Neighbors using your trash/recycling bins without asking

[mrsd2006]

How would you feel about this? Is it a big deal or no?

Once a month or so, neighbor who is caddy corner to us comes over and puts his trash/recycling in our bins. He has 3 or 4 kids, we have zero so he has a lot more trash / recycling that we do.... We are not friends with these people, other than to say "hey how are you" when we see them in the yard. They are friendly with several of the other houses that are close that have kids. They are besties with the house right next to them (across the street from us).  They have a few kids too so they probably don't have extra room in their trash bins. 

One time he put his trash in my yard waste trash can, I had to move it to the regular trash can (which wasn't even on the curb since it wasn't trash day)

Another time, he filled ours up with boxes that weren't broken down, the lid wouldn't close and it stormed and blew over the can and it all fell out and got wet, and DH had to go out and clean it up (he's done that several times). Sometimes he fills it up when we haven't even finished putting ours out yet. 

If he said "hey do you mind .." once in while, I wouldn't mind as much but he sneaks over when no one is looking. 

Would you say something? We want to be good neighbors and aren't confrontational lol. But it is very annoying and just rude I think. I want to post a passive aggressive message on our neighborhood page (without naming names) but DH doesn't want me to   Does DH just need to start putting out the trash bins the morning of pickup?? 

[TR]

I think it will surprise no one that I would be very annoyed by this and I'd passive aggressively put locks on our cans or something lol

[HRH Queen Dick I, Orphan]

Just get locks.

[TR]

Ok so these trash bins live outside on the corner all the time? If you don't want to do locks, I'd move them to just beside your house, in a backyard, in your garage or something and wheel them out on trash day morning.

[mrsd2006]

Dec 1, 2021 19:02:33 GMT -5 TR said:

Ok so these trash bins live outside on the corner all the time? If you don't want to do locks, I'd move them to just beside your house, in a backyard, in your garage or something and wheel them out on trash day morning.

No, they live up the driveway by my house. They are rolled to the curb usually the night before trash pickup (once a week) 

I will add that we moved them from one end of our yard (closest to rude neighbor) to as far away as possible (they are practically in front of a different neighbor's house now) 

[HRH Queen Dick I, Orphan]

How are locks PA? Do you nicely ask your neighbors not to enter your house or car or do you lock them? They are using your property (ok the city's property that you rent) without permission. End of story.

[mrsd2006]

Locks on a trash can?? How will the trash people open them?? That's not a thing around here.

These are what the bins look like:
www.uline.com/Product/Detail/H-7938BL/Trash-Cans-with-Wheels/Uline-Trash-Can-with-Wheels-95-Gallon-Black?pricode=WA9685&gadtype=pla&id=H-7938BL&gclid=Cj0KCQiA15yNBhDTARIsAGnwe0VBjhHQWL0NpUr6iBo8GgcV0ym2QmaFj5uL6pXGVzaFI13VDojbOEkaAtcWEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

[twinmomma]

100% say something, especially since you have had to clean up after him!
I'd be especially mad because I pay for private trash pickup since our town doesn't have it.

[Nonny]

I'd be super pissed, and would have no chill if I caught them in the act. My H would have to talk to them, because he's more diplomatic. I hate entitled assholes.

[fivechickens]

I was going to say I wouldn’t care if they were doing it on trash day when the trash was in front of my house and had not been picked up yet(we don’t pay separate for trash pickup).

BUT this is super weird. Does he not have his own garbage cans? Is he coming up to your house and doing this? I would tell him to stop.

[RoxMonster]

I would say something. I'd probably wander over when I see them in the yard and say, "Hey, we noticed you use our trash bins frequently, and the issue is XYZ (we still have to fit our own trash in, it falls over and makes a mess, etc). Please stop putting your trash in our bin. If you need more space, call the city and inquire about getting a second bin." (That last part is possible in my town - not sure about yours - but some homes DO have two trash bins because they run out of room and just need to request from the city).

