AIBU to ask my neighbour to remove their washing line from outside my window?

[chickorita]

I have post a thread about this in legal matters, and thought I'd ask you here for some advice too.

I live on the ground floor of a purpose built flat, and there is a communal area to the rear.

The couple that live above me have put up their washing line directly outside my bedroom window, and it is roughly 60 cm away from the window.

As I mentioned before,it is a communal area, so aibu if I ask them to move their line further away from my window, or better still, just ask them to take it away altogether?

There are usually rules about these sort of things in communal areas. Do a management company run it? If you're friendly with the couple I would mention it directly to them, just say it's blocking your light etc? In friendly tones.. then if they don't do anything, tell the management company.

Tell them that you sometime smoke out that window :)

Check you lease.

Is it actually causing you any bother?

Perhaps it interfers with washing the windows, in which case you have grounds to ak them to move it or limit its use, it might be temporary over summer.

Do yo own or rent the property? Do they own or rent?

If its communal space then they can have it where they like but why not just ask them to move it away from the window. In fact im suprised you havent asked tem first then come here for advice. How weird.

I don't see why you have a problem with this? You say the washing is outside your bedroom window. Unless you spend your day in your bedroom how does it bother you?

Thanks for your responses so far.

Yes, Birdsgottafly it is in the way when it comes to cleaning the windows.

As for your comment TakeMeDrunk, I'm almost inclined to say I have some form of debilitating illness that does mean I am bedridden, and therefore spend all my time in my bedroom! However, it is not just my bedroom that looks out onto the communal area - both my living room windows do too.

As for MrSpoc, I have knocked on their door a few times to no avail.So, not so "weird" afterall perhaps!

Unless you have a restcrictive covenant saying you cant have a washing line up (which you wont) then you cannot do anything. There is no such thing as RIGHT TO LIGHT.

If yu are rentng ask your landlord to try and sort out. If they are renting complain to their landlord.

Legally they have done nothing wrong.

Um, feel free to make up an illness then if it helps you to get people to agree

It's a bit of washing on a line.

YABU

Don't see the problem with them hanging washing in a communal area.

If they're not answering their door, put a (friendly, non-defensive) note thru' their door. I'm sure they just don't realise, or maybe thought it wouldn't be a big deal. It is to you, so you will probably find they will happily move it.

Are their clothes really ugly colours

I can see this would be annoying - but is this the only place to hang it?
Could they get a small rack instead?

Imagines a giant pair of pants blocking out the light :)

Yes, Laquitar they're pretty large ugly shapeless looking clothes that flap on my window - when it's open.

Some of the flats actually have a balcony, theirs being one of them. I've noticed that most of my neighbours that have a balcony put a clothes horse out there and dry their clothes that way.

Yes, it's a communal area, that said, I wouldn't place a washing line directly outside someone's window just because I could. I'd have a bit more consideration.

Thanks thebeansmum, I think I'll pop a note through their door, and see if I get a response.

I would be most unhappy about it TBH.

If it flaps on your window when it is open, then it is definitely too close imo. I mean, what if you had just painted your window frames, or accidentally smeared some jam from your morning toast onto the outside of the window frame and their clothes blew onto it?

yanbu, ask them politely to move it.

if they refuse, start smoking out of your window, and if you are not a smoker light vile smelling joss sticks and put them on your window ledge. Oh, and when cleaning the windows, make sure the clothes get drenched in vinegar

Are you able to safely get out of your window in an emergency ? e.g. If there is a fire during the night could you get out the window without getting caught on the line ? If you can't then it's a health and safety issue as they are blocking an escape route.

If they won't move it then i'd accidentaly cut the line !

I know of someone who had to take down netting that they were growing sweet peas on because it prevented the other tenant/window cleaner from cleaning the windows easily, not completely, so you may have grounds.

Keep it about the practicalities of where the line is placed.

Thank you all for your suggestions - in particular farnywarny and carpark;whose comments made me laugh. I wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of either of you.

If the letter fails to garner a response from them, then I may well take up chain smoking out of my window, or their line might encounter some kind of "accident".

Why chain smoke? Have a barbeque, the weather is fab

If your neighbours have erected a washing line in a communal area, then automatically that makes it a communal washing line and you could use it too. I would approach them, along the lines of "would you mind if I put a load out on xday?" Do not be confrontational. Wait for that to settle before you have to resort to pointing out "you cannot do that, it's a communal area" Hopefully it will work out on mutual cooperation/benefit. Keep us posted.

We're not allowed to put washing lines up in the communal area.. I mean if everyone did it it would look ridiculous, and there wouldn't be room..

I'd say a note is a bit passive aggressive.. people often respond better if you talk to them face to face.