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Original poster

Neighbours garden is horrendous

69 replies

Ladyof · 08/05/2021 14:18

My next door neighbours garden is horrendous, it has always been bad but for the last 6 months its become worse and it now resembles a tip.

She has thrown a wardrobe, washing basket, broken toys, scooters etc all in a heap at the top of the garden and it is such an eyesore.

We might gave to put our house back on the market soon and I worry it will put people off buying it.

Any ideas she is lovely and I dont want to fall out with her so I don't feel like I could mention it to her. Argh.

OP posts:

MollyBloomYes · 09/05/2021 02:13

I honestly clicked on this wondering if it was going to be my garden I had to sort out new bed for my dcs and the old ones are in pieces stacked up in the garden. I say stacked up....the bastard things keep sliding down in the wind and rain and are definitely an eyesore. Trouble is I don't have a big enough car to take it all to the tip so I need to save up to get a man with a van to take it all away. It sucks but that's the reality of my wage and only having one adult in my household.

I'd be mortified but understanding if a neighbour nicely approached me about selling their house but only if they had solutions such as going halves on a van or taking it to the tip in their bigger car or helping me to break it all down etc. Just telling me it looks awful and to sort it wouldn't help because I already know and am pretty self conscious about it. Go in with solutions rather than just problems for sure!

user1471538283 · 09/05/2021 18:15

Contact environmental health at the council to report you've seen or are worried about rats. The council should make her clear it then. Or offer to help her get rid of it all.

ImprobablePuffin · 09/05/2021 19:49

@user1471538283

Contact environmental health at the council to report you've seen or are worried about rats. The council should make her clear it then. Or offer to help her get rid of it all.

Yes to offering help, but the rest of your suggestion is a total dick move.

Jellybabiesforbreakfast · 09/05/2021 21:26

Surely the main question is whether it is actually an environmental health hazard or just messy? If the latter, what's the point in contacting the council?

ManyMaybes · 09/05/2021 22:14

This is an interesting topic for me because we have decided not to buy numerous properties because of this exact reason. We are looking for a large house in south London and due to their size most have been turned into flats. It would appear that tenants in particular care very little for their homes and gardens in some cases so just leave them to rot and dump rubbish in them. I totally get the posters who temporarily have to store things in their gardens - not a problem! But some people will leave gardens like this indefinitely and make no effort at all to solve the problem.

Long term trashing of gardens is just anti social behaviour and likely accompanied by other types of anti social behaviour.

TheSunShinesBright · 14/06/2021 19:45

Bit late to the conversation.
Have you got this sorted OP?

Most local councils pick up large items for a minimal charge or for free. Just book them in.
We get rid of old sofas/mattresses this way.

Original poster

Ladyof · 14/06/2021 20:43

No not sorted and the abuse i got on here was quite unbelievable to be honest so I've done nothing about it and it is just worse than ever sadly 😪

OP posts:

TheSunShinesBright · 14/06/2021 21:04

I’m really sorry OP.
Look up large item collections on your council website and try to Talk to your neighbour if you can. You could help arrange it.

Suzi888 · 14/06/2021 21:13

The council has powers under section 215 of the Town and Country planning act 1990 to issue notice requiring the property owner to make the land presentable.

Obviously she will know you’ve reported it though.

Original poster

Ladyof · 14/06/2021 21:19

Thank you, your help and kindness is appreciated. I will look into that, it is a tricky one to broach but it is also jot nice looking out onto a total mess when all the other houses are well looked after and maintained.

OP posts:

TheSunShinesBright · 14/06/2021 21:51

I bet she doesn’t realise that the council will take it away for her (for a minimal charge or free depending on where you live). Most people assume their only option is an expensive skip or their own van.

Also, scrap men will come and collect anything metal for free. Often the same day here. Just give them a call.

TheSunShinesBright · 14/06/2021 21:53

Talk to her OP.

seven201 · 14/06/2021 21:58

@NoSquirrels

Be honest-ish & blame estate agent?

‘neighbour, we’re putting our house on the market soon - the estate suggested the stuff in your garden might be an issue, so we’re really happy to do some tip runs & strim the grass if you like? I know your landlord is awful, and it would benefit me. Hope you’re not offended?’

This is perfect. Do this.

FactsAndFigs · 14/06/2021 22:11

Council are charging me £30 to take king divan base & mattress, double mattress it currently sat in my living room until tmrw eve as coming wed. They no longer give reduced rate if low income.

TheSunShinesBright · 14/06/2021 22:45

@FactsAndFigs

Council are charging me £30 to take king divan base & mattress, double mattress it currently sat in my living room until tmrw eve as coming wed. They no longer give reduced rate if low income.

That’s expensive. My home town (family still there) it’s free. Here it’s £15 each for large items (beds sofas etc) and £15 for multiple - up to 5- smaller items (washing lines , bikes etc.) Worth checking what the OP’s council charge.

TheSunShinesBright · 14/06/2021 22:48

Although tbh, rotary washing lines and bikes would be picked up for nothing by the scrap man.
Better example: Plastic toys / plastic garden furniture would need to be collected by the council.

FactsAndFigs · 14/06/2021 23:57

Sunshine

I will ring them tmrw and double check, as yrs ago you would request bulk collection pay and it collected on next black bin day.

It’s £30 for 5 items - good job sold table & 6chairs as they count chair as 1item

BlueMongoose · 15/06/2021 19:02

@Ladyof

No not sorted and the abuse i got on here was quite unbelievable to be honest so I've done nothing about it and it is just worse than ever sadly 😪

So sorry it isn't sorted. Ignore the people on here who are being unhelpful or rude, there will always be some people like that- they must be short of something in their lives, poor things. A friendly talk with your neighbour seems the best route to me. She may be struggling to cope for all sorts of reasons despite apparently having the wherewithall to dispose of the stuff, and if you could start with a sympathetic ear it may be that some support to get it cleared up could make a big difference. If you could work on it together it might help if she can't get going on it. I have been helping someone do a clearout (indoors in that case), and until I got 'hands-on' she simply couldn't get going on it. She's much happier now we are making headway with it. For the earlier poster struggling with beds and too small a car to get them to the tip- if you are happy handling power tools, you can get 'reciprocating saws' from about £40 upwards for rough work like breaking up furniture and if you get the right blades, they will do wood or metal. Just use them carefully according to the instructions, and wear the right protective gear. Otherwise a plain ripsaw for wood, and hacksaw for metal, but that's hard work if you aren't used to it.

Hannahcolobus · 16/06/2021 13:27

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

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