[mrsd2006]

Dec 1, 2021 19:12:54 GMT -5 fivechickens said:

I was going to say I wouldn’t care if they were doing it on trash day when the trash was in front of my house and had not been picked up yet(we don’t pay separate for trash pickup).

BUT this is super weird. Does he not have his own garbage cans? Is he coming up to your house and doing this? I would tell him to stop.

He does have his own trash bins, they are full. He's not coming up to our house just when they are on the street the night before trash pickup. 

[erbear]

That’s bizarre. I would never even consider putting my trash bags in someone else’s cans.

[VillainV]

No. We very rarely have too much trash for our bins. We either save it for the following week, or ask a neighbor that we are friends with if they have extra room in their bin.

We’ve caught people putting their dog poop in our empty bine AFTER the trash was already picked up, and my husband about lost his shit.

ETA: Can’t the neighbor just pay for a second bin?

[mrsd2006]

Dec 1, 2021 19:13:52 GMT -5 RoxMonster said:

I would say something. I'd probably wander over when I see them in the yard and say, "Hey, we noticed you use our trash bins frequently, and the issue is XYZ (we still have to fit our own trash in, it falls over and makes a mess, etc). Please stop putting your trash in our bin. If you need more space, call the city and inquire about getting a second bin." (That last part is possible in my town - not sure about yours - but some homes DO have two trash bins because they run out of room and just need to request from the city).

That is what I wanted to post on our neighborhood page about another bin I'm sure the city would bring you one if you just asked!  

[dexteroni]

This is not a “good neighbor” issue or something that’s ok to do. This guy is an asshole and there’s no other correct answer than to tell him to stop. “Hi, please stop putting your trash in our cans. If you need more space, call the city and they’ll bring you another bin. Thanks, Mr. and Mrs. D2006.” If you really can’t bring yourself to say it in person, stick a note in his mailbox or door.

ETA Don’t bother with the PA post. Assholes never grasp that such posts are about them.

[mrsd2006]

Dec 1, 2021 19:17:45 GMT -5 VillainV said:

No. We very rarely have too much trash for our bins. We either save it for the following week, or ask a neighbor that we are friends with if they have extra room in their bin.

We’ve caught people putting their dog poop in our empty bine AFTER the trash was already picked up, and my husband about lost his shit.

ETA: Can’t the neighbor just pay for a second bin?

The dog poop in trash bins and paper yard waste bags is a whole other situation around here   

And yes, he lives in a million dollar house (I do not), he can pay for another bin 

[cricketwife]

Ok, I never knew you could order a second bin, but I just looked up and you can in my city. I would totally call, pretend to be the neighbor and request a second bin for “my” house at neighbor’s address.

[ssmjlm]

That would piss me off to no end. No, figure out your own trash.

[af1212]

My answer depends on how you pay for trash. Do you pay by the amount? Or is it one price for as much as you want.

[mrsd2006]

Dec 1, 2021 19:28:05 GMT -5 af1212 said:

My answer depends on how you pay for trash. Do you pay by the amount? Or is it one price for as much as you want.

I think we pay once for the whole year. 

[SusanBAnthony]

I would have absolutely no issue if it wasn't inconveniencing you in any way.

But it's super rude to fill it to overflowing in or to do have crap blowing around or to put it in the wrong bin.

I'd probably just put it out in the morning to see if that stops him. If that is inconvenient I'd definitely just email or talk to him and ask him not to use it.

[Leeham Rimes]

I would be super angry. You keep your damn trash AT YOUR HOUSE/BIN/WHATEVER. I am definitely not breezy when it comes to people HELPING THEMSELVES to my property, whatever that property may be. Oh hell no.

[sofamonkey]

We wouldn’t be able to lock ours, because the trash collectors couldn’t access them. I’d put a sign on the top “please don’t put your trash in here” and if that doesn’t stop it, I’d be knocking on the door.

I’d also go get his ass to clean up HIS mess!! There’s no damn way I’m cleaning up after a grown ass man with poor social and decision making skills.

DH loves living with me. Hahahaha. But I truly adore our neighbors. I only Crab at idiots.

