To think my neighbour is nutty and possibly a little bit of a CF?

[youarenotkiddingme]

I live in a block of 4 flats - which share a large garden with block next door.

It's fenced off and our flats have a washing line behind us in enclosed big and one around the side by car park. Literally 2m from garden!

2 2 bed flats and 2 1 bed.

It just happened that we fell into me and downstairs (2beds) using the garden one (our kids were toddlers at the time and safer) and downstairs neighbour (1bed) occasionally uses one around the side.

So we've had a kinda spoken but not set in stone (as such) agreement we use 2 sides each.

New neighbour moved in 2 years ago to other 1 bed and asked if allowed to use washing line which of course I said yes and we generally try through a pretty much unspoken rule to use just 2 sides for all to have equal access.

Noted other 2B neighbour would hang out 10 items (8 on 1 side and 2 on front rung of another side) whenever neighbour used line.

Made me 🙄 but I'm a live and let live type of person.

I work FT. My neighbour PT during school hrs 3 days a week. She knows if I've not hung out washing by the time I leave then line will be empty until next day.

So fast forward to this morning.

I'm hanging out stuff and have loads to do. Was using 2nd side as neighbour cane out house. Said hi etc and asked if she was doing any washing today and if she'd be out for a bit. Yes and yes.

"Great" I said. Told her I was just popping to supermarket but would make most of empty line and Nick extra side - especially as it'll dry quickly anyway.

She got in her car and sat in car park until I'd left. Thought nothing of it.

Came home 1.5 hours later to discover she'd done a wash (10 items) and has hung them 8 on one side and 2 tea towels on outside rung of other side right in middle of strip of line

She'd clearly hung around and done a quick wash to "bag" her sides. She's gone out now.

She's actually a really nice person and we always chat and say hello etc but AIBU to think she's a slight nut job with CF tendencies who clearly needs to get a life beyond the blinking line 😂

8miss I didn't tell neighbour when she moved in it's 2 sides each. We moved in same time when they were built. She mentioned about 2 sides each and I just shrugged noncommitedly as it didn't seem an issue for me and was happy with that.
It's our newer neighbour (opposite me) who asked if they could use it. I couldn't exactly say no as a) it's communal and b) it's his garden too and c) why would I?!

Just went down and swapped some bits for wet stuff and have another load on. Sun seems to have done one so when it's finished I'll put it behind hers.
She can always complain to me when she gets home if she wants!

Enjoying the excessive use of 😂 emoji, do you cry laugh at each other in real life till one of you gives up and hangs their washing elsewhere?

The whole 2 sides thing is probably a bit of a herring.
We were the only families occupying flats when we moved in and she just sort of said 2 sides each.
However when both 1 beds were occupied with current downstairs neighbour always being here a few months after us - that neighbour just used side one. Other 1 bed occupants never used line until new neighbour moved in 2 years ago and asked me after a year if he was allowed to use it.

I get allowing someone equal use if they have washing. But in this case she actually said she didn't and was going out so I wasn't inconveniencing anyone.

And no I didn't count washing - the 8 and 2 is an estimate but it's not hard to see how much when there's 4 lines of 2 things and 2 on another side.

Mines all pegged up close and on every line so even I wouldn't know how much I have (apart from number of loads!) and I'm not one to put washing machine on for a non full load. (I appreciate many people do so that's not unusual!)

Sorry keep getting responses as I'm replying.

The crying laughter emoji is because to me it's just ridiculous.

I couldn't imagine EVER staking my claim on a communal item I'd just admitted not needing the use of for a few hours.

Buy a tumble dryer.

Buy her a tumble dryer.

Job done, without emojis.

It's a passive aggressive claim of the line.

I have a washer/dryer. My underwear and towels get done in that. Towels are softer and I have an issue with my granny pants being hung out for all my neighbours to see.

Honestly the issue has never existed in 12 years. Probably because I keep out of it and have never asked if I could use space if she wasn't using it.

I certainly WILL NOT be asking again. It's not worth the hassle!

You lost me when you said you counted items of laundry

Who does that?

First come first served I guess. No bagsies

I didn't actually count! And I NEVER said I counted. I have an amount to paint the picture she didn't actually need the space and was just using it for whatever reason she felt she should!

But it's not hard to tell when there's 6/7/8 pieces hung spread out or 2 on one side.

I’m not really following this OP, but if I were you, I’d buy myself a rotary dryer which you can put up and take down/bring inside as required.

