When Your Neighbours Use Your Bins without Asking

Starlight8 on 15/11/2017 - 13:11
Last edited 16/11/2017 - 13:06 by 1 other user

Hey Guys,

I was wondering if anyone here has experienced their neighbours using their bins without asking and dumping things into the wrong bins.

I am getting fed up with our neighbours, I'm not sure which neighbour it is - but I'm planning to ask around or even get my Xiaomi camera to film this (if I can actually get it to work -_-")!!

(rant) - I am totally fine if they have the courtesy to ask me but they obviously don't! To make matters worst they seem to be dumping wooden planks with screws into my recycling bin - its like the got lazy etc (they even wheeled our green/tree bin out a few weeks ago and filled it to the rim). Also last night my husband went to check our bins and took all the things that weren't in the correct bin out and chucked it next to the bin. Today as we woke up and went out to check our bins - everything was gone! (end rant)

Do you guys have any strategies to deter your rude neighbours from doing this?

Thanks for reading :)

Home & Garden

Comments

  • subywagon on 15/11/2017 - 17:25
    +5

    Fill your bin with guts and body parts. I guarantee they will avoid it in the future.

    • aboabo on 20/11/2017 - 14:15
      +1

      Or hang a blood stained necktie down the outer side.

  • altomic on 15/11/2017 - 23:40
    +3

    put a sign on the bin - "there is a video camera recording you"

  • Seni0r El Cheapo on 16/11/2017 - 01:17
    +2

    This thing happened to me a while ago. I posted a note on my bins that "guys, this bin belongs to xxx, please let us have the pleasure of filling it".

    It stopped happening.

    • pennypincher98 on 16/11/2017 - 08:31
      -7

      I don't even know where to start with that…
      They probably stopped using your bin because they probably wanted to get as far away from you as possible!

      • smashed on 16/11/2017 - 08:34
        +7

        I will start. He put a polite note on his bin, which he shouldn't have had to do in the first place.

        Surely you should ask if you want to use something which isn't yours. You shouldn't have to ask to stop somebody using something which is yours.

        Is it any different to using any other amenities? I was just sitting in your garden since you weren't using it.

        • pennypincher98 on 16/11/2017 - 08:38
          -7

          Well if you were a cat I'd have absolutely no problem with that because our neighbours cats come over all the time, jump the fence, into our yard and then try to get in the house sometimes. So staying in the garden is great!

          Maybe it is just around my neck of the woods, but if someone put a note on their bin asking them to "have the pleasure of filling it" they would either be the laughing stock of the street or suddenly you'd have half the street trying to sell their houses.

          I don't have a problem with this, nor do this. One of our neighbours are less than ideal, but they keep their rubbish in their own bin.

        • abb on 16/11/2017 - 11:50
          +5

          @pennypincher98: BRB, putting notes on bins to try and trigger a housing price crash

        • pennypincher98 on 16/11/2017 - 12:28

          @abb: Lol all the keyboard warriors are out today! I'm not even going to bother because I know whatever I will say will get negged
          (Go on, prove my point :D)

        • MessyG on 16/11/2017 - 17:58

          @pennypincher98: Says the keyboard warrior claiming leaving a note on a bin would trigger a mass sale of houses in a street…

        • pennypincher98 on 16/11/2017 - 19:28

          @MissG: Lol twist my words while you are at it next time

  • bobwokeup on 16/11/2017 - 01:37
    +1

    Yeah that would really annoy me. I've walked past recycling bins on the way to work and see bags full of recycling products. If I've got time I tip them out as it's thrown into general waste if not sorted. It happens at work when people don't recycle correctly and it really annoys me. To make matters worse I work at Water Corporation and you would think they are amazing but not many care which is really sad. Don't get me started on some of the things that happen I could write a novel haha

    But anyway don't have any suggestions other than to knock on doors and talk to them. They probably don't know what items can be recycled. I can see why they think wood can be recycled but with nails in them, as you know, can't be recycled. You could also try putting your bins in the garage or out the back until the last possible minute when you leave for work, then put them out.

  • smashed on 16/11/2017 - 08:05
    +2

    I had a neighbour who kept using our bin (and using our space). I asked them not do either and they said ok but they carried on.
    The response was "what is the problem, if my bin is full I use yours, if yours is full I use somebody else's. It is what Australians do".

