Neighbour Took My Recycling Bin

freekay on 31/10/2023 - 09:44
Last edited 31/10/2023 - 17:08 by 1 other user

I live in a 3 unit complex. We keep our bins on common property within the complex, and it's open and accessible to everyone. They're viewable from the sidewalk, but you'd have to definitely go out of your way to get to them. This morning I decided that the stockpile of recycling sitting my garage was ready to be moved into our yellow recycle bin. When I opened the garage door, our yellow bin was the only one missing amongst all the other units' bins. Middle unit is currently unoccupied and is up for sale, and I thought that the agent must have mistakenly taken the bin into their backyard to fill up. Agent tells me no; they haven't moved any bins. I contemplate calling council to report a stolen bin, but decide to take a quick walk up the street to see if it's been dumped anywhere by possible vandals.

I didn't have to go far.

Turns out the next door neighbour decided that they had too much rubbish and took my bin to put it in. I'm actually more astounded than I am angry. It's the audacity of someone to waltz into someone else's property, take their stuff and wheel it back to your front yard to do as you see fit. Now I don't think I live in "rough" area by any means, but is this normal? They didn't knock or ask permission. They just took it!

Anyway, their excuse for it was that "the sub-letted tenant didn't know and she took it because she was moving back to China and had a lot of rubbish to dispose of." I've said, that's not my concern and I'd like for my bin to be emptied and returned to my property before the day is over, so that I can properly dispose of my recycling. Don't really need advice, as I've dealt with the matter. Just venting, I guess. But seriously, I'm not the crazy one, right?

Update
5pm and my bin hadn't been returned. I made my way next door, but no-one answered. Bin was still full, so I kindly returned the neighbour's contents onto their driveway. Bin is now back in my complex with my recycling in it.

Might have to keep my eye out for a sale on security cameras now…

Home & Garden Bin

Comments

  • stuffandthat on 31/10/2023 - 09:47
    +7

    Bikies. Get it sorted.

    • HeWhoKnows on 01/11/2023 - 19:36
      +1

      Next post from OP…
      Fined for illegal Dumping

      • stuffandthat on 02/11/2023 - 08:15

        Illegal dumping of a body!

  • Glenningvalley on 31/10/2023 - 09:49
    +19

    yeah not on - the normal protocal is to wait until the night before when the bins are out and do a covert bin drop (within reason) if you have extra that doesn't if in your own bin./

    • freekay on 31/10/2023 - 09:50
      +1

      Right? I've run a few blackops cropdusting missions myself in the past, but never just taken a whole-ass bin in the middle of the day.

  • Archi on 31/10/2023 - 10:05
    +21

    i came home the other day to find my green bin absolutely stuffed, turns out the Neighbour took it upon himself to fill up my bin…

    i was so pissed but turns out he trimmed all my hedges for me and cleaned up my yard, bought him a carton of beers and we move on.

    not all neighbours are the same.

    • wittyusername on 01/11/2023 - 09:29

      With neighbours like that who needs friends?

      • Archi on 01/11/2023 - 09:32

        awesome Neighbours,

        pretty much most of the people around me are really nice.,.. except the crazy guy that lives across the road, but other than that. awesome Neighbours,

    • reactor-au on 01/11/2023 - 09:46

      Stories with a twist are the best

    • SlickMick on 01/11/2023 - 11:55

      My neighbour edged along our footpath a couple of times, and the second time filled our bin with the cuttings. I don't know whether it was neighbourly love or he was having a go at my neglect. It's awkward now - I don't know whether to thank him or does he expect me to be ashamed.

      Personally, I'd rather not have neighbours this friendly, or assertive, or whatever this was.

      • SaberX on 02/11/2023 - 13:00

        Would love for somebody to pull all the winter couch grass tentacles invading my garden bed. Would gladly give some drinks in return haha

  • ihfree on 31/10/2023 - 10:20
    +4

    You're not the crazy one. Some people are just lacking common courtesy.

    A similar thing happened to friends with the green bin. IIRC, they were a bit kinder than you and bundled the neighbours clippings and returned them to the neighbours property.

  • jv on 31/10/2023 - 10:28
    +6

    Call the council.
    Tell them what happened.

    The bins are the property of the council, not yours… They have a serial number and it is linked to the property it is allocated to.

    • freekay on 31/10/2023 - 10:34
      +4

      I'll call council if they don't return my empty bin by 4pm today.

      • onetwothreefour on 31/10/2023 - 12:58
        +1

        Let us know what the council says!

  • Kail on 31/10/2023 - 10:41
    +3

    I would have just emptied it onto their lawn and taken it back myself, but I suppose you can do things the proper way.
    Some people are so rude!

    • jv on 31/10/2023 - 11:07
      +1

      I would have just emptied it onto their lawn

      Then you could get fined for littering…

      • Kail on 31/10/2023 - 20:15

        The neighbour wouldn't be able to report it without reporting themselves for the bin theft in the first place, so I don't think OP will get into any trouble here. Although I must admit, the neighbour doesn't appear to be too bright brazenly stealing the recycling bin and leaving it in front of their house!

