Nosey neighbours and my trash disposal habits

Right, so I think my landlord or my neighbours are obsessed with trash... I have had my neighbours (or so my landlord tells me) complaining that my rubbish bags are too big and that they leave no room for the rubbish of the other tenants! They also say that I put out 3 bags at a time-which I don't-more like one bag once a fortnight (after all it is just me!). They also say that I am not separating my recycleables, which of course I am but moreover what I'd like to know is how my neighbours know if I am separating my recyclables or not given that my rubbish bags (the allegedly large ones) are dark green and definitely NOT see-through!

So, is there a CORRECT sized rubbish bag which is acceptable? Lord knows everything else is regulated here so why not the size of your friendly waste disposal bag?!!!

All input welcome!

Wow, they lead really busy lives if they have time to check your garbage bag size.

Ask the neighbors to show you the correct size garbage bag that they use, then ask the landlord if that is the regulated size. Direct communication tends to phaze people.

Oh thats nothing...I had my neighbour call the police and my landlord, because I wasn't there when my rubbish "bio" bin fell over and stuff fell out...eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek. Very embarrassing...Note to self...Sellotape shut the top of the bio bin...each time I leave the house...in case neighbours should be inconvenienced again when I am away!!!

i would go and find the largest binbag available to man and use that. if they're too lame to say something to you, wind them up, idiots.

i mean, do your neighbours mean so much to you? nope, not if they go telling porkies to your landlord behind your back.

We had neighbours who opened one of our bin bags and seperated the rubbish into the piles next to the bin as a "demonstration" of how it's done. We found out that it's illegal for anyone else to go through your rubbish. Buy the biggest blackest non transparent bags and tell 'em where to go . . . . . . . they're no allowed to open them

If the rubbish isn't separated, the waste disposal company can refuse to take your refuse. Your landlord may then be charged for the disposal. This is also the case if the bins are overflowing - your landlord can be charged for the excess. This could be the reason for the complaint (amongst others).
Bin bags purchased from the Munich refuse company (to name one example) cost 6€ and include the extra disposal cost which is handy if you have a one off load to get rid of.
Munich Household Waste bylaw

some places in munich don't pick up recyclables, so where else should you put the stuff?
i've got plastic/glass containers on my way to the u-bahn, so i separate (i don't have much), but i know in my old neighborhood, you had to drive to get to the nearest one, so all those dove body lotion bottles got put in the trashcans.

You take them to the bottle bank (they also have plastics collection), alternatively, supermarkets etc. over a certain size have a recycling area by law. Take the empty bottle when you buy the new one. I also wish that we had Gelbe Sack in Munich but we don't.
PS I also love Dove.

Elphaba, probably your neighbors assumed you weren't separating your recyclables because you have (in their minds) so much garbage.

Cinzia - don't think Elphaba has much rubbish


She's just got nosey, interfering neighbours who'd probably report her to the Gestapo if they were still in existence. Tell them to mind their own business. Kümmern Sie sich um Ihre eigenen Sachen!

I'd start spraying the inside of all the bags you take out with something that simulates very closely the smell of a dead skunk.. That outta teach'em to pick thru your garbage..

God that is really nazi and busybody. And germans wonder why people dont like them!

I recall a few years back accompanying an english colleague who didnt speak german to view a flat to let in Frankfurt. The landlord, a kleinbourgious type who lived in some little spiesser village out in the sticks was ernestly explaining - to me - the complexities of the four - 4 no less - different rubbish bins out in the Hof and how the rubbish must all be carefully separated and divided up between the different bins. As if I was going to seriously translate word for word all that german rubbish separation crap into english! - and I didnt either. I just said "hes going on about all the rubbish separation". The national obsession. Germans and their rubbish...

I even once found a piece of my rubbish sitting on my doorstep when I came home one night. I assume the dustman, or the caretaker or a neighbour? or local rubbish gestapo were responsible. How did they know it was mine.. Can only assume they found an envelope with my name and address in amongst the rubbish.

Since then I always make a point, always, with no exception to make sure that everything and anything that might have my name on that goes in the bin is first put through my paper shredder, so as to stop that kind of behaviour. Also serves to help prevent "Identity theft" as well.

All germans leave busy(body) lives!

Well my "mull problem" lead to the landlord visiting and also because the neighbour complained...he didn't like the state of my garden. Unbelievable. Each year this neighbour gets his private gardener in and spends an arm and a leg for a garden full of gorgeous flowers (almost the day after the snow stops) and each year exactly when I take my holidays..he invites my landlord over to take a look at my "lived in garden" I mean its not as trim as his. I admit there are lots of kids toys lying around. The bushes are not perfectly symmetrical. Theres a leaf pile in the corner. The landlord then ordered his gardener to come and tidy up mine without even telling me.!!. End of the story is, my germans neighbours have had enough...they can be difficult but I have always try to be nice to them...now the landlord has given me notice to move as he worries more about staying friends with the neighbours. I find this type of german behaviour unbelievable. So I will be homeless in a few months...looking through Toytown Accommodation ads:-)

I can't believe your bastard landlord gave you notice because of such trivialities. I would say fight it, but I think it's better you move on. But before you do, why don't you not separate your rubbish for a week and then dump it in the bins on your moving out day. Really sad I know, but not as pathetic as your neighbours and landlord. People need to get a life.

Looks like we'd better start believing it...
I'm very sorry to hear about this turn of events and I hope you'll find a nice place (and decent neighbours!) soon.

Go to that union thing for tenants and see what your rights are! I'm sure he can't do that.