    Their lease was not renewed :)

    • Starlight8 on 17/11/2017 - 13:13
      +1

      Omg how rude.

      We all pay our rates fairly. They should have respect and ask you first. #selfentitlement

      I'm glad you dont have to deal with that nonsense now!

    • Slippery Fish on 17/11/2017 - 17:22
      +1

      Your wife/gf was full and you used his.

      #thisisaustralia.

      • D6C1 on 18/11/2017 - 00:14

        slippery. literally

  • Cheap Steve on 16/11/2017 - 08:07
    +6

    Our neighbours put their bins on the kerb in front of our house when they could just as easily put them in front of their own house. This doesn't bother me at all but for some reason it drives my wife mental! She moves them and puts them directly in the middle of their driveway.

    • theguyrules on 16/11/2017 - 10:02
      +2

      Yeah this stuff is why I don't miss living in a house.
      Our neighbours used to put their bins in the nature strip in front of OUR yard, not their own.
      I had to move their bins to get to my mailbox.

      However not hard to put it back in their driveway and eventually they got the hint.

    • knk on 17/11/2017 - 10:57
      +2

      I'd lie the bin down in their driveway so they don't see it and drive over it

  • Wallyt99 on 16/11/2017 - 09:27
    +6

    Last week my neighbor in a townhouse put their bin out late, and so took ours. My wife went and got it back as I was about to murder them.

    • theguyrules on 16/11/2017 - 10:11
      +2

      We lived opposite a share house with tons of bins and once or twice they accidentally took our bin back with them.
      We just went and grabbed it from their bins, and made sure it was more clearly marked.

  • Birchy on 16/11/2017 - 10:11
    +17

    I had this problem back in the late 80's living in a housing complex. With three small children some-one filling up my bin left me no room for dirty nappies. So I hooked the lid up to a old car alarm it went of twice must of scared the crap out of them because it never happened again. The visual of me going out the front with the remote pointing at our wheelie bin going "BEP BEP" resetting the alarm must of looked pretty funny.

    • Cheap Steve on 16/11/2017 - 10:56

      Ha, ha. Love it!

    • Starlight8 on 16/11/2017 - 12:45

      Omg that is hilarious!!!!

    • THICKnSLOW on 16/11/2017 - 14:02
      +4

      How often did you drive you bin around to charge the battery?

  • kellycarlos on 16/11/2017 - 10:52
    -2

    its not your bin, its says on the side of the bin "property of {local gov}"
    but I agree with putting the wrong thing in the wrong bin would get to me, so I would try and educate whoever is doing it, also gives you a chance to suss out if they are jerks or not?

    • Starlight8 on 16/11/2017 - 12:44

      I'm almost certain the neighbours who are doing it knows the laws but I feel as though they think we are ignorant and don't notice.

      Education can only go so far…:P

  • grr1701 on 16/11/2017 - 10:58
    +1

    Drill a hole down through the front edge of the lid and put a combination lock on it. Don’t forget to remove it before collection day!!😂

    • Starlight8 on 16/11/2017 - 12:42

      Thanks for the idea, but its not 100% practical as I feel like the neighbours are spying on us and they put their rubbish in when we are not around -_-

  • Gnosh on 16/11/2017 - 11:19
    +1

    I feel for you OP. My old neighbours would do the same. One time my very full bin was rejected by pickup because they had dumped bricks in there and it was too heavy/had prohibited construction materials.

    Had to pull them all out of a stinky bin and it was full for another week.

    • smashed on 16/11/2017 - 11:55

      Precisely my point

    • Starlight8 on 16/11/2017 - 12:39
      +1

      I feel for you!! Completely rude!
      I hope it wasnt asbestos or any sort similar!

      We should start a group #counterbinism :P

  • h4zey on 16/11/2017 - 12:42
    +2

    put some explosive poo surprise when someone open the lid (make sure you only install this after you wheel it down the st)

    • THICKnSLOW on 16/11/2017 - 14:01
      +1

      Paint bomb as used by banks!

