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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

My washing line annoying neighbour

407 replies

Afrodizzyak · 12/04/2022 16:21

We have a new neighbour who has complained to me about my laundry hanging on the line ruining her view. It's just run of the mill laundry, no crutchless knickers or bondage gear, so not offensive. At first I ignored her, but she later told me she had photographed it and would complain to council.
I'm not the only neighbour she has complained to, another about his whistling, which is piercing her ears, having sensitive hearing and she asked another neighbour to keep his windows and doors closed whilst cooking as it made her nauseous.
It's not just humans she intolerant of, if a bird is singing, she will start growling to scare it away.
Before she moved here, we all just dodged along fine.
Is there any law against hanging washing? I'm not tumble drying our family's wash when not necessary.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
8
StoneofDestiny · 13/04/2022 20:17

Ignore her and get on with your life. She clearly has issues that are not just about you.

Snowflakes1122 · 13/04/2022 20:21

YANBU.

But please do out some crutchless knickers and bondage gear out on the line. The reaction would be worth it Grin

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 13/04/2022 20:23

I would speak to your neighbour and demand an explanation as why their TV aerial is always looking into your garden.

April506 · 13/04/2022 20:32

Shes a total utter loony. Band together with your neighbours playing whistling music and cook a lovely big curry outdoors in the garden ...

Airfriedpotatowitch · 13/04/2022 20:33

Hahahaha report her for growling

Lalliella · 13/04/2022 20:36

@Georgeskitchen

You should add this one to the Cheeky f**ker thread. It's absolute gold 🤣🤣
Link please @Georgeskitchen 😊
Dnaltocs · 13/04/2022 20:58

YouTube birds songs playing may be what’s needed for her to move home.
Why are some folk really nasty?

Lincslady53 · 13/04/2022 21:01

Not a lot of sympathy here for someone who clearly has MH issues. It isn't pleasant, living next door to someone with such obvious issues, but baiting her as many have suggested is a cruel and heartless route to take.

NotQuiteHere · 13/04/2022 21:14

Take some pity OP

She is obviously very sensitive to sounds, smells, views. Her life is a nightmare, she deserves compassion.

rosesandbees · 13/04/2022 21:15

@Afrodizzyak

An update, as was chatting to my lovely whistling neighbour and his wife on my way home today. He told me he was looking for a Roger Whittaker (famous whistler) cd on eBay. He also informed me that neighbours living at back of us(perfectly respectable family) received a letter poked through their letter box unsigned. Author asked if they could oil their back door as it sounds like a cat screaming and interrupting her sleep. If she doesn't get enough rest it could stop her ovulating. The letter was decorated with drawings of cat's faces, one with a speech bubble saying hello. You can imagine our reactions.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 I’m sorry that you have such a batty neighbour. Thank you for sharing this it has made my day! The only light at the end of the tunnel is that they are renting. Perhaps next time she complains you could suggest that they move to a detached cottage in the middle of nowhere so no one can disturb her and she won’t have to look at anyone else’s washing!
Bebethany · 13/04/2022 21:29

@ Afrodizzyak tell her to go and live on an island, she’s being unrealistic and unreasonable. Take no notice of the lunatic!

Fraaahnces · 13/04/2022 21:45

You need to send a letter back with a list of islands for sale

Kjpt140v · 13/04/2022 22:44

Nuts, bugger her off.

jade9390 · 13/04/2022 22:57

Ha ha there is nothing she can do about your washing, cooking or whistling as all are reasonable behaviour. I wonder who she talks to, as she cannot have any friends.

SingleMomDevon · 13/04/2022 23:02

Id report her to her landlord!

What does her DP make of all this?

I'm sure there are laws protecting nesting birds, might be worth looking up!

AmberMcAmber · 13/04/2022 23:10

The council won’t do anything - and she should be careful photographing other people’s property - and relentlessly complaining about them because it kinda looks like harassment/stalking etc (obvi not any single incident but as a pattern)

Spanglemum · 13/04/2022 23:11

I must admit it does sound like she has sound sort of sound sensitivity and/or MH problems. I think @sugarrosepetal makes a sensible suggestion but others might disagree. What's her partner like? Could you ask them if she's alright?

worriedaboutmoney2022 · 13/04/2022 23:37

@bloodywhitecat

You need to do this on the next sunny day
Brilliant
Insanelysilver · 14/04/2022 00:33

Lordy she sounds like she’s crazier than a box of frogs!
I thought the lady living behind my daughters house was nutty after she went mental about some drops of water from a sprinkler landing on her shed roof. She was so incensed she put a big paper sign on the fence behind. Ironically it was hard to read it as the ink was running from the pouring rain which was making her shed way wetter than the few drops from the sprinkler lol
But your neighbour makes this lady seem pretty normal 😂

TigerLilyTail · 14/04/2022 01:29

@NotQuiteHere

Take some pity OP

She is obviously very sensitive to sounds, smells, views. Her life is a nightmare, she deserves compassion.

I have misophonia. There are certain noises that I really struggle with, but things like singing birds and flapping washing can’t be controlled, so you have to find ways to manage that aversion. Things like wind chimes of water features, it would be more reasonable to explain you have a medical condition and ask for consideration, if possible.
Fraaahnces · 14/04/2022 02:42

Does she have a little girl? Do you? I’m sure I wouldn’t hate you, but I’m pretty sure I’d hate her enough to learn the bagpipes or develop a passion for the sousaphone…

My washing line annoying neighbour
KosherDill · 14/04/2022 02:49

@NotQuiteHere

Take some pity OP

She is obviously very sensitive to sounds, smells, views. Her life is a nightmare, she deserves compassion.

It's her responsibility to seek professional health, not lump her issues on to neighbours. She's a self-centered arse.

TigerLilyTail · 14/04/2022 03:17

I do agree that there's no need to be nasty about things though by deliberately making noise to annoy her. Just go about your lives as usual and leave her be.

Ikeptgoing · 14/04/2022 05:10

@Spanglemum

I must admit it does sound like she has sound sort of sound sensitivity and/or MH problems. I think *@sugarrosepetal* makes a sensible suggestion but others might disagree. What's her partner like? Could you ask them if she's alright?
It's already been explained how *@sugarrosepetal* 's "advice" is inappropriate

Adults health and care (adult services) are far too busy on real life crises to "go round and talk to her about her behaviour" or "educate her" when it is a civil matter and nowhere near Care Act criteria (nor any of their business) - and so are the borough councils who deal with major infractions of housing and EH law etc..
Any reports about this issue as it is described, will be given the gravitas it requires Wink (of inappropriate referral / NFA.)
Also You can't just refer someone to Adult services without their consent or any actual needs nor serious risk of harm !! None of which this is. The NDN can articulate her wishes, she can seek help if she chooses to, regarding how she finds it difficult to cope with life's irritations of bird song, washing, squeezing door frames and whistling. It doesn't sound serious MH problems and you can't diagnose autism from what has been described (!!)
I really despair of what PPs think social care and nhs agencies have responsibility to deal with. (Ie. It isn't minor civil matters and low level intolerant behaviour of neighbours)
Other advice has been better which is to ignore NDN (and put it down to her being somewhat unusual in her requests), and ultimately to ask her to stop knocking as it's NOHB if a neighbour has washing out on a line in their own back garden.