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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think neighbours are using my dryer?

486 replies

DontThinkSoBro · 07/04/2021 14:21

In our block of flats each floor consists of 2 flats which share a drying room on the landing. The drying rooms are jointly owned by the two flats, we have a key each & our own tumble dryers on each side of the room.

New neighbours have moved in - lovely so far, no issues at all... except over the weekend I found one of their sons socks in my dryer & last night I found one of the woman’s socks in my dryer. 100% no mistaking that they are theirs as we only have plain socks & these are most definitely a little boys socks & a woman’s pair of patterned socks.

I absolutely don’t want to cause an argument about it. Could there be another simple explanation that I’m not thinking of as to how twice now, their socks have ended up in my dryer?

How would I approach this without causing a rift with otherwise very nice people?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
5
Sunshine1235 · 08/04/2021 23:34

If they’ve got a young child could he just be playing with your drier while they’re unloading their own washing. I could 200% imagine my toddler doing something like taking a sock from my basket and putting it in the other drier without me noticing - or even me letting him play with the empty drier for 2 mins peace to fold my own
Laundry and not realising he’d put something in

Sunshine1235 · 08/04/2021 23:35

100% imagine. 200% is too much

PrincessFiorimonde · 09/04/2021 00:06

Some of these posts have made me chortle. But if the neighbours really are nice, I tend to think the culprit is probably a toddler who loves chucking socks in dryers, or possibly an older child/houseguest who's used the wrong machine.

Surely a true CF would be very careful not to leave any evidence behind?

HaveringWavering · 09/04/2021 00:11

@AngryBananaSund

Smart plug is a good idea. That way you switch on the machine only when you want to use it.

But if the mains socket is in a visible location (highly likely in a utility room) then the smart plug would be obvious

Read OP’s updates FFS! She said it was hidden behind the dryer.
memberofthewedding · 09/04/2021 00:45

Highly unlikely that CF neighbour is going to risk moving a heavy dryer if it does not work. What if she gets caught? S/he will assume its out of order. Even if she did and saw the smart plug whats she going to do about it? Change it for a normal one? Expose herself? Is she going to know what it is?

Better still, wait for neighbour to use drying room. Enable dryer then turn off halfway through a cycle so neighbour is left with a pile of wet washing. Rinse and repeat. Neighbour will assume machine is faulty but of course cannot say a word about it to OP.

This is a win win situation and OP can laugh her socks off at her neighbour's expense. I would thoroughly enjoy it.

No dish sweeter than a cold revenge.

MyOtherProfile · 09/04/2021 04:57

Wow what a cheek!

pam290358 · 09/04/2021 05:22

If they live next door and have access to the drying room via a key, then they must know the set up and that their dryer runs off their own electricity. No room for excuses then.

FortunesFave · 09/04/2021 06:39

HaveringWavering

Read OP’s updates FFS! She said it was hidden behind the dryer.

Calm down love!

DoWhatYouWantTo · 09/04/2021 07:23

LTB

DoWhatYouWantTo · 09/04/2021 07:28

Or, you and your husband go round to theirs, each with the socks on your hands, and do a full on theatre production talking via the medium of sock puppetry on why it is naughty to steal someone else's things

AngelDelightUk · 09/04/2021 07:43

Have you confronted them yet?!

alloverthecarpetagain · 09/04/2021 07:50

@DoWhatYouWantTo

Or, you and your husband go round to theirs, each with the socks on your hands, and do a full on theatre production talking via the medium of sock puppetry on why it is naughty to steal someone else's things
Genius idea!
bemusedmoose · 09/04/2021 08:13

Honestly I'd just flip off the fuse to the laundry room and only flip it on when you need it then she can't use it.

If she is fully aware it's yours then she is being a CF and trying to cut her bills by adding to yours.

Richconstance · 09/04/2021 08:17

Can you leave the socks in the drying room with a note, saying you don't mind anyone using your dryer on occasion if they're really stuck, but if anyone is using it regularly (as that's now twice you've found other people's things) could they please stop as it's costing you money to try their clothes...

And also defo take the fuse out if you can. As others have said, they full well know its not their dryer so they'll just be more careful next time.

Hate awkward situations like this cos you don't want to look like a tight arsehole, but they're being dicks! Grin

RowanWeston · 09/04/2021 08:51

I used to live in a flat with the same set up and I've never seen anything like it since. You don't live in South West London do you? Each flat had its own door to the room and our neighbour had put old furniture (a bookshelf and a cabinet or similar) across the middle as a partition. Can you not do something like that? You could find something on Freecycle if you don't have spare furniture.

Localocal · 09/04/2021 09:11

Are there two adults living there? Maybe you explained about the dryers to one parent and they forgot to tell the other?

NoGoodPunsLeft · 09/04/2021 09:58

@blueluce85

I'm so confused... Why not return the sock and say... This was in my dryer.... Please would you not use it in future?
Because as many people have said they know which is their dryer & therefore that they shouldn't be using OP's, and all a nice chat will do is mean they'll be more careful in the future
SheldonesqueIsAlmostHuman · 09/04/2021 10:27

Seeing as how we are sometimes straying into creative methods to stop the use of the machine. Here we go.

Can you not deliver their socks wearing a gimp mask, (arseless) chaps, peek a boo rubber vest and leave bottles marked lube dissolver, sperm neutraliser and bodily fluid steriliser on your laundry shelf?

If you own appliances leave them in your tumbly and explain that you need to warm them up sometimes so that they jiggle satisfactorily.

Tell them if it isn’t their socks you will be keeping them as toy warmers.

Funguy · 09/04/2021 10:32

I think they used both dryers at once. I think you need to just get a lock for yours if you can, they aren't expensive.
They probably are not as nice as they first appeared tbh.
I hope none of your other appliances are accessible to them. If your dryer has a switch indoors turn it off, simples, won't need a lock then .
I have never heard of that except for a shared utility room, so be careful if you have a washing machine in there. Also befairly cool to them, as that sounds a bit dubious. Mumpers!

bluebell34567 · 09/04/2021 10:32

why not always leave a few items of yours in it that you dont use.

Nicklebox · 09/04/2021 10:37

Can you catch her in the act. I would check regularly and if you catch her out steal her washing and wait for her to come and claim it.

Bunnyfuller · 09/04/2021 10:52

Jesus, just tell them

Hollywolly1 · 09/04/2021 11:07

They were told at the very start of moving in and they know right well what they are doing

HowManyToes · 09/04/2021 11:55

@BottomlessPit

Sorry... more importantly... I’m staggered no one has already commented. Who tumble dries socks?! It’s shrinks them! #missesthepoint
I do! I need to shrink them so they fit my stupidly tiny feet!
TurquoiseDragon · 09/04/2021 12:01

For everyone saying OP needs to talk to these people to let them know the setup, it's also equally the responsibility of these people to find out the setup themselves. In fact, it's more their responsibility than the OP's.