May 31, 2026 at 5:45 am

After a Polite Note Failed, a Renter Escalated a Gross Trash Dispute Into the Ultimate Petty Feud

by Benjamin Cottrell

trash cans sitting in front of house

Pexels/Reddit

Bad neighbors come in many forms, but the kind who park their diaper bins two feet from your window and ignore every attempt to address may just be about the worst it gets.

A renter living in a semi-basement unit tried the polite route when his upstairs neighbors decided the space directly outside his window was the ideal permanent home for their compost and diaper bins.

But when the note was ignored, he tried moving the bins himself. That plan only lasted one night before they were right back in front of the glass.

He’s not looking for a fight, but he does need some kind of solution that doesn’t involve smelling diapers all summer through a window he can no longer see out of.

You’ll want to read on for this one.

AITA for moving my neighbors trash bins

So I live in a semi-basement with a few windows, one of which faces the street.

My upstairs neighbors decided to place their compost and trash bins right in front of that window, about 2 feet away from it.

We are both renting.

This neighbor’s habit creates quite an unpleasant experience for the homeowner.

It gets very annoying because they keep emptying their food waste and baby diapers — not only does it make noise, but it’s also not fun to have strangers looking into our window multiple times a day.

I am also afraid that it will cause odors during the summer.

And to put it simply, it’s not fun to have trash bins blocking our view of the street.

So they decide he needs to try and get ahead of the issue.

A few days ago, I put out a note on their bins asking them to kindly move them away from our windows.

I waited a few days and nothing happened — they simply ignored the message.

So he decided he was going to have to take action himself.

Last night I moved them myself and placed them where we usually put our trash the day it gets collected, which is only a few feet away from our window, meaning it doesn’t change anything for them to have it there.

This morning, they put their bins back in front of my window, removing the note I left there.

Now he’s at a standstill.

I’m honestly not sure what to do anymore — clearly they don’t care about us, and I don’t want to start a war.

I have never talked to them directly.

He’s never really gotten the best vibe from these people.

They seem like the type of people who don’t care about anyone else but themselves — they have two kids and keep leaving all their stuff at the entrance of their upstairs neighbors.

I live in a triplex.

They seem to think the world is their storage unit.

They have a shared balcony entrance and they leave their bicycle, stroller, a bunch of kids’ toys, and other random stuff right in front of their neighbor’s door.

I’m sure their neighbors are not happy about this, but they just act like they own the whole place around them.

He wonders what he can do next.

I’m not sure what to do to avoid causing any issues.

AITA for moving their bins away?

These neighbors really need to get a grip.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about neighbors who can’t get along because of a totally legal gate.

What did Reddit think?

This neighbor has already proven they have no interest in being polite, so why should he?

Screenshot 2026 05 28 at 2.25.36 PM After a Polite Note Failed, a Renter Escalated a Gross Trash Dispute Into the Ultimate Petty Feud

Maybe banding together with other more level-headed neighbors is the best choice.

Screenshot 2026 05 28 at 2.30.57 PM After a Polite Note Failed, a Renter Escalated a Gross Trash Dispute Into the Ultimate Petty Feud

These neighbors need to learn they can’t just leave their stuff laying around.

Screenshot 2026 05 28 at 2.31.52 PM After a Polite Note Failed, a Renter Escalated a Gross Trash Dispute Into the Ultimate Petty Feud

This behavior is pretty insane, all things considered.

Screenshot 2026 05 28 at 2.32.24 PM After a Polite Note Failed, a Renter Escalated a Gross Trash Dispute Into the Ultimate Petty Feud

Asking someone else to tolerate your smelly trash and chaotic surroundings at all times without so much as a polite conversation is just too much to ask of anyone.

These neighbors seem like the type of people who think just ignoring any complaints will make them go away. And so far, that strategy has worked for them.

But this homeowner can’t relent.

If the neighbors continue to ignore him, he’s going to have to turn up the heat.

Benjamin Cottrell | Assistant Editor, Internet Culture

Benjamin Cottrell is an Assistant Editor and contributing writer at TwistedSifter, specializing in internet culture, viral social dynamics, and the moral complexities of online communities. He brings a highly analytical, editorial voice to his reporting on workplace conflicts, malicious compliance, and interpersonal drama, with a specific focus on nuanced stories that lack an obvious villain.

As a published author of rhetorical criticism, Benjamin leverages his academic background in human communication to dissect and elevate viral social media threads. Instead of simply summarizing events, he provides readers with balanced, deep-dive commentary into why the internet reacts the way it does. In addition to his cultural reporting, he is an experienced fine art photography essayist and video game reviewer.

When he isn’t analyzing the latest viral debates, Benjamin is usually chipping away at his extensive video game backlog, hunting down the best new restaurants, or out exploring the city with a camera in hand.

Connect with Benjamin on Instagram and read more of his essays on Substack.