[katespade]

I tend to avoid neighborhood confrontation whenever possible, so I would be tempted to start by waiting to put out the cans until the morning of pick-up rather than putting them out the night before. Hopefully, that would be enough to deter him. If not, I would try to catch him in the act rather than approaching him at his house so that he can't deny that he's the one doing it. I doubt a passive aggressive post on the neighborhood page without naming names would make a difference to him.

[af1212]

Dec 1, 2021 19:29:12 GMT -5 mrsd2006 said:

Dec 1, 2021 19:28:05 GMT -5 af1212 said:

My answer depends on how you pay for trash. Do you pay by the amount? Or is it one price for as much as you want.

I think we pay once for the whole year. 

So you pay municipal taxes or whatever once a year and you can put as much trash out as you want each trash day. Correct? Can you put out trash bags on the street? Or does it have to be in a can?

If so then it wouldn’t bother me if someone added trash to my can when it was already at the curb. But I wouldn’t want them adding it before. So I would prob catch him and say something like - sometimes when you add your trash to ours sometimes we haven’t finished loading the cans and we don’t have enough space for our own. If you need to add to ours please do it after 7:30 am and only if there is extra space. Do you need more cans? I would be happy to ask on your behalf on Fb neighborhood page?

I feel like this would nip it in the bud.

[goldengirlz]

Definitely don’t post something passive aggressive on the neighborhood page if you want to maintain good relations with them!

Just talk to him. I was going to say NBD until I got to the part about filling up your cans and not breaking down boxes. And the fact that he walks up your driveway to do this is SO RUDE. The epitome of rude. I could see putting a few small things in a trash can that’s already sitting at the curb waiting for pickup, but what you described gets a huge NOPE from me.

Also, do it now because this will only get worse as the holidays approach. The packaging from all our Chanukah deliveries is insane right now. We could fill a recycling bin every three days.

[Leeham Rimes]

the added part of this neighbor being of means and treating you like you're his dumping grounds really pisses me off even more. No, Mr. Dude in Million Dollar House, YOUR NEIGHBORS DO NOT OWE YOU USE OF THEIR STUFF. ANY OF IT.

I think I'm so mad b/c I live in an area with *so many* people like this, incredibly entitled "it's my world and you're just living in it".

[mrsd2006]

Dec 1, 2021 19:35:29 GMT -5 af1212 said:

Dec 1, 2021 19:29:12 GMT -5 mrsd2006 said:

I think we pay once for the whole year. 

So you pay municipal taxes or whatever once a year and you can put as much trash out as you want each trash day. Correct? Can you put out trash bags on the street? Or does it have to be in a can?

If so then it wouldn’t bother me if someone added trash to my can when it was already at the curb. But I wouldn’t want them adding it before. So I would prob catch him and say something like - sometimes when you add your trash to ours sometimes we haven’t finished loading the cans and we don’t have enough space for our own. If you need to add to ours please do it after 7:30 am and only if there is extra space. Do you need more cans? I would be happy to ask on your behalf on Fb neighborhood page?

I feel like this would nip it in the bud.

Yes. But all trash has to be in the bin, they aren't supposed to pick up trash that is not. 

I don't know why, and this drives me crazy, but DH will put the bins out before taking out the trash in the house. I'm like take out the trash, then roll the bins down but he doesn't want to do this for some reason LOL 

[mrsd2006]

Dec 1, 2021 19:36:08 GMT -5 goldengirlz said:

Definitely don’t post something passive aggressive on the neighborhood page if you want to maintain good relations with them!

Just talk to him. I was going to say NBD until I got to the part about filling up your cans and not breaking down boxes. And the fact that he walks up your driveway to do this is SO RUDE. The epitome of rude. I could see putting a few small things in a trash can that’s already sitting at the curb waiting for pickup, but what you described gets a huge NOPE from me.

Also, do it now because this will only get worse as the holidays approach. The packaging from all our Chanukah deliveries is insane right now. We could fill a recycling bin every three days.

That is a good point about the holidays coming up!! 

But he doesn't walk up the driveway. The bins are at the curb when he does it.