I'm confused to be honest.

Thank God it’s not just me.

Blimey. You know you need to get out more when you're so bothered about how much washing line you get you start threads on it and count your neighbours laundry.

Op, go get youtself a glass of wine or a piece of cake and stop obsessing about your laundry.

"I didn't actually count! And I NEVER said I counted."

Either counted or estimated ... who cares ... you gave the number of items to illustrate (it would seem) that the neighbour didn't actually need the space (on this occasion) and was just using it for whatever reason (possibly to prevent you using more than your two sides?).

Its fine for you to mention the number of items, and to illustrate your point, if that matters to you. However you also seem to be keen to emphasise that the situation with the washing lines (whatever that is, I'm not sure) doesn't matter to you, but the amount of detail you give seems to belie that.

I don't understand what you mean by sides and rungs

But yeah, if she's deliberately done washing just to hang out so you can't, or if she's deliberately taking up more space than she actually needs, she's a cf.

Why mention it to her in the first place though? Why not just do your washing when you ready and put it out, then you'd have had the lines to yourself......

Eliza thanks for getting it! I sometimes wonder how many people here actually read the post rather than just seeing words and deciding the op must be wrong as it's AIBU.

For those confused.
I have communal washing line in communal garden. I use it if needed or my airer if busy or tumble or hang it in side . I use no more than 2 sides as suggested my by neighbour 12 years ago!

My neighbour is possessive by nature but otherwise totally nice and we always chat if passing etc.

But she has this thing about 'reserving' 2 sides if anyone hangs out washing - even if she doesn't need them.

I know that's pretty batshit but have ignored it for 12 years because not worth the hassle.
However after today when I casually asked if she minded me using some extra space as she didn't need it she went back inside after being in car heading out, did a small wash and hung it out on 2 sides.

I wondered if she'd now moved past being a little nutty and possessive into a bit of a CF as she's actually deliberately inconveniencing others to stake her claim on the space.

But in true AIBU style everyone thinks OP is being unreasonable for even daring to ask for some extra space and for not hanging inside, on an airer or tumble drying when there's a perfectly good line outside!

I'm happy to admit I may be BU about her being a CF. But I'm not wrong for wanting to use the line once or twice a week!

I did read the OP as I literally have nothing more interesting to do today. It’s the “sides” thing that is confusing OP. You said in your OP you use the garden and your neighbour uses the side. Then you said you have two sides each. That’s when I decided I couldn’t work out wtf you were on about

DIAGRAM?

If you have lines, how do you have 'sides'?

I think we need a diagram or photos.

On I get the 'sides' bit.

There's 2 washing lines. One in fenced off garden and one outside of it around side on grass next to car park. So it's literally just outside garden on random grassy patch.

Neighbour suggested we have 2 sides (as in half the line each) as other neighbour used other washing line and said it made sense as ours were toddlers and could escape the area whilst we hung out washing.
I was happy with this but not bothered myself how much others used. Just kind of shrugged and agreed in a non commital way and went about my own business!

However she's always been territorial over having 2 sides which is fine if that matters to her.
It only seemed to become an issue to her when I casually asked her on her way out this morning if she minded me using 3/4 of line for a few hours.

Lesson learnt - don't ask and don't use more than half - even if it will remain half empty

Can't you just get another washing line added that is your own? I have never before heard of neighbours sharing washing lines. Seems crazy. Wow.

No we can't get another line. She opposed it. She opposed the other flats erecting 1 rotary line in garden but was overruled as no one else cared.

But HA have said we can't have more than the 2 we already have as not all residents agree. And we don't really need them.
I only have extra washing today as ds had 2 massive nosebleeds all over his clothes and then his Pyjamas, bedding and blankets yesterday evening and over night.

I would hang hubbies undies between her washing just to annoy her - rofl. Life is generally to short - just use what space their is

I'm single! And I don't even hang my own granny pants out there - NO ONE needs to see that!

I'm sorry but I still don't get the "sides" bit even after the explanation. If you share 1 washing line, having half each, how do you have 2 "sides" each?

I'm also a bit confused why the other 2 flats, who also share 1 line, get a rotary line as well if you can't? And if the garden is shared with another block, where do the other 4 flats hang their washing?

Happy to admit I'm probably being a bit thick here, but I honestly have no idea what the situation is.

Daniel rotary washing lines at 4 quarters. So 4 poles come out from the centre and between each is plastic lines.

So it's a square with 4 sides.