  • [Deactivated] on 16/11/2017 - 12:45
    +1

    Idiot neighbour of ours put a huge bag of rubbish into our bin which forced the lid to stay open and that attracts birds which peck at it. This neighbour isn't the brightest chap though because he uses a very distinctive type of rubbish bag which no one else in the street uses.

    I tossed up whether or not to have a go at him about it but I decided against it. You have to live near these people so I am reluctant to kick up a fuss. I just now know that he is an inconsiderate cock-head and if he ever happens to need my help for anything it won't be forthcoming.

  • neonlight on 16/11/2017 - 13:01

    a lot of them don't ask. As soon as your bin is out on kerb it is free for all. So make sure you don't take them out before they are all filled.

    The only issue is they make my bin dirty with sauces and shit at the bottom

  • clubberlang on 16/11/2017 - 13:40
    +3

    Technically they are allowed to do it all though I never would put my rubbish in a neighbours bin. The worst though is when some pig puts rubbish in your bin after it's already been emptied, one time I went to bring my empty recycling bin back in and it was 2/3 full with someone else's rubbish. That's disgraceful behaviour.

  • ily on 16/11/2017 - 14:01
    +2

    if you have empty space, it's fair game

    If they're messing up recyclables, that's education more than inconsiderationw

  • supermario3 on 16/11/2017 - 14:03
    +1

    Take out your recycling bin every 4 weeks instead of every fortnight, that way your bin is totally full & nothing else could be added. After time when your neighbors get into the habit of not being able to dump things into your bins, then go back to the normal cycle.

  • congi on 16/11/2017 - 14:32

    I got same situation. They chucked my bin over full and rubbish fell out off bins. We know who they are. So we just put the bins out early in the morning before going to work.

  • goosegog on 16/11/2017 - 14:41
    +3

    A neighbours gardener took our general waste bin from the verge on bin day, filled it with weeds, cuttings & branch off cuts. He then climbed into the bin to jump up& down to make more room. This caused all our bin bags which had been put in there to keep the bin clean, to split open, covering the bin with contaminated filth.
    I saw this horror happening & rang our neighbour who does pay for extra bins ( the gardener couldn’t be bothered to walk back to get the other bin - ours was closer )
    Our neighbour told him to take it all out of our bin, clean it & use the extra bin he should have used in the first place. This gardener no longer works for our neighbour.
    Our neighbours & their family continue to be great friends of ours & have been for over 25 years.
    Getting to know & having a good relationship with the people who live close in your area provides a great neighbourhood of community.

  • [Deactivated] on 16/11/2017 - 16:22
    -8

    Oh man, that's an awfully tragic and traumatic story you've related there.

    Sure, there's increasing poverty and homelessness, but i am absolutely with you: someone interfering with my garbage bin is a bit like them sticking their thumb up my drive - 'thumbdriving' i call it.

    Lucky you're there for the rest of us maintaining the outrage.
    Thank you - thank you so much.

    In terms of deterrence, i'd suggest mace: spray it in your own face the moment you sense outrage building.

    This message approved by AngryChicken

    • MessyG on 16/11/2017 - 18:00
      +1

      They put planks of wood with nails in their recycling bin! That's crap!

      I don't think Ozbargain exists to restore world peace or cure societies ills…

      • [Deactivated] on 16/11/2017 - 18:05

        Yeah ok, i'll concede that is naughty.
        Always love your feedback MissG…

        • MessyG on 16/11/2017 - 18:06

          You'd be the first on here cheers ;)

  • ihbh on 16/11/2017 - 16:57
    +1

    Where in Sydney do you roughly live?

    I think you've caught on to me! :)

  • MessyG on 16/11/2017 - 18:03

    Hmm I was going to say padlock it but it sounds like they're doing it on bin day when it needs to be unlocked on the kerb.

    I'd go and doorknock first and ask your neighbours and see what response you get, then I'd leave a note on the bin itself if it doesn't stop.

    "To the person/people who keeps filling up my bin, we have had to buy cameras to monitor them at our expense, which are now filming you. Please stop or we will be forced to hand the footage over to the local council."

  • OzzyOzbourne on 16/11/2017 - 18:36
    +1

    I pay for my bins so I would expect exclusive use of them just like my car, house, gas, electric, water etc.

