Neighbours and washing lines

[Suburbanswings]

Hi all,

We live on an estate of flats and masionettes with shared communal washing lines. It says in the lease that we must hang washing outdoors and this is enforced by fellow residents - this is not a problem for us as we prefer to hang out washing outside anyway.

We have recently been told by a retired neighbour who lives close to the washing lines to not put our washing out overnight because the foxes play with the washing and keep him up. There are a lot of foxes at all times of the day on the estate and an endless number of things they can amuse themselves with. We have hung washing out overnight and never noticed it pulled off or damaged. We do live further away from the washing lines. My partner and I work unusual hours and sometimes we just need to hang our washing out overnight. Today we tried to communicate that we were unfortunately only able to hang it out now, and he then called us selfish and went back into his property. He did not try and agree any compromise or alternative arrangement.

We intend to try our best to hang washing out during the day, but when not possible, to hang it out overnight.

AIBU?

What a load of rubbish ! Who told you that ?
People looking through windows ? They’d get the finger from me.
So what if they knock on your door ? You don’t need to let them in !
How do you dry washing in winter or when it’s raining ? Impossible unless you dry inside. (Not everything can go in a tumble dryer)

Haha and spider willies on it too

Just ignore him. It’s nothing to do with him. do the old killing with mindless routine. Big smile and “good morning Mr Smith!” Whenever you see him.

that being said I wouldn’t leave my washing out overnight. It doesn’t dry very well. Even on dry nights the dew can wet it again. Something I find useful is the delay start function on my washing machine. I put it on at night, delay start to start at 6am. At 7am it is spinning as im getting up. I hang it out before work and bring it in after.

Ignore him and don’t apologise to him - you’ve done nothing wrong.

also what do you do in winter? Or in the rain? I’d just have a clothes horse, how would they know?

I sometimes hang washing out overnight if it's going to be a nice day the following day. It's usually dry by the time I get out to it. We also have foxes in the neighbourhood, and I can't say I have ever noticed anything amiss with my washing in the morning.

It does mess with the security light though, so I have to remember to turn that off.

I also really want to know what you do when it's raining / in the winter?!!

I put my washing out over night all the time and get in following evening so I'd be doing the same as you (when it's sunny!)

I often hang mine out overnight. Can’t be arsed to hang it out before work in the morning

Im also curious and also where do you live? Where I live in never stops raining and only about three months of the year can you hang washing outside after 5 pm even in good weather because the air is too damp. Or it’s so windy the washing gets blown off the line.

I'd get a clothes horse and put it outside the front door.

I think this is a fair point, in winter we would just have to suck it up and hang it out during the day, but whilst it's nice in the summer or autumn it's good to have the option to hang it overnight.

Someone going round looking through windows to check for clothes drying?
No, no, no you’re going to have to do better than that OP.
😂😂😂

Like fuck do staff get sent round to stare through your windows looking for evidence of clothes horses. The mere idea is ridiculous.

You can always stand it in the bath/bathroom and it really won't be seen there.

You really will have to have some sort of contingency like that for when we get really wet weather or the middle of winter. Clothes may well just not dry at all outside then.

And to be clear, we often hang it out during the day, just when it's convenient we would like to be able to do it at night!

I've always hung out my washing outside in the winter and just made do with the weather... But to each their own!

But if it rains for days and days, how do you dry your washing then?

You just wait until the weather fines up, or occasionally hang washing inside yes, but it's not what I would do 95% of the time.

But it doesn’t always dry outside in the winter because it’s often too cold or damp. I can’t believe they expect you to not dry your own washing in your own home. I would completely ignore this ridiculous room. Like a pp says stick it in bathroom. But no one would be looking through your windows- what a breach of privacy!

I’d put it in the line if the weather looked good, irrespective of the time of day. Clothes can dry on a line overnight

I put my washing out last night and it was ready to come in by the time I was up and about at about 9am.

If foxes are a problem can the residents do anything about them as the washing is not the actual cause of the complaint is it? Presumably if you could keep foxes away he'd have no issue?

We have an elderly neighbour like this, a complete fuss budget who checks the washing every 10 minutes and anything that appears to be dry he takes in.
Has to fanny around in the garden if I'm out there and peers around the kitchen door A LOT before shutting it very quietly.
Normally he just slams it.
This is outting but I don't give a shit.

You and your husband can hang your washing out when it suits you and not when the net-curtain-nit-picker tells you to.

He needs to keep his nose in his own buisness and out of your washing, its absalutely none of his buisness.

Next time, he blurts out another load of gobledeygook, just threaten him with reporting him as if he continues he's heading for an asbo.

That's no way fixes are playing with your washing. We have foxes because the idiot next door feeds them, we also have CCTV and hang washing out overnight, the fixes have never shown any interest. Pot plants, yes, any toys left out yes, footballs definitely. The foxes are making noise because foxes make noise. Also in a situation with shared washing lines I'd prefer a neighbour who hangs out over night than one who hangs out first thing then goes to work for 8-9 hours blocking the line for anyone else to use. I got 4 loads dry outside on Saturday, in this weather dry and blowy it's done in a couple of hours.

People looking through your windows to check if you've hung your washing on a clothes horse? That's the most hilarious thing I've ever read on here 🤣🤣🤣

Hanging washing over balconies is often not allowed but hanging washing in your own home is perfectly fine.

Leaving washing out overnight isn't something I'd ever do. I'm not keen on hanging it out at all to be honest. Towels go crispy and everything gets covered in creepy crawlies and bird poo! As energy bills have gone higher I've had to do it in an attempt to save money (don't use tumble dryer any more) but overnight? No way.

If it's causing problems for your neighbours you should stop doing it.

🤣🤣🤣

My washing is out as we speak and I don't mind it getting darked on tonight.

I have never heard of foxes playing with laundry either. I would do what you want, it's usually more convenient for me to hang out my washing in an evening if rain isn't forecast than rushing before work the next day.