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Original poster

Neighbours washing - diagram included!

117 replies

Timetogetgone · 22/05/2026 20:34

I live in a ground floor maisonette and my garden backs on to my kitchen and I have windows from my bedroom (and bathroom) facing the garden. The weather has obviously been lush all day and I myself have done every single last piece of washing (feeling smug).

Just peered out my window to look at my flowers and seen my upstairs neighbours have hung their washing over our joining fence.

Not the crime of the century but it’s only just been hung up now at 8pm. It’s all overlapping and pieces of clothing are on the dirty, bird pooed fence.

I would love to show you a photo but it would be super putting outting.

To the ones who’ll go for the throat. It’s ok. This post is in jest but equally I can see my neighbours pants hanging off our joining fence - ew. Haha.

Neighbours washing - diagram included!
OP posts:
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OnGoldenPond · 26/05/2026 07:17

MaySheWillStay · 26/05/2026 00:18

You’d think that, wouldn’t you?

I used to live near Rotherham, which Wikipedia confirms is South Yorkshire. There was no South Riding and now there’s no West Yorkshire.

Here’s a map which shows both the old Ridings and the new areas.
Edit: if that map is accurate it shows that places formerly in the West Riding could now be in Cumbria, Lancashire, Humberside and North, East or South Yorkshire.

Edited
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Wow, I’m stunned I didn’t know this! Please tell me Leeds is still in West Yorkshire or my life will lose all meaning!

MaySheWillStay · 26/05/2026 00:18

OnGoldenPond · 24/05/2026 20:32

West Riding is West Yorkshire surely? (Sorry, pedantic off topic comment!)

Show quote history

You’d think that, wouldn’t you?

I used to live near Rotherham, which Wikipedia confirms is South Yorkshire. There was no South Riding and now there’s no West Yorkshire.

Here’s a map which shows both the old Ridings and the new areas.
Edit: if that map is accurate it shows that places formerly in the West Riding could now be in Cumbria, Lancashire, Humberside and North, East or South Yorkshire.

Molkomad · 24/05/2026 23:36

Ha that's odd! I've always had the thought that you shouldn't leave your washing out overnight...BUT I had a load that needed drying last night and as it's been so hot I thought I'd hang it up over night so it'd be dry by the morning and it was! My neighbours never hang any washing on their line which I find really weird even when it's perfect drying weather. Everything is done in their tumble dryer in the outside shed - why I keep asking myself!?

dentalflosser · 24/05/2026 22:56

Thoughts and prayers for the darked on washing.

May it rest in moonlight.

WiddlinDiddlin · 24/05/2026 20:46

I don't understand putting washing on a fence... that'll get it dirty again.

The spiders willies things I find even funnier, because I know spiders haven't got willies...

It's much, much worse. They have wee little hands... paws? (pedipalps) that they carry their sperm in to hand over to the lady spider (or sneakly stuff it somewhere...) and they're out there, rummaging in yer washing with their 'orrible little jizz-paws. Ugh!

OnGoldenPond · 24/05/2026 20:32

MaySheWillStay · 23/05/2026 02:13

West Riding (now called South Yorkshire) and I remember soft apeth.

I only learned last year to hang my washing out at night, having read about it on MN. It makes me feel very virtuous when I get up late the next morning and it’s already almost dry. I only do this when the weather forecast says no rain for several days in a row.

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West Riding is West Yorkshire surely? (Sorry, pedantic off topic comment!)

OnGoldenPond · 24/05/2026 20:17

Tableforjoan · 22/05/2026 20:46

The husband must be the idiot that put the washing out.

Yes this has all the hallmarks of male weaponised incompetence!

Jane143 · 24/05/2026 18:37

I guess they haven’t got a washing line yet?

Raspberryripple11 · 24/05/2026 18:34

Turnitoffnonagain · 22/05/2026 20:40

Ooh, the spiders are going to have a party on that washing overnight. 🕷🕷🕷🕷🕷 Doesn't your neighbour know what happens once it gets dark?

I had a housemate that would always be confused when he’d go out at 11pm to get his washing in and it was wetter than when he’d hung it out. Drove me nuts because he’d hog the washing line for days at a time in the constant cycle of his clothes drying but not being brought in before they got damp again.