    It's not up to a neighbour to decide when I've had enough use out of something and use it themselves, whether it's on my property or not.

    But we are an inconsiderate society and people tend to do what ever they think they can get away with. There's no place for common courtesy and decency in today's society. People justify their actions based on their own needs, without considering others.

  • yoyo6 on 16/11/2017 - 20:02

    so while we are on the subject, what about dog poo? Can we put it in the green bin or do we need to have it bagged in the normal rubbish like we do?

    • Nousernamehere on 18/11/2017 - 19:10

      The green bin is for green waste. Last time I checked, my dog isn't a cow and doesn't eat grass.

      Think about it.

  • Candour on 16/11/2017 - 20:23

    have had my share of nasty strata denizens. talked to them. created a lot of bad feeling which they don't directly reveal. some are dangerous. the strata structure condones this and it is impossible to get things done in working class neighbourhoods especially.

  • jayz on 16/11/2017 - 21:16
    +2

    We used to have our neighbours mother that'd visit with them and she would always toss dirty nappies and dog crap into our bin. Not bagged up or anything. They learned quickly when we started fishing them out and tossing them back into their yard.

  • sagitox on 16/11/2017 - 22:06

    When I lived with my parents, we had people (not sure if neighbours or people who went for walks at night down our street) put their rubbish in our bins as we put them out at night and also my Dad being OCD would nearly pack the bins so after all of our rubbish was in them there was plenty of room for more.

    They would put big bulky items, like pieces of wood in our bins. It was so annoying.

    My parents put a stop to it by getting up early in the morning to put them out, as opposed to putting them out the night before. They did that for a few weeks, and then went back to putting them back out at night and it worked. Maybe you could try this?

    • Starlight8 on 18/11/2017 - 22:54

      Yeh my husband is OCD about it too - he likes to help the environment by making sure the correct rubbish is put in the correct bin and yeh was totally unhappy when he saw things chucked into the wrong bin and the poor bugger had to sort it out late at night.

      Yeh we are but its interesting as I think our neighbours have bugged our house or something. This week, my husband threw out all the wooden plank around 10pm and left it next to the bin… when we got up around 7pm they went missing. Someone is definitely watching -_-

  • chrisd262 on 16/11/2017 - 22:23
    -1

    I have not read all the thread but a discussion I was involved in with my neighbours along similar lines.
    After discussing with Council it appears that bins placed off property on kerbside etc are considered public property
    and anyone can add items to them. If they are on your property then obviously they can't.

    Your local council owns the bins not the resident?

    • idonotknowwhy on 17/11/2017 - 09:41
      +2

      Got a link for this?
      I'll be able to stop carrying banana peels to work on bin-days if this is true.

    • Starlight8 on 18/11/2017 - 22:51

      Really - what happens if some airhead chucks illegal things into your bins?

      I always thought that if things werent in the correct bin - councils can fine you etc….

      I hope you have resolved it. Pesky neighbours need to move into the bin!

  • budgetman on 16/11/2017 - 22:26

    We had a family moving house and I caught them filling up a few bins in the street.

    My house was next so I went out there and caught them in the act.

    I educated them on what garbage goes in the appropriate bins and then made them take all of their garbage out of my bin and take it with them.

    Im sure they learnt nothing from the experience but I felt great!

    • Starlight8 on 18/11/2017 - 22:48

      Oh i love it how you caught them!

      Yes it definitely sounds satisfying seeing them take out their rubbish, but yeh education can go so far. If they are lazy and want to use your bin and throw crap in it they will just do it.

      Kudos to you for trying!! Good thing they moved!

  • witsa on 16/11/2017 - 22:36
    -1

    So what's actually the problem? It's not like you pay extra for extra rubbish right? And all the rubbish goes to the same place. When I leave my rubbish bin on the street, I'm basically saying I've done my rubbish for the week. If there's extra room, why would I really mind other people using it?

    Or are you concerned that they're mixing your recycling with non-recycling stuff? Cause well, that's not inconsiderate of the environment, but again, if they can't do it in your bin, they're going to do the exact same thing in their bin… so the conversation should be about them putting the right stuff in the recycling in general and not about putting it in your bin.

