'My rude neighbour keeps filling up my wheelie bin – it's causing huge issue'

Discovering that your neighbour has been using things from your property can be quite maddening.

Many of us wouldn't bat an eyelid if our needed to borrow something, whether it's for a spot of or just a few tea bags – as long as they ask nicely. After all, we understand the importance of sharing and hope that our neighbours will do the same thing for us if we need it.

But let's be honest; there are certain things you'd . Your personal computer is generally off-limits without a solid justification, and sharing personal items like toothbrushes and makeup sponges is definitely a no-go.

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Your wheelie bin is another item best kept to yourself. Every house should have its own, and you definitely don't need the hassle of disposing someone else's refuse – particularly if they haven’t got the manners to ask. In fact, allowing others to dump waste in your bin could get you into trouble if they throw in something they shouldn't.

One man on found himself in this very predicament when he spied his neighbour cheekily dumping rubbish in his bin. The homeowner, who moved in six months ago, revealed that he caught his neighbour red-handed not once but three times, with two instances in the past month alone.

In the latest incident, he noticed that the neighbour's bin was "full by the middle of the week," leading him to deduce they leveraged his bin because their own was full.

He wrote: "I live alone and tend to take out my trash later on in the week and sometimes the day of [collection]. Today is trash day, and they've done it again. I noticed that they had a lot of cardboard boxes in their trash can, and it was full by the middle of the week.

"They didn't put anything in mine until the day of [collection], so I'm thinking they thought I wasn't going to put anything else in there. I'm wondering if I'm just being petty and if I should let it go or confront them.

"My main issue is that they are preventing me from being able to put my trash in my trash can. They add enough to fill it up and they don't even ask before they do it. It causes my trash to become backed up."

Online commentators rallied behind the man's dilemma, urging him to address the situation head-on since hijacking someone else's bin is illegal in the UK, as it technically counts as fly-tipping. Using someone else's bin is also illegal in some US states.

One person responded: "I had a new neighbour who did this. Then I got a letter from the trash company telling me not to put needles in my trash. Also, using someone else's trash can is against the law in my state."

Another said: "You're not being petty, and they should have asked. I'd take it out of mine and put it outside theirs."

Subsequently, the man updated his status, informing them that after confronting them, he and his neighbour reached an "understanding" regarding bin use, although the details remained vague.

Is using someone else's wheelie bin illegal?

has warned that dumping waste in someone else's bin without their consent is against the law in the UK. This act is seen as a form of fly-tipping, which is legally defined as the unlawful disposal of waste on land, including rubbish dumped in another person's bin, without their approval.

If you're caught doing this, you could be slapped with a fine of up to £400. However, this amount could skyrocket if the scale of the fly-tipping warrants a heftier penalty.

Local councils also have the power to issue fines if households fail to adhere to waste receptacle rules. So, if your neighbour overfills your bin or chucks in the wrong items, you might be the one left footing the bill for the penalties.