Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Neighbour keeps using my washing line.

210 replies

Horsegirl1 · 16/08/2016 18:09

We have only one neighbour as we live rural . Our gardens meet and she keeps using my washing line. Everytime I go out to hang up my washing g she has clothes on my line. She has only just started doing this. She has lived next door for 8 months but rarely speaks despite my efforts to be chatty etc (she is very quiet and private and says no more than hello) . Anyways she has suddenly started using my washing line. It's driving me crazy as I have 5 children so have tons of washing. Plus my husband is a farmer so again many clothes to wash . AIBU to politely ask her to buy/put up her own line ??? I wouldn't dream of doing this but maybe I'm an un reasonable bitch and should share ???

OP posts:
ohdearme1958 · 17/08/2016 13:25

  • Why do you need cement to put up a washing line?

You can attach it to hooks in the walls of the house. One hook one side, round a tree, and another hook the other side*

Smile I think we have different opinions on what a washing line is.

Aphroditeisasexybeast · 17/08/2016 13:36

Leave her washing on the floor when it gets dirty and she will need to re wash everything she won't do it again

RavioliOnToast · 17/08/2016 13:47

In all the times I e rented, it wouldn't cross my mind, ever, to ring my LL if I didn't have a washing line... I'd just go and buy one.

usual · 17/08/2016 13:48

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DraeneiMage · 17/08/2016 13:49

*Kill her.

Hang her rotting corpse in the line as a warning to others.*

This made me laugh at work and get into trouble!!!

DraeneiMage · 17/08/2016 13:49

Bold fail

ItsLikeRainOnYourWeddingDay · 17/08/2016 13:50

You sound ridiculous. Do you have confidence issue, social anxieties?

dominogally · 17/08/2016 13:53

you sound ridiculous. Do you confidence issue, social anxieties?

Nice. If OP does have confidence or social anxieties, your post will have really helped her. Hmm

AlpacaLypse · 17/08/2016 13:57

Quite apart from the washing line mullarkey, the issue of her wandering into your garden and leaving the gate wide open would have me incandescent.

It was me, butterfingered female that I am, that put up our washing line and also me that screwed on the bolts for the anti-wandering child gates back when they were small enough to do so something that silly. It wasn't very difficult.

EBearhug · 17/08/2016 14:00

I've rented all my adult life, and all the ones with gardens until the current one have come with a post in the ground for a rotary line, but no actual line. Just went to Argos and bought a rotary line. In the current one, I also bought the post for the ground, too, and then bashed it into a suitable place in the lawn till it was flush with ground level, so I can just mow over it. (Do this when the ground is soft, because even then it's hard work.)

But I'd start with just asking her nicely not to do it and offering to install a line, if she doesn't want to do it herself.

PortiaFinis · 17/08/2016 14:03

YANBU OP. She shouldn't be using your washing line or coming into your garden or leaving your gate open - that's really odd and crap of her.

I agree about talking to her and telling her to put up her own washing line or do it for her.

As for all the rude comments ignore them. Why are people so unnecessarily unpleasant sometimes. There really is fuck all need to jump on the OP and be so rude and belittling.

Aphroditeisasexybeast · 17/08/2016 14:39

Is there a way to lock your gate she won't be able to leave it open and I can't imagine someone trying to scramble over a gate with a basket full of washing I would also be worried how far she would take it. Perhaps popping into your kitchen for a quick tea.

thetemptationofchocolate · 17/08/2016 14:49

EBearhug I did this with my rotary line, just bashed it in. But one day, after a lot of rain, came a sunny day and I hung out two loads of washing, thinking, yippee, it will all dry today! There were a lot of towels. Wet towels weigh a lot, and it was also very windy that day.
I looked out to see my washing line tilted - the weight of the washing and the strength of the wind had pushed it over and my towels were flapping about on the ground.
I had to dig the whole thing out, make a bigger hole and fill it in with concrete. That bugger hasn't fallen over since :)

Blushingm · 17/08/2016 15:07

Wear the clothes and pop around, if she recognises it say you found them on your washing line?

dinkystinky · 17/08/2016 15:16

If you dislike confrontation, speak to the agent they rent through - tell them to remind them that they are tenants, do not have right of access to your garden or your items (like washing line) and should request a washing line be put in their garden if they need it.

Honeybadger83 · 17/08/2016 17:50

Since she rents from you, I would pop round just to check everything is okay with the property, and say ( in as non-accusatory manner as I could muster) "I've noticed you've been borrowing the washing line, as it's getting a bit crowded would you like my husband to put one up in your garden?"
That makes it clear that it is yours and not for her use in future, while giving her an 'out' to save face.

flyingspaghettimonster · 17/08/2016 18:08

Just peg a friendly note on the line saying "Sorry, I'm sure you didn't realise, but this is our washing line, not part of the rental property. If you want to get your own for your garden that's totally fine" - that's friendly enough to not cause embarrassment and clear enough to stop her

jacks11 · 17/08/2016 18:23

MN can be odd at times. OP's tenant is being very rude. Even if the tenant wanted/felt entitled to have a washing line, she had no right to enter OPs property to use hers. If she felt she should have one she should have approached the letting agent or OP and asked for one to be installed/asked permission to install her own.

I don't think OP should have to put a washing line up for her tenant as the tenant was clearly happy to take property without out one in situ. The fact that the tenant had been so rude towards me would make me far less likely to want to help out by buying and installing a line, so in OPs position I'd just go round and ask her to stop doing using my line but give her permission to put her own up if she wanted.

blowmybarnacles · 17/08/2016 18:52

Neighbour is trespassing to avoid asking you for a washing line, you are drying your own clothes indoors to avoid a confrontation.

I don't know which of you is worse! Confused

DraeneiMage · 17/08/2016 18:52

Seriously how is nobody laughing at the kill her comment.

I've come back to read it and I'm in stitches.

usual · 17/08/2016 18:54

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Happylotti · 17/08/2016 18:55

Dont usually comment on posts more of a stalker Blush

But we rent, have rented a few properties and NEVER have we had a line outside that the landlord put up for us! We have always had to provide one for ourselves! I've even walked down the high street with my double buggie with a washing line.... It doesnt take much to buy one, and surely if they own their own house and are just renting temporarily then they'd have one at their own house they could bring with them!!!!!!

If i was you i'd either go and have a quite word with her or if you dont want a big fuss just write her a little note and put it through the letter box!!!!!!

Dionne1707777 · 17/08/2016 19:05

We rented several houses over 15 years and not one landlord provided the washing line!

She's being a cheeky madam and also endangering your children by leaving the gate open!
That alone would've had me knocking on her door and I hate confrontation too, but when it comes to my kids safety...there's really no excuse.

How she has the actual nerve to waltz on your property though I have no idea shy my ass! It takes a lot of guts to do what she's doing.

lifeonthemuvaside · 17/08/2016 19:07

If she doesn't talk to you I bet she thinks it's hers especially if you haven't mentioned it to her.
Definitely go around and tell her though, it's yours at the end of the day!
Good luck Flowers

impossible · 17/08/2016 19:17

I think you may be over thinking this - she is using your line and you need it. Next opportunity just say to her very kindly something like - I'm sorry but I need my washing line for my five kids etc. Would you mind putting up your own?

Swipe left for the next trending thread