I'm sure I can probably fight it on some counts...but I couldn't be bothered really. When the landlord has such an attitude and I would be constantly under threat from the neighbours. Better to find another place and a bit of peace. The neighbour even told my landlord that my rolladen (outside) shutters were down quite a lot. I mean...jeez some times I run out of the house in the morning after getting the kids out to school and don't get a chance to pull them up. He actually asked me ...if I was still living here.!! I guess he must have his binoculars out every day

@UA
Do you think it would be worth it? The landlord probably doesn't have the right to ask her to leave, but even if she proved him wrong with the help of the Mietverein the neighbours would make her life hell afterwards. It would be like living under siege, especially if the nosey parkers have nothing better to do than find fault with anything and everything, which seems to be the case.

Edit: Now that I've read Marie's latest post, it seems to me that she's under constant surveillance already!

I think so - she can inform herself on her rights, then maybe come to an agreement with the landlord - he can leave her so-and-so many months to move out to give her a proper chance to find somewhere she wants to live, alternatively a cash incentive to move out faster, rather than be hassled with the whole legal proceedings (sort of 'threaten' hime nicely ). This has happened before.

talking of local rubbish gestapo. Just occured to me there really is such a thing. At least in Berlin I recall seeing a tv documentary about one-euro jobs for people in Berlin-Neukölln (where ese) who have the task of checking through the rubbish bags that people have put out for collection in the district. Two Berlin prolo types with moustaches, gravelly voices from years of too much alcohol and fags who were talking about how the funding for their jobs was coming to an end in a few months, and what would they do for work after that... Typical Berlin make-work jobs!

If she's left the Rolladen down more than twice in the current calendar year then she can be deported. The way I see it she is getting off lightly.

I didn't tell you guys the best bit. Last year the aforementioned neighbour ordered me to cut the trees dividing our gardens by 1 metre. I said fine ok. I don't mind doing that, but I asked why in one particular section of the hedge only. Its seems it blocked the sun on his terrace!!! I doubt if he cares that the 400 year old tree in the corner of his garden which prevents my garden getting any sun and I spend most of the year cleaning up pine cones and pine needles:-) After the heavy snow late this spring, I came home one day to find my neighbours gardener perched on top of my shed cutting down the neighbours tree. All the branches were strewn all over my garden and he managed to break my shed when he dropped a huge branch on it. It never ends...yeah.

Leaving the Rolladen down ... what a nightmare! ... That means the neighbours can't come round and look through the windows when you're out. How inconsiderate of you marie!

That kind of neighbour won't improve with age... get out quick and as UA said try and get the landlord to pay you to move out! And don't do anything to risk your deposit.

The more I read this thread the happier I am with my (German) landladies and my (German) neighbors. Their only worry is if I have put my cats down because they're not taking walks on the balcony balustrade any more. I assured them that this is only due to a screen door to protect the little beasties. No Jalousienkontrolle, no Müllpolizei. Matter of fact, my neighbors throw the strangest and largest articles into the bins; things that should be taken to the dump.

My neighbour is as I speak...peeking through the hedge. I am thinking of stripping off and sitting here at my computer in the nudie...before I close my rolladen :-)))))))))))))))))) Nosey Neighbours...but you have to laugh. Everything has a lighter side.

Where are you living?

Not too far from Westend Actually...you want to check out the neighbours;-)

Sure, why not.

Marie - how about inviting TT round en masse? At least that'd give the neighbours something worth worrying about.

with dogs that might, you know like accidently, run loose in a neighbours garden.

My landlord told me i should only put the black bin out ( kitchen waste] once a month, if i put it out every 2 weeks then we must pay an extra €6 for it to emptied, so we leave it to be empttied once a month with to top stuffed full and overflowing, it stinks i the summer.

Well, they're not all bad. We lived in the next door building which my landlady also owns and moved into a bigger flat next door above her. Never a problem, waste, noise or otherwise. But maybe that's because she's a real old school lady, courtesy, etiquette and live and let live. Obviously we're the perfect tenants.

The problem with the system here is that there is so much more demand than supply and subsequently the majority of landlords get away with being conniving miseryguts.

Get out and jam the rolladen down as you go so that they are left guessing if you have gone. Stop paying rent for the last few months in lieu of your deposit. (well it would be nice to do this, if not quite legal) There are normal neighbours out there - don't let this ruin your time in Germany.

the standard bag here has a capacity of 35 litre.

You are well within your rights to pick up all the debris from your neighbours tree and dump it over the fence into their garden, in fact I read somewhere if you cut a branch off of a tree belonging to the neighbour because it was over hanging your garden, it is an offence to keep the branch

There seems to be an obsession with garbage in germany. we have a public trash bin across from our flat and there is a man across the street that records when we toss things into this public trash container. It does not think its appropiate because it is on the public street.

Sue me or arrest is my attitude. Why have a waste bin if nothing should be thrown in.

I guess since they don't have any say in the government, they try to control there neighbors.

I used to live in a small town in Niedersachsen and my neighbour was French. He came to Germany in his car and brought loads of yummy French foodstuffs and toiletries with him. Anyway, when it came to disposing of things (we also had the usual 4 bins in the Hof) the landlord would watch us from the window, and then as soon as our backs were turned he'd be rummaging through the rubbish! Of course he found lots of French packaging incorrectly disposed of, and proceeded to empty the bags in Francois's front room; saying "Das ist Papier, das ist KEIN Papier" and on and on it went until he has four nice little piles of crap in the guy's lounge!
Sad, sad little man.