To want the bin returning to me

[ForZanyTraybake]

I signed up to the council garden waste bin collection last year and paid full subscription for my bin. A few days after my bin arrived my neighbour asked if I could get one for her as it was cheaper for a second bin on my account so I did. I paid in my account and she gave me the cash. This year she won't pay but refuses to return the bin. Is it my bin or hers? It's registered to my address and she's had her years worth of collections. Thanks for your replies 😊

Are the council expecting it back?

I don't know but as it's registered to my address I'm responsible for it

Are they still collecting it without her paying?

But in answer to your question, yes it's her bin unless the council take them back.

It's the council's bin. Tell her that if there is no second subscription for it then they are demanding it back...

In my council if you don’t sign up/renew your subscription, your bin won’t get collected. Simple as that. I don’t think they’d be too bothered about collecting it, but I’ve never let my subscription run out, so I don’t know the process here. I’d say if it’s under your name then it’s your bin, whether she’s paid you or not…you’ve taken the responsibility of meeting that subscription by direct debit and the bin is assigned to your name and your address. Tbh if the council ever come knocking for it, let them take it, even if it means directing them to her address.

Or are you wanting the bin for yourself and are going to continue paying the subscription? Regardless in that case if it’s yours or hers, it doesn’t sound like she’s giving it up without a fight?

Cancel your bins for this month and tell her she needs to put it out for collection. Then get a new one yourself

I just wanted the bin returning to me as I'm legally responsible for it.

Just go and take it. Put it in your garden or garage or something. When she complains, just tell her she hasn’t paid for it this year so she can’t use it. It’s your bin and you were letting her use it if she paid the fee; she hasn’t.

Well, this is why you don't do people you don't know and trust this type of favour. If the council wants it back, you'll have to tell them she has it. You can't force her to give it back, and if they never do come to collect it, she may as well keep it. The only other problem will be if you ever do want a second bin and they have it on file that you should still have it.

ETA: Of course if you're being charged for the bin, she must give it back. But if she's keeping it locked in her garden or similar, it may be difficult to take it back without her agreement.

Its your bin. Registered to your address. All she paid was the subscription for last year. Tell her that she either returns it or you write to the council and tell them she's taken your bin

It’s not her bin. It’s the OP’s. It’s on her account and she pays for it.

The neighbour is essentially… sub letting a bin. She hasn’t paid the fee this year so can’t use it anymore. It’s the OP’s.

I thought about that but I think that would be trespass

By walking into her garden to get your own property back?

ok… so walk it through. What do you think will happen to you for this trespass?

And if you’re really scared that the police will come and take you away for retrieving your own bin, then take it off the pavement on collection day.

Where does she keep it? Tell the council it's gone missing ( or been stolen ) and they'll send someone to come and get it off her. They won't even speak to her about it, they'll just take the bin

I wouldn’t put myself through the hassle of arguing about it with her. If it’s a council bin I believe the onus is on them to collect it if they want to do direct them to her property. I don’t know whether you’ll be questioned or in trouble for subletting a bin, but really I can’t see how an ordinary council worker will be bothered ( as opposed to a manager). It must happen amongst families/elderly relatives, not common to sublet a bin, I grant you, but it must happen? I honestly wouldn’t give it another thought, just stop paying the subscription and direct them there if they turn up. You could even say she stole your bin and that’s why you’ve cancelled it if you’re extra worried and extra dislike like her !!!

Its her bin, she paid you for it.
Its your own fault for putting it on your account.

You need to pay for it every year or it goes back to the council. The neighbour hasn’t paid for it this year so how is it her bin?

No it doesn't, I have a garden waste bin in my garden, I paid for 2 years and then cancelled and I still have the bin.
Not every council comes around and collects them back,

The OP had to pay the subscription this year and seeing as it’s about her and not about you, I’d say she had to do that so the council didn’t collect the bin or stop the weekly collections.

Like you said, “not every council.” We’re talking about OP’s.

Is she still putting it out for the waste collection?

Why did you think it was ok to rip the council off like this, i.e. by enabling your neighbour to get a cheaper collection on false pretences?

And why does the neighbour want to keep hold of the bin now that it can't be used for getting waste collected?

The bin belongs to the council, not to either of you. I doubt they will come after it, but if they do, and you can't produce it, then you'll have to come clean about how you abused the system.

The OP never said she had to pay this year for her neighbour. She just said the neighbour refused to pay so I would presume that the OP used her common sense and cancelled her neighbours subscription!

Like you said, “not every council.” We’re talking about OP’s.

Yes, we are and she also confirmed she doesn't know if the council want it back so get down from that high horse and stop making shit up since you dont know naff all about her council either.

The collections don't start again until March but I'm guessing, because of the way she is she will put it out without a subscription

The garden waste collection people will only collect from those who have paid, otherwise loads of people would just put their bin out in the hope it gets collected. Its not operated like your black bin where they collect from every house regardless.

"abused the system"? The council website says you can share bins with your neighbours to reduce costs.