    • jno on 17/11/2017 - 08:29

      I think its just more the etiquette of just asking rather than assume you can do what you want etc

      • witsa on 17/11/2017 - 16:20
        -1

        yeah nah, still can't see this as a big deal. I mean, are you saying if a neighbour asked you, you'd say no? I personally think it'd be a bit little unneighbourly to say no really.

        So if the only answer is yes, why are you insisting they ask? Why be so uptight over some extra space which you're not even going to use. It could also benefit you in the long one. One day you might have a massive house party and be short of space yourself.

        We're not talking some some personal item that's being utilised - it's a garbage bin and it's garbage. In the morning, it would end up in the exact same pile of landfill.

        • jno on 17/11/2017 - 16:34

          It's just called being polite it's like a co-worker asked if they could have a tissue my answer is always going to be yes but she asks anyway because do you just take what isn't yours because you know no one will refuse ? Just because they will always say yes doesn't mean in their head they are agreeing I could go on but I'd rather not.

        • witsa on 17/11/2017 - 16:44

          @jno:

          sure I guess that would be polite to do that. Still, if I wasn't at my desk and my co-worker took a tissue, I'm not going to be offended they didn't ask first.

          If I was actually out on my front lawn and the neighbour was there about to dump his bag in, yeah I'd expect him to maybe ask. If i'm nowhere to be seen, I wouldn't want them knocking on my door asking - especially since I take my garbage out the night before. It would actually be a little weird for someone to disturb me that late for such a minor request.

      • Starlight8 on 18/11/2017 - 22:44

        Yeh some etiquette would be appreciated, but some people think they are self entitled cause they know some houses dont use their bins :(

        But I think the most annoying part is them throwing wooden planks with nails into a recycling bin and my husband late at night having to empty the whole bin and sorting out the rubbish before we get into trouble with the council :(

    • echelon6 on 17/11/2017 - 17:33

      Finally some sense. Unless it's something like asbestos or bricks etc, once it's on the street why would you mind? I wheel mine out the night before collection day, and I wouldn't mind if my neighbours needed some extra capacity on a particular week. When we were doing renovations we needed some extra capacity, I would put my extras into the neighbours bins on the night before, only when they're on the street, it's all good.

      I think a lot of people here are too sensitive about things that don't actually matter. Find some real problems.

  • itsdougie on 16/11/2017 - 22:39

    you should fill up your bin so there is no space for your neighbour to fill it with junk

  • nikey2k27 on 16/11/2017 - 22:45

    Np relax

  • snynx on 16/11/2017 - 23:12
    +1

    take a crap on their lawn

  • edwardcr on 16/11/2017 - 23:27
    +5

    My upstairs neighbours - I live in a block of two units with a shared driveway - decided a few months ago that instead of leaving their bin on the footpath like everyone else, they would leave it in the middle of the driveway for collection.

    First couple of times I moved it if I needed to get my car out.

    I spoke to them about it - nothing happened. I discussed it with the agent and with the owner, who both spoke to them - nothing happened.

    I then started moving their bin away from the street before the truck arrived, so the bin wasn't emptied - that didn't work.

    They still don't get the message. It's most frustrating!

    The icing on the cake was when they decided not to keep the bin in the normal place at the back of the units, but at the bottom of their steps - right outside my kitchen window!

    There should be a law that you can't be found guilty of murder if you dispose of very dumb and lazy neighbours!

    • buckster on 17/11/2017 - 22:30
      +4

      I would've just taken their bin and wheeled it two streets away and left it there in your position.

    • Starlight8 on 18/11/2017 - 22:40

      I agree with you!!!!

      Maybe a smart lawyer can draft up some bin laws - I mean their are fence laws for a reason :P

  • chumbucket on 17/11/2017 - 07:31

    dumping wooden planks with screws

    Process of elimination, do you have any tradie neighbours (would typically drive a ute, most likely a hilux) or someone doing home renos?

    • Starlight8 on 18/11/2017 - 22:37

      yeh funny we noticed the neighbour next door had a cupboard disassembled with nails etc.

      It just doesnt make sense as they had some on their front lawn (for collection) and some in our yellow bin.

