Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
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
Booboobagins · 12/04/2022 20:57

@Cockenspiel

She’s clearly batshit🦇💩
I agree with this comment.

Keep putting your washing out, just make sure you have some visuals on it. People like her can cause tonnes of probs.

Has she bought the house or is she renting? You could all band together and ask for an asbo against her - she is causing disharmony in yiurlittle community after all...

Hyenaormeercat · 12/04/2022 21:07

We moved into a bungalow ( council) . I had fencing put all round the inside of the original chain link fencing to ensure our large 🐕 didn't escape and stop her barking at passers-by.

Neighbour complained he couldn't see her and talk to her .🤣

Notcontent · 12/04/2022 21:17

@sjxoxo

I hate washing lines and find them visually ugly.. I wouldn’t have one and I wouldn’t want my neighbours to have one where I could see their undies from my kitchen haha but I also wouldn’t complain about it to the council! x
It must be a cultural thing because I grew up in Australia where everyone dries their clothes outside. Tumble dryers are terrible for clothes and the environment. And too expensive to use frequently.
Opaljewel · 12/04/2022 21:22

@bloodywhitecat

You need to do this on the next sunny day
Yes hahahaha!
mumda · 12/04/2022 21:28

I'd start investing in novelty washing to hang out.

T-shirts with "My neighbour is insane" on.

It's eco-friendly to hang washing out.

AnneElliott · 12/04/2022 21:29

Ignore her - she's that neighbour! The council will have a laugh about her complaints so tell her to crack on with them.

Original poster
Afrodizzyak · 12/04/2022 21:29

My washing is on a line, propped up about 7 feet, the length of the props bought from Amazon.

OP posts:
OfstedOffred · 12/04/2022 21:37

Tbf 7 feet is a bit higher up than is standard which probably makes it stand out. Is the whole line 7ft high? Is there a reason it needs to be 7ft high? Most people I know use a rotary max 6ft or so.

If the fence is 6ft or so can you simply drop the prop so it's at 6ft?

ZoyaTheDestroyer · 12/04/2022 21:40

I can’t visualise how you hang washing on seven foot line. Do you stand on something?!

RosiePosieDozy · 12/04/2022 21:40

Ignore. Keep hanging your washing out.

VerbenaGirl · 12/04/2022 21:42

Bonkers! I’m sure that complaint gave someone at the Council a good laugh.

PollyPutTheKettleOnKettleOn · 12/04/2022 21:43

I would complain to her about her growling at birds.

a1poshpaws · 12/04/2022 21:44

I rather think your neighbour has mental health issues. (Possibly just a politer way of saying yes, she's bat shit crazy!)

RosiePosieDozy · 12/04/2022 21:45

I do think you need to lower the line though as pps have said. It's strange to have it over 6ft high. I don't know anyone who does this.

Hawkins001 · 12/04/2022 21:45

@Afrodizzyak

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.
What would happen, if you did put the "intriguing" items on the line ?
Neverendingmindfuck · 12/04/2022 21:45

Sounds like bats in the belfy to me.....
I would download birdsong and play it loudly with the window open and go out.
Really confuse her. She can spend the day growling at herself 🤣

C25kBecky · 12/04/2022 21:48

Can you get a little electrical bird/thing that plays birdsong and hide it behind your fence but up near her windows/door? 😂

Growling at birds is insane.

Guineapigssweak · 12/04/2022 21:48

Are you seriously asking that question ⁉️ Now please you know there isn't ! Just tell her to do one she is obviously a nutter.

sjxoxo · 12/04/2022 22:04

I knew I’d get flamed but I just think they look ugly 😂 I’m too much a prude to hang out my washing & I’d not enjoy seeing my neighbours undies is all I meant. They just remind me of my grandmas house sorry op 😂 I deffo wouldn’t complain about it to my neighbours or the council though! Your neighbour is mad I’m not in disagreement with that but equally I do still hate washing lines! If you do put out some fetishised gear pls post a pic update 😂X

Rosebuud · 12/04/2022 22:10

Why’s it so high op? That’s likely part of the issue to be fair.

I also think they look ugly, I think as I grew up in a flat I never grew up putting the washing out, no one did, it would have been nicked.

I still dont do it now and don’t like it, and none of my friends or neighbours do it either. Some, Inc myself occasionally put an airing horse out the back, but I’ve never actually been to anyones house where anyone had an actual washing line or whirly gig for ages.

There was a whirly gig when we moved in here, I removed it pronto. I don’t Tumble dry anything either. It normally goes in the spare room in an airing horse and dries quickly, 🤷‍♀️

ickky · 12/04/2022 22:15

I think I found the batshit neighbour. Is this her OP?

www.express.co.uk/news/uk/317614/Neighbours-at-war-over-height-of-a-washing-line

Also 7ft high washing line is fine and not in any way breaking any laws.

SucculentChalice · 12/04/2022 22:17

I wonder if my previous neighbours has moved next to you? She complained about strange things that you wouldn't imagine people would possibly complain about.

She made a huge fuss when the Royal Mail mis-delivered a parcel to her house (which she had stupidly named very similarly to our much older house) and she wanted us to "speak personally to the postman to ensure this didn't happen again". We pointed out that we regularly posted her mis-delivered letters through her letterbox.

She complained about me causing wear and tear on my driveway which I owned (which she only had a right of access over) because I owned a car and she didn't.

She complained about normal countryside smells from neighbouring fields (what she expected me to do about them I don't know) and various smells in general (it was clear she was delusional as no-one else could smell them) and the very faint sound of a crow scarer. She lived with all her curtains closed 24/7, presumably to block out any sights which might offend her.

She complained that her 1/3 share of maintenance for the driveway was too much as she lived on her own and she persuaded the other neighbours to feel sorry for her and agree to her paying only 1/6, only for me to start getting her parents' mail mis-delivered to me a few weeks later because they'd moved in with her!

She did move away a couple of months ago, but not before blocking my drive with her skip! Thankfully she is gone now, I heard she was moving back to London or the outskirts...

gamerchick · 12/04/2022 22:17

It's just your turn. Ignore her, she has enough to put up with living inside her own head.

Kate0902900908 · 12/04/2022 22:19

I have the same neighbour. Ignore her completely. Let her report your washing 😂 there’s no law against it and next time she says anything ask her how the complaint is going because you are really looking forward to getting a dryer. Piss her right off.
My neighbour complained my garage being an at home gym is frightening her. Smoke from another neighbours BBQ ended up in her kitchen cupboard a week later. The meowing of a local cat near her garden caused her to have a panic attack and a car who turned in the street had to be reported to police as it was turning suspiciously. 😂
I’ll take a wild guess and say she lives alone or with husband who doesn’t speak. Has no visitors and doesn’t go out much. Spinster syndrome. It’s a really thing.

Surreyhillsmamatobe · 12/04/2022 22:21

@PinkSyCo

if a bird is singing, she will start growling to scare it away.

I don’t know why this amused me so much but 🤣🤣🤣
Ignore the miserable cow and just be glad you’re not her. Must be exhausting to hate everyone and everything so much.

And me. I’ve been chuckling away to myself since I read it!