  • franco cozzo on 31/10/2023 - 11:03

    haha….classic!

  • ThithLord on 31/10/2023 - 11:16

    I am shocked you haven't called ACA already, mate

    • freekay on 31/10/2023 - 11:35
      +18

      I did, but they told me my story was too intellectual for what they normally run.

      • ThithLord on 31/10/2023 - 12:07

        lol

      • jv on 31/10/2023 - 12:38

        Try 60 Minutes then…

        • freekay on 31/10/2023 - 13:24
          +7

          Unfortunately, I am neither a beloved larrikin who cheats on my spouse, nor am I a convicted drug smuggler/mule.

          • jv on 31/10/2023 - 13:45

            @freekay: what about a dictator of a small African nation?

  • dasher86 on 31/10/2023 - 16:06
    +1

    I thought this was a Pam post. lol.

  • try2bhelpful on 31/10/2023 - 18:37
    +9

    If my bin is on the street waiting to be emptied I’m happy for people to drop their rubbish in the general rubbish bin. Even if emptied I can cope with takeaway cups etc. However, someone in my area has taken to dumping their dog crap bags in my bin after it has been emptied. That is not on.

  • Ghost47 on 31/10/2023 - 20:48
    +4

    but is this normal?

    Being selfish, rude and inconsiderate? I'd say it's definitely becoming more common these days.

    Hopefully they don't retaliate by throwing the rubbish into your yard after you emptied it onto their driveway.

  • inherentchoice on 01/11/2023 - 00:29

    It's not really your bin. It's the Council's. Call them and tell them the situation. If a bin is stolen pretty sure they just replace it most of the time.

  • Mugsy on 01/11/2023 - 07:12

    Most councils will charge a property owner a fee for extra bins. Just let council know which property has taken your original bin and let them issue a cost to the owner.

    Let's see how the property manager explains this one?

  • PeterSnoot on 01/11/2023 - 07:42

    Your resolution is great!

  • BeamMeUp on 01/11/2023 - 08:07
    +1

    Lots of people dont give a sh*! about recycling and just dump everything in the rubbish bin. Maybe your genius neighbour was like this and thought the same about the recycling bin. So many lazy people dont care. Either way 👏 to you on recovering your bin, maybe the rubbish should have been left on their doorstep. With a little effort they could have crop dusted the extra rubbish on bin night.

  • kiitos on 01/11/2023 - 08:14

    Does the person you talked to live there with the sublet tenant?

    • freekay on 01/11/2023 - 09:47
      +5

      Yes. They were both there when I spoke with them. I thought I was being quite civil in asking them to have the bin emptied and returned to me by the end of the day. Anyway, it was bin night last night, so hopefully all this drama is sorted.

  • backpaqer on 01/11/2023 - 08:24
    +3

    I had a neighbour forget to put their bin out and so they took my empty one and put their full one in its place. Idiot left some mail in the bin with their name and address on it, so I wheeled their bin up their driveway, fetched my bin back and spray painted my street number on it.

  • saltypete on 01/11/2023 - 09:01
    +2

    It’s not acceptable if you keep your bin on your property.
    And it’s pretty easy to just ask a neighbour if it’s OK to use some of their bin space.

    If the bins are just left on the road though…….😁

    • freekay on 01/11/2023 - 09:49
      +3

      Yes, and I'm not some sort of bin-tyrant. If they asked, I would have popped all my recycling in first, and then let them use whatever space was left.

  • Euphemistic on 01/11/2023 - 09:16
    +1

    Did they intend to take the bin from the empty unit and got the wrong one?

    Anyhoo, talk to your other unit owners and mark your bins obviously so you know which one is ‘yours’.

    • freekay on 01/11/2023 - 09:49
      +2

      They are marked. That's how I could tell that my bin was at their house.

  • Loopholio on 01/11/2023 - 10:24
    +1

    Let us know how long it takes for them to clear their driveway. If it's more than a few days you can report it to your local council.

    Turn evil, go on, duit >:}

  • SlickMick on 01/11/2023 - 12:00

    I like your response. It's exactly what I was going to advise… assuming you don't want to try to make a good relationship with them.

    Our neighbour (on other side to my previous comment btw) swapped our wheelie bin one night. After being emptied, they took ours and left theirs on the footpath.
    I was laughing about it, and my son in law decided to swap them back the next week.

    The neighbour now drags his bins to the other end of his footpath away from us :)

  • LFO on 01/11/2023 - 20:24

    It is certainly a very uncivilized action … but there is the uncomfortable truth that the bins actually belong to the council in question and not the tenant/owner of the dwelling.

    So … they are there to be used. After all the council contractor will collect all rubbish regardless.

    Next (?) fortnight there will be another collection so there is no need to "bomb and massacre" anyone.

    But YES, very uncivilized action!!!!

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