OnlyHasEyesForLoki · 24/05/2026 18:23

I have two long lines under my carport and I often leave washing out at night - light rain makes no difference to drying so worth the risk!

Bluebellsparklypant · 24/05/2026 18:20

It was the diagram that draw me in - they are always most helpful,
bird poo, stained by the fence, splinters (& spider willys) washing does not sound ideal , plus you view is now marred , I do hope this is a one off

OnlyHasEyesForLoki · 24/05/2026 18:20

StarCourt · 22/05/2026 22:55

I haven’t heard apeth in years! Takes me right back to my childhood

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As a child the phrase I heard regularly was “a right dozy apeth” 🤣🤣🤣

Tableforjoan · 24/05/2026 18:20

Ronnybabes · 24/05/2026 17:58

And the wife must be the idiot who let him.

Misandry is sometimes rife on MN 😄😃

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Definitely an idiot for marrying an incapable fool. 👍🏻

Unless the wife really did do it then the husband is an idiot for marrying her for being an incapable fool.

for fairness.

OnlyHasEyesForLoki · 24/05/2026 18:17

I thought you were going to say they hung their washing over yours on your line initially. I was fuming on your behalf 🤣🤣🤣

Ronnybabes · 24/05/2026 17:58

Tableforjoan · 22/05/2026 20:46

The husband must be the idiot that put the washing out.

And the wife must be the idiot who let him.

Misandry is sometimes rife on MN 😄😃

Yokodoko · 24/05/2026 14:26

Timetogetgone Awwww bless you, I wouldn’t like that at all but at the preservation of neighbourly harmony, I don’t think there’s a lot you can do

ExasperatedIs · 23/05/2026 21:19

Am I the only one who thought the neighbours had put a diaphragm on the washing line 🙈

marmiteandcheeseoncrumpetspls · 23/05/2026 15:41

Petrolitis · 22/05/2026 20:37

They've put their clean washing on the actual fence!?

Do they not have a line?

Ha! Was only telling my DD about that thread last night as I was getting the washing in at 9.30pm.

She looked at me like this 🙄🤔

Ohcrap082024 · 23/05/2026 15:34

Yay! Lots of fellow “apeth/aporth” memories. I am also a born and bred Sarf Lundener. My Nan and Mum would use apeth regularly. You could be a filthy apeth, daft apeth, cheeky apeth, all very affectionate and said in jest.

So, for example, in the summer when we had been playing outside all day with friends, we would come home and mum would laughingly call us “filthy apeths”.

Any updates on the washing @Timetogetgone?

Goldengirl123 · 23/05/2026 12:46

I think I would splash the clothes hanging on your side with dirty water 🤣🤣🤣

MaySheWillStay · 23/05/2026 12:42

Sort of related, possibly just West Riding:

Anyone else remember asking for “an apeth of kali”?

Clubbiscuit · 23/05/2026 11:25

Clonakilla · 23/05/2026 09:19

You flicked someone’s washing on the ground rather than have a simple conversation?

Surely not.

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My neighbours have done multiple things which move our relationship beyond the ‘simple conversation’ level. One incident included using unprofessional builders who tipped an entire chimney nearly onto my child’s head in our garden.

BMW58 · 23/05/2026 10:34

Yetone · 23/05/2026 07:45

I saw a lot of washing out on fences and other things in rural India a while ago.

My Indian NDN used to drape her washing over our wooden fence. Looked terrible and not good for the fence.

I asked her to stop doing it (my fence) and pointed out her washing line and showed her my pegs.

She nodded but a day or so later there was more washing on the fence.

So I pushed it off into her garden.

And again another day.

Then she bought some pegs and started using her line.

boundtobe · 23/05/2026 10:31

Ohcrap082024 · 22/05/2026 21:04

Oh my goodness, their washing is about to get darked on. “Filthy apeths”as my Nan would have said.

Not heard that for a very long time. It is from halfpennyworth (h'porth). 😂

nomas · 23/05/2026 10:26

A lot of words for a minor issue. think ‘neighbour is hanging washing out on joint fence’ would have sufficed.

I wouldn’t care if they did this.

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