Leaves on pavement 30 November 2014 at 2:10PM in In my home (includes DIY) MoneySaving 27 replies 3.1K views

JustinR1979

Loads of (council owned) trees in front and behind of house, leaves in back garden go over fence.
I have loads against front fence and on pavement, what's best to do with these?
Black bin not allowed. Green bin - not paying for one as none of the leaves are mine. Bag up and take to tip - my time and money spent on leaves that aren't mine.
Is no big deal, just wondered what the score was. Most go over fence or in black bin.
Brush them into road - fly tipping I suppose, but want them away from fence. Brush them away from fence and someone slips on them and I'll be in trouble...
As there are so many trees I think they should give residents green bins without charge.

Plumber90

I have the same problem, so I sweep them up and sling them over the fence, not my trees not my leafs

JustinR1979

Yeah think that's the way to do it
Neighbour is a copper and slings them all over the back fence too.

Lancastrian

Our useless council very kindly give us green bins but stop collections after the first week in November.!!
Silly local oak trees didn't read the council's recycling leaflet and havn't dropped their leaves yet. The next collection is not until 6th April next year.
Will probably take them to the local fly tip to join the rubble, gas cylinders, brick, plasterboard and asbestos that the council would otherwise charge for at the local tip.

JustinR1979

That's the other thing, still plenty of leaves around!
I see the tip has started charging for most things, fail to see how this is a good idea.
Recently went down with a boot load of rubble, wasn't much at all - was told only 6 bags, don't come back today.
Surely they reuse this anyway.
Keeps people in jobs collecting all the fly tipped crap I suppose.

27col

Just compost them for your garden. Easy enough.

trailingspouse

I can't believe I'm reading this. You enjoy the trees all year round, but you won't deal with the leaves because they're not 'yours'? Do you sift through them and only pick up the ones that have come from your garden??

Why not get a compost bin and make some fabulous leaf mulch free of charge - or lobby the council to have the trees removed so you don't have to deal with their leaves.

And why make the point that they're owned by the council? If they were privately owned trees would you be expecting the owner to come and clear your garden for you, or to pay for you to do it?

JustinR1979

JustinR1979 wrote: »

Loads of (council owned) trees in front and behind of house, leaves in back garden go over fence.
I have loads against front fence and on pavement, what's best to do with these?
Black bin not allowed. Green bin - not paying for one as none of the leaves are mine. Bag up and take to tip - my time and money spent on leaves that aren't mine.
Is no big deal, just wondered what the score was. Most go over fence or in black bin.
Brush them into road - fly tipping I suppose, but want them away from fence. Brush them away from fence and someone slips on them and I'll be in trouble...
As there are so many trees I think they should give residents green bins without charge.

Trailingspouse.

PasturesNew

I'd take those from the front into the back and lob those over too. You're lucky it's council, mine are from a neighbour's tree and I don't want to be (caught/seen) lobbing those over.... so I take them to the tip

As for somebody above suggesting that trees were enjoyed.... I don't enjoy my neighbour's tree. I saw it when I bought the house and thought "bugg4h..." I am not a tree fan at all.... but you can only choose so much about the house you buy.

moneyistooshorttomention

Guess I got lucky back in my last house then, as loads of Council leaves came into my back yard (aka courtyard garden), but we all had to put out black bags anyway, so they just went into them (ie rather than paying for green bags). But, as a single person, I pay over the odds for Council Tax anyway (1.5 times what a married person would...), hence I tend to be aware of how much money the Council expects from me....

In my current house, got a proper garden at last and I deliberately look out for all the leaves I can get from neighbouring trees to use on my garden to improve my soil.

REEN

Put the leaves in black bin bags, leave them in an out-of -the-way spot in the garden for a year and they will make lovely compost to put on your garden.