To ask neighbour not to use my washing line

[Sundaycoffee]

My next door neighbours keep using my washing line. They have two of their own lines which are right next to my line but within their boundaries. My washing line starts attached on the wall at the boundary to our property's and crosses slightly over my garden where it is attached at the other end to a concrete post on my property a metre or so inside my boundary.

Being a family of 4 with a lot of washing, they often hang any extra washing that they can't fit on their line on mine.

Disclaimer: I live alone and don't tend to use the line much except for when I wash towels or sheets. My clothes I usually just stick on a clothes horse and put outside the door.
I'm sick of looking outside and seeing their washing hanging across my garden but equally AIBU if I rarely use the line myself and they need that extra bit of space for theirs? 😬

I would be annoyed if someone used the line without permission. Have you asked her not to use yours? You should if it's an issue for you.

You’ll make a rod for your own back. If they’re CF’s this may come back to bite you. I used to live next door to neighbours who were bullies so I’ve been there.

I understand, I like to look out over my garden too, my own laundry only there if and when needed. Who wants to see (other people's) laundry in the garden every day of the week? Not me! So yes, what other people suggested : hook and unhook a washing line when you need it yourself. Your neighbour can easily attach an extra line or use a clotheshorse if needed.

Take the line down. Only put it up when you want to use it.

Are we talking about a culture clash? Do they come from a culture where it would be considered normal behaviour to hang washing on any available line?
If it were mine, I think I would take it down or otherwise disable it so it's not so easily accessible

Buy a rotary airer and keep it collapsed with cover over it and take the other one down

Take whatever is hanging on your line, tye dye it, then hang it back out to dry. That will solve the problem.

This would really annoy me, but I'd probably not say anything for fear of looking like a dick. My neighbours sometimes hang washing over our fence😡

Not relevant.
Surely plenty of posts for yr obsession.

That would annoy me too looking out at the washing. Why can't they just put another line up in their own garden. Can you not put a fence up so you have some privacy.

Take in their clothes and say nothing. Your line your clothes. That should end it.

Dare I say be kind and let them use it?

You would seriously allow a neighbour to enter your garden and use your washing line just because they’d started doing it anyway without permission? I don’t think many people would do this. I’m not sure why the op is being told to open up her private garden to her neighbours!

Seriously this “be kind” shit needs bringing under control

Absolutely,

The people who spout this should open their houses up when out for others to use the facilities after all be kind.

My Nan used to do this for her neighbours. She lived alone for most of her later life, and both her neighbours who had 2-3 kids used her line when theirs was full. No dramas, they were neighbours. If they were opening your gate, walking around your house or down the side to your garden I’d understand, and want an acknowledgment that you were doing them a favour, but it doesn’t sound like they are. Wouldn’t bother me if it didn’t cause me issues.

Clearly this is not really about the washing line, is it?

I’d get a fence asap, next thing the kids will be in your garden and if they get a dog it will be doing its business there.
Bit baffled as to why you don’t have a fence,it’d be first thing I did so could enjoy the garden,but that’s just me.

There’s key factors missing here,

1. When you say boundaries, rather than fences, are there no fences, or anything to clearly mark your gardens out, or do you actually mean they come into your garden through a gate to use it, or lean over a low fence?
2. Do you live in flats/apartments where there is a shared garden and you see your boundaries as in, in line with where your property ends, each side of your flat/apartment?
3. Have you ever allowed them to use it, even once, and like my dear children (in their 20’s) it apparently means it is an eternally open and valid permission until they die?

Wow, people really support people trespassing into someone else’s property and using their private facilities? Astonishing! It’s irrelevant whether OP uses HER own private property or not. What next? They try the car door and if it’s not locked they borrow it to take the kids to school? After all she’s not using it.

OP, as suggested get a retractable or a rotary line that you can keep in the garage until you need it and get a fence put up asap. They are CF’s!

Dare I say be kind and simply give them your garden. Quit your job and take their washing in instead, plus ironing. Mist your plants daily with fabric softener. Dance for them. Proffer grapes.

Is your part of line on a communal garden or your own garden? This makes a huge difference in the situation. If it is you own garden then why not put up a fence, will dampen down the sound of the children, who will play make noise, can’t help that especially in summer time. If it’s a shared/communal garden then it’s a shared washing line and everyone is entitled to use all of it should be equally..

Hardly the same issue. Agree about shared path and byways but I told off next door for hanging their sheets and clothes on our party wall I didn’t want my view to be of someone’s washing rather horrible clothes.

I’d politely ask them not to use your line. I’d be tempted to have the fence installed asap

Don't ask, tell.