'Public' Park Barbecue Rules

My kitchen has a four burner electric stove which costs a fortune to run, I cook dinner every night and very rarely go out so it's a large chunk of my electricity bill.

I live in a nice area and I'm lucky enough to have the back fence of my house facing onto a public park.

Within a few meters of my fence there is one of those free public barbecues, the electric kind that has a push button and turns off on its own after a while.

Since I moved here almost 2 years ago, I have used my own stove probably once or twice when it's been incredibly cold outside.

I have a little cart I fill with ingredients and wheel over to the public barbecue most nights. I also use it as a hotplate to boil water for dishwashing (and occasionally for a bath - all water from the nearby public tap of course). I estimate I am saving over $300 a year by doing this (electricity alone).

Here's where things get a little interesting. My next door neighbours whom I have barely spoken to since I moved in have started to pay a lot of attention to my use of the barbecue. It started when they had some friends over and wanted to use it for some sausages after I had already started a risotto. They were quite rude about it and it escalated to an all out screaming match. Thankfully they backed down before things got physical and ever since I have kept my phone on record when they come near.

Today I received a letter from my landlord explaining that I may be in breach of my lease and detailing a number of complaints he has received from both my neighbours and the council. The council is demanding that I stop using the 'public' barbecue.

The neighbours also claim I have been stealing their electricity and I am being threatened with eviction because of it. Once or twice I have plugged an extension cord into an outlet that is near their pool equipment but I only did so to power a lamp and a blender and I didn't even have to go over their fence to reach it.

I'm just wondering if anybody has any advice here - I don't think it's fair for the council to place 'public' barbecues and then try and place restrictions on who can use them. I have arranged to meet with my landlord next week to discuss my neighbours - apparently they are friends with him and are very upset so I need to explain that they started this whole thing by expecting me to cut my turn on the barbecue short for them. What points should I bring up and what laws or council rules can I quote?

Thank you in advanced

closed Comments

  • +1

    Our taxes pay for the so called free BBQ, dont be such a tightarse and use your own power like everybody else.
    They are there for occasional use not run your own kitchen.

  • +1

    How many bloody kilowatts are your 'burners'?! If you've only ever used 'your' stove 'once or twice' how the hell did you determine that it costs a fortune to run?!

    Not to mention STEALING power from your neighbours!

    I wouldn't be surprised if you were the same person complaining in another thread that you earnt over $100k & copped a fine from Centerlink!

  • Why would you be using your blender at some random electricity outlet outside unless you KNEW it wasn’t yours and you were trying to steal their electricity…

  • +1

    This reminds me of a story I heard on a segment of the Merrick and Rosso radio show, 'Tightarse Tuesday' a few years back.
    Guy's Dad was the caretaker/groundsman for the local sporting ground and they happened to live directly opposite the changerooms. The father who had the keys to changerooms wouldn't let his kids shower at home and made them go across and use the showers in the sports ground changerooms.

  • +1

    Theres a difference between being a dick and being cheap…..learn the difference and stop making everyone else whose trying to save a buck the ethical way look bad…..

  • +1

    I'm a tight bastard and I was totally with you until you used the neighbors electricity, wtf. This isn't presumably a camp site dude, what are you doing ?

  • As long as you clean up after using, not making noise, and making sure no smell spread to your neighbors, no one would complain.

    • +2

      Except when the neighbors brought some friends over for a barbie but op is making risotto and refusing to go home

    • Except he plugs a lead into the neighbours pool point and uses their power as well.

  • +1

    I congratulate you on the most elabroate and eloquent troll post I have read in a long time. Cracked me up!

  • Thank you OP, thank you! I just about cacked myself laughing when I read this. You just brightened an otherwise overcast WA day. Best troll I've read in years.

  • Stop feeding the troll.

  • cheap ba$tard

  • +1

    Obvious Troll post.. but hillarious. Looking forward to your next post OP.

  • +4

    Just live in the park

  • My first thought when finding out there's a 'free' power socket to use was: "When are you plugging a bitcoin miner into it?"

  • +5

    Troll, almost got me but it all fell apart with the risotto on a public bbq 😂

  • Hopefully there is a place in hell for people like you!

  • +1

    Hey OP, what are you cooking tonight?

  • +2

    This sounds like a massive waste of time…

    • +5

      Said TimeWaster, so they know what they're talking about.

  • Are you the landlord, next door neighbour or council? Trying to get free arguments for the meeting?

  • Its so weird they care.

    It would take a brave neighbor to evict someone from a house.
    That person literally knows your leaving/arriving habits and where you live!

    Imagine evicting someone for a silly thing such as using a public BBQ then getting a yearly brick threw the window….

  • Well done on the troll. Pics or it didn't happen

  • +1

    you have used a public bbq for 2 years. i feel sorry for your family, and kids if you have any. they probably distance themselves from you in public for fear of being related. please also get your self a proper non minimum wage paying job

  • tracy grimshaw get on this please

    • She is too busy covering the story of the dole bludging single mothers who have their partner living with them.

  • +1

    So this is why my council rates went up 6% this year. You bast*^d!

  • I salute you if it is all true. Stuff others who are challenging your cheapness.

  • +1

    Absolute gold - champagne comedy OP :)

  • +1

    This here is why we can't have nice things.

  • +1

    What sort of risotto?
    Do you have any BBQ tips you could share with the class?

    • Thats the spirit. Go all masterchef on the local park barbecue. Hell. Why stop there. Why not cook food on said barbecue and start a little food stand there. Little side business. Free electricity. And the tables and seating already there.

  • +1

    Not sure what to say about your predicament, however I've thought of ways you can further save money. If there is a dog fountain in the park you could use it for drinking water thus saving on your water bill. Also if you wait for the council park maintenance they usually will set up a sprinkler so free shower. OP is probably taking a while to respond as he has to walk to Maccas for internet access.

  • thanks op. just saved $2000

  • Great troll post.

  • Here is another idea for you, why not pickup a 50c bucket and use park public toilet water for your living? surely the water bill is same expensive as gas bill.

    • I would assume they already do from this.

      I also use it as a hotplate to boil water for dishwashing (and occasionally for a bath - all water from the nearby public tap of course).

  • No response from the OP - comments now closed, unless requested by the OP (use Report link). Let's just move on with the bargains.

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