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Rural living

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Original poster

Raging Bin War at the end of my drive

23 replies

BinsDrama · 01/02/2025 18:09

Has anyone ever won a bin war? I would be so grateful if you shared your strategy with me!

Our neighbours use our bins for their rubbish, even if it doesn't leave any room for our own. I spoke (nicely) to them several times and every time I am met with apologies and insurances that it won't happen again, but nothing changes.

They now have started renting out their property as a party pad, so things are getting ridiculous: mountains of extra rubbish, loose glass bottles in bins, everything randomly dumped in and on top of the bins, no room for our stuff. Half of the time the bins are not collected because the wrong stuff is in the wrong bins.
I guess the guests just dump on their way out and couldn't care less.

Bins are one mile away so I can't see them until I drive out.
I really hate having to do a deep dive in the bins and sort their rubbish out before I can use my own bins.
Any ideas? Talking doesn't work obviously.

OP posts:
CornishPorsche · 01/02/2025 18:09

Padlock on the bins lids.

Glorybox2025 · 01/02/2025 18:10

Bin Locks. Or go out the night before and dump out any of their rubbish on their lawn.

Latenightreader · 01/02/2025 18:12

Some friends had a similar issue and bought bin locks - where they were (very rural) the bin lorry had a key to unlock it and may even have sold them the lock.

Talipesmum · 01/02/2025 18:12

Bin locks, and a Bin Cam so you can see what’s happening at the end of your drive (disclaimer - I have no idea how this would work. Probably a ring doorbell camera thing).

Also, how is the end of your drive a mile away??

Lucia573 · 01/02/2025 18:12

Bin locks definitely.

NotNeil · 01/02/2025 18:15

Also, how is the end of your drive a mile away??

Because it's a mile from OPs house to the end of the drive. She has posted in "rural living" after all.

PrincessAnne5Eva · 01/02/2025 18:15

When this happened to me, I took the offending rubbish back to the owners and left the opened bags on their front step. They never did it again.
If that doesn't work, I'd report them for fly tipping to the local council.

Talipesmum · 01/02/2025 18:20

NotNeil · 01/02/2025 18:15

Also, how is the end of your drive a mile away??

Because it's a mile from OPs house to the end of the drive. She has posted in "rural living" after all.

Fair enough, I didn’t spot that (the rural living category)! I was just interested as it’s unusual. I guess the bin has to live there all the time and you take bin bags down there every now and again as you head out? So no chance of only putting the bin itself out at the last minute.

Original poster
BinsDrama · 01/02/2025 18:26

It's bin locks isn't it? 🤗

I mean I could also put their rubbish in my car 😕and dump it in front of their (garish) gate but that's a lot of efforts for me!

Thank you everyone!

I can't see anything about locks being sold by the local 'Bin Authority' but will find out if they do that @Latenightreader It would be good to not have to go and open the bins on pick-up day!

OP posts:
Original poster
BinsDrama · 01/02/2025 18:32

That's exactly right @Talipesmum

OP posts:
NotNeil · 01/02/2025 18:34

@Talipesmum easily missed!

We used to live very rurally, and we didn't even have a bin collection (not UK)

All rubbish/recycling had to be taken in the car to the nearest communal bins. Such fun (not)

We are now back in the UK and there are plenty of properties round here where the bins - and often the postbox - are a considerable distance from the house.

I love the fact that we now have bins and that someone comes regularly to collect them :-)

Original poster
BinsDrama · 01/02/2025 18:37

@NotNeil yes that must have been extra fun on a warm day!

OP posts:
InfoSecInTheCity · 01/02/2025 18:39

They're more expensive but if you look for gravity locks they prevent the need for the bin men to have a key, they Auto Unlock when the bin is tipped into the lorry.

Wavescrashingonthebeach · 01/02/2025 18:39

I've seen special bin locks on wheelie bins i think the owner just unlocked them just before the bin men came. Bin wars are no joke, I've known people come to blows over it and the police be involved!

Wavescrashingonthebeach · 01/02/2025 18:41

InfoSecInTheCity · 01/02/2025 18:39

They're more expensive but if you look for gravity locks they prevent the need for the bin men to have a key, they Auto Unlock when the bin is tipped into the lorry.

Ah that must be what my neighbour had, fantastic idea. Some people are just scruffs, even though it's never happened to me, I always get angry on behalf of the people who's bins get other people's crap!

Karou · 01/02/2025 18:42

Technically if they are letting the property on short term lets they may need commercial bins as they are running a business from the property. In which case they will big Biffa type bins. This would solve your problem but won’t make you popular with the home owner if you raise this with the council as it’s expensive.

Original poster
BinsDrama · 01/02/2025 18:42

Thank you that's fabulous! @InfoSecInTheCity These will make me happy!
my life has come to this

OP posts:
Latenightreader · 01/02/2025 18:45

InfoSecInTheCity · 01/02/2025 18:39

They're more expensive but if you look for gravity locks they prevent the need for the bin men to have a key, they Auto Unlock when the bin is tipped into the lorry.

This sounds familiar - I think they must be what my friends had!

jhar · 01/02/2025 18:48

@Talipesmum we have this here. It sounds like we have a fancy drive but actually for us it started during foot and mouth when bin Lorrie's stopped entering farms due to spread.

The council have never stopped it

myplace · 01/02/2025 18:52

Karou · 01/02/2025 18:42

Technically if they are letting the property on short term lets they may need commercial bins as they are running a business from the property. In which case they will big Biffa type bins. This would solve your problem but won’t make you popular with the home owner if you raise this with the council as it’s expensive.

@BinsDrama good way to threaten the. Neighbour to sort out what’s happening though!

Gosh neighbour, you so want to leave them really clear instructions about the rubbish or you’ll end up being forced to get commercial waste management.

Original poster
BinsDrama · 01/02/2025 18:53

You know I really quite like the sound of that @Karou

OP posts:
NotNeil · 01/02/2025 19:28

@BinsDrama

Definitely not fun when it was high 30s - and that tended to co-incide with peak tourist season so the nearest bins were often full. I like driving a car that doesn't have a vague whiff of bins these days :-)

Definitely go down the "commercial waste" route as @Karou has suggested.

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