      So I'm narrowing it down to them. I'm going to see if my bins are filled this coming week - if it is, you know whos going to go over to their neighbour and have a stern talk ;P

  • jno on 17/11/2017 - 08:28

    Only time we have an overflow is after a house party and we ask our neighbour if we can chuck it in or just deal with it and slowly get rid of it every week but most people aren't as considerate I guess

    • Starlight8 on 18/11/2017 - 22:35

      Yeh we have another neighbour whos asked to chuck some rubbish away and we are totally fine with it.

      But yeh - faith in society - all time low.

  • wannagrababargain on 17/11/2017 - 10:35

    Welcome to my life. My neighbour doesn't even have a bin and uses mine, sometimes no room left for my own rubbish!

    • Starlight8 on 18/11/2017 - 22:34

      oh dear - have you ever thought of complaining?

  • Gronk on 17/11/2017 - 11:02
    +1

    Jumbo sized spring snakes?

  • heyeveryone on 17/11/2017 - 11:43

    My mum did this. She would just use other people's bins without asking for permission. We would always tell her not to but she kept doing it. One day she received a letter from the neighbour telling her to stop using the bin. My mum stopped using other people's bins.

    Now if neighbours are doing a council cleanup etc, she makes sure to ask them first.

  • SwampCrack on 17/11/2017 - 12:38
    +3

    There is only one logical course of action. You must challenge them to a dual and defend your honour.

    • theguyrules on 17/11/2017 - 16:42
      +1

      A dual what?

      • [Deactivated] on 17/11/2017 - 17:18
        +2

        Mario kart.

      • [Deactivated] on 18/11/2017 - 08:48
        +1

        Sounds kinky sordid. The word is 'duel' in this context.

      • holdenmg on 18/11/2017 - 16:50
        +1

        citizen?

  • figarow on 17/11/2017 - 12:42

    Leave a note on the bin asking them to please not do it anymore as it is causing you stress in your life.

    • Starlight8 on 17/11/2017 - 13:14

      haha something tells me the pity card won't work. But thanks for the suggestion :)

      • figarow on 17/11/2017 - 13:26

        Don't underestimate the power of truth and honesty.

    • neonlight on 17/11/2017 - 13:50

      It wouldn't work no one pitys you in real life maybe only Ozbargain

  • nobarginsarehere on 17/11/2017 - 14:22

    I think you need to chill out a bit

    It's rubbish, it's a bin, there was space, you werent using it, chill out and find something else to worry about haha

  • fishandchipss on 17/11/2017 - 14:52

    Gotta admit when I was moving house the other time, I went down the streets and filled my neighbours bin for them… at night.

    BUT it all came back to my doorstep next morning. So… don't worry it will all be well taken care of by another neighbour.

  • El Grande on 17/11/2017 - 17:13
    +1

    Keep your bin in the backyard past a fence if possible.

    • Starlight8 on 18/11/2017 - 22:22
      +1

      Its definitely behind a fence by the fence has an entrance for the car/bins - About a fortnight ago one of our neighbours even came in and used our green bin when we were gone. When we got home we saw it on the outside kerb ready for the bin collection the next day total facepalm

  • [Deactivated] on 17/11/2017 - 17:21
    +1

    A dirty pig who was renting a room at my neighbor's house dumped his mattress in front of my house, against the fence.

    My wife moved the mattress on to the driveway of the neighbor and told them what happened. They took care of it.

    • Starlight8 on 18/11/2017 - 22:23

      omg how rude :(

  • dangerdanger on 17/11/2017 - 21:34

    So long as my Neighbours don't desecrate my bin, damage it, or destroy it, then honestly - I don't care.

    Some t wats burned my bin this year (several burning bins down the street). Homeless guys tip out our recycling bin to get some cans (a reason why I don't put cans in there anymore).

    So if my neighbour wants to borrow my bin - that's ok.

    • Starlight8 on 18/11/2017 - 22:23

      yikes, thats so scary :(

  • skillet on 17/11/2017 - 23:17
    +3

    I shared my bins with my neighbor with 3 young kids since 5 years ago. I place my bin next to the fence so they can reach it and chuck their rubbish once theirs is full of nappies. In return, I get a cake or something once a while. I have no problem with sharing, you only need to ask.

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