin has been collected and put back and nobody has noticed then I’d leave it there and find an alternative plan

Not sure you would get away with a tip run once a week in my council.

I think they monitor how many trips you do and have a reasonable use policy.

The solution here is to produce less waste.

Yes, after my dad died I absolutely needed access to his bins to dispose of waste from the house clearance and all the cleaning I had to do. If I'd found someone else's rubbish in those bins I would have been pretty damn cross. When this chap died whatever arrangement op had has ceased, to continue using the bins is bloody cheeky.

I think op needs to get her arse in gear NOW and make her own arrangements, whether that's to go to the tip, get a composter, or pay for a larger bin.

I think it’s disrespectful to his relatives to continue using them. His grieving family could see it as you taking advantage of his passing, even if they knew he’d previously given permission. It could also be upsetting to them, to see his bins out.

Ah, I stand corrected re the extra bins then! I've never known anywhere that will let you have another general waste/landfill bin, but it sounds like plenty of councils do.

We can request another recycling bin if we ask, as they obviously want to promote recycling; and there's a separate scheme whereby you can pay annually if you want a garden waste bin (or double for two).

I thought councils were punished financially if they send 'too much' to landfill over the year, hence they guard access to extra landfill bins jealously... but it would appear not everywhere!

I'm not saying that this is the case for OP, but I know a few people who never bother recycling and just chuck everything into the landfill bin - unsurprisingly, they tend to struggle for space in the one bin for what most people use two bins for!

I'm sorry, but I'm having a little chuckle to myself at the thought his relatives might find the sight of his bin upsetting. While meanwhile other people think he'll be looking down and smiling on you, glad that his legacy lives on through his bin. It's a bin OP. As long as you don't inconvenience his relatives by making it smell of gerbil wee, I don't think it needs elevating to symbolise respect or lack of for his passing.

I was the executor for a relatives house. Once they died I binned all the food stuff that wouldn’t be used and offered the rest of it to the neighbours; they had been friends for 40+ years.
for the next few months I had said they could use the driveway and bins if needed and that I’d let them know when they needed to
stop. They were grateful for the offer, rarely used I believe but they had been lovely friends over the decades and I have fond memories of them from childhood.
I didn’t live locally so arranged a house clearance to come and deal with everything inside so didn’t need the bin space myself (or the driveway).
I’d have been pissed off however if I turned one day and discovered someone had been using the drive or the bins, it’s just a bit rude. I think if you’ve genuinely not been able to catch anyone in months despite knowing they go a couple of times a week then a note through the door to check if it’s okay is the best way to go.