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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

I dry my laundry in my garden and my neighbour is really unhappy about it

703 replies

WashingWoes · 20/06/2025 13:33

I really don’t think I’m in the wrong here but keen for opinions which I will take onboard if I come off as unreasonable.
I live in an end-terrace house. Neighbour is attached to me. I peg my washing out to dry on good days. We are a family of four, lots of laundry and I much prefer to peg out than use the (expensive and environmentally unfriendly) drier. My neighbour HATES me for drying my laundry in my garden. Relentless comments about how she can’t enjoy looking at her garden from her bedroom window because she can see my (clean) laundry. About how it’s spoiling her enjoyment of her garden. Why can’t I just use the drier, for everyone’s benefit (not mine, see: bills; climate change…). It’s bad manners to dry ‘smalls’ outside - her husband might see my ‘undergarments’ … honestly it’s relentless. I recently received a birthday card from them (very kind, and appreciated) which said ‘Happy Birthday WashingWoes, we really love seeing your washing on the line, have a lovely birthday’. Please reassure me that I’m normal and neighbours are barmy?

OP posts:
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JackJarvisEsq · 20/06/2025 17:53

Unless it’s written into your deeds or lease (my brother had this) then absolutely hang it out.

we should all do this as much as we can for a) the environment and b) to prevent moisture issues in our homes

countrygirl99 · 20/06/2025 17:54

babyproblems · 20/06/2025 16:24

honestly I would say it’s ok in the week and things like bedding, towels, jumpers, jeans ok. I would assume people would be using their gardens in more at the weekends and I’d try to be considerate to that I suppose. I wouldn’t hang my underwear out! which my neighbour does and I always think it’s a bit manky tbh! I only hang out bedding in the sun occasionally but it’s still not visible really for our neighbours or from the street.

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Oh god there are times I really miss the laugh reaction emoji

possomblossom · 20/06/2025 17:58

SameDayNewName · 20/06/2025 13:56

This is one of the strangest AIBUs I've ever seen on MN... and the competition is high! Drying laundry is maybe the most normal, unremarkable thing people do. Literally every family has done it, on every continent, since the beginning of time... and 99% of it, would have been dried outside.

It's like if she were complaining that you drank water or cooked hot food.

.

yikesanotherbooboo · 20/06/2025 17:59

I can’t believe that anyone has this attitude in this day and age. It is boiling hot at the moment, using electricity to dry clothes is unethical in the extreme. I have never had a dryer and love drying outside on any dry day.
When was a child in the 60s/70s I can remember adults whispering about leaving ‘smalls’ out for all to see but even those days it was a rather Hyacinth Bucket attitude.

Thepeopleversuswork · 20/06/2025 17:59

My ex husband used to hate me hanging washing in the garden because he said it made it look like we were living in a Third World slum. I laughed in his face and did it anyway.

You can't win with people like this: if you accede to any of their demands they'll move onto the next thing. Hold the line and grey rock her.

BurntBroccoli · 20/06/2025 17:59

Unhinged!
Enjoy your lovely clean washing!

LyndaSnellsSniff · 20/06/2025 18:00

When we moved into our current house, our neighbour told me that her husband had expressed surprise that we put washing on the line. Apparently, the previous owners had never done it! Which would explain why the retractable washing line was covered in 10 billion spiders webs. The neighbours never ever put washing out.

dizzydizzydizzy · 20/06/2025 18:00

Your neighbour is ridiculous, OP. YANBU.

I had an idiotic friend who dried everything in the drier because she didn’t want to upset the neighbours by hanging her washing outside.

She moved to the Isle of Wight earlier this year. Perhaps she has moved in next door to you? Do you live on the Isle of Wight?

Original poster
WashingWoes · 20/06/2025 18:00

babyproblems · 20/06/2025 16:47

@ThatCyanCat france! I definitely think public appearances here are given much more importance. I am also a little bit worried about their building work but that’s between them and the council. I suppose for me actually it’s what it says about them that they’ll hang their undies out - sometimes in the front garden sometimes at the back; when it’s so visible! It makes me think they don’t care about other people’s opinions and then coupled with the state of their house compared to the rest of the neighbourhood now I think it doesn’t look great on them.

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Oh my days, hang on, people wear UNDERWEAR! Oh the shame, how utterly disgusting…

OP posts:
notsobeachready · 20/06/2025 18:01

Omg if I didn't know someone who would be this kind of ridiculous I would think this was a joke.
You are well within your right to dry your clothes on your own washing line 🤣🤣🤣
Absolute CF neighbour in this case.
Start hanging ridiculous things on the wash line, see how upset they would get at having a batman costume airing out there 🤣

BurntBroccoli · 20/06/2025 18:01

MyCyanReader · 20/06/2025 17:47

@WashingWoes I got rid of my tumble dryer as it was too expensive to run and so bad for the environment. Line drying always or if it's very wet then in the bathroom with dehumidifier running.

You should have some fun with this. Start a collection of very naughty knickers then put them all out on the line!

Oh I’d definitely do this 😈

AmelieSummer25 · 20/06/2025 18:01

WashingWoes · 20/06/2025 13:38

Thanks guys - just wanted to check that drying laundry was still acceptable. I’ve discussed this with a friend who suggested going to Anne Summers and buying some filthy/delicious crotchless articles to peg out…

Avoid the edible ones!

OnlyHasEyesForLoki · 20/06/2025 18:02

This thread has made me laugh and my Leeds born Nan Hilda (pronounced Our ‘ilda) born I think in c1909, was obsessed with pegging out but not on a Sunday - because of God 🤣🤣🤣

I also love pegging out and have a double washing line under the carport at the side of my house - with my knickers on show to the bus that passes every hour. I have no shame!

UsernameShmusername2024 · 20/06/2025 18:03

What on earth could her problem be?! Absolutely mad and damn rude with it, ignore her. Of course drying your washing on the line is better than using a tumble dryer! And regardless, it's your garden - honestly can't even guess at why it bothers her??
My mam often says how much she loves the sight of washing on a clothes line, to the extent that when my DH made her a piece of art for her birthday once it included a washing line with clothes on 😅

Happyflower12345 · 20/06/2025 18:03

Tell her to put a higher fence/trellis up on her side of the wall/fence if she's so bothered.

Pandimoanymum · 20/06/2025 18:04

What does she think people used to do before they had dryers?! My mum's generation had to wash their sanitary pads and hang them on the line. Everyone did, there were no tampons or disposable pads in the 1930s! She said her dad used to come home from work, look at them all fluttering on the line and joke about it being "flag day" 😂 No embarrassment, it's just what normal people had to do.
This neighbour sounds nuts.

Fairyfae · 20/06/2025 18:05

You have a control freak nuts neighbour like ours. Please ignore. I second burntlemons comment on page 1. This 100% and all the other comments . Having gone through exactly the same recently with cf neighbour from hell ive had a laugh at some of the suggestions.

Please don't rise to it Op or she will start doing and saying more things just ignore and cut off. Keep hanging that washing out xx

katseyes7 · 20/06/2025 18:05

I'd be inclined to tell her if her husband's so inflamed by the sight of your skimpies on the washing line, she needs to up her game.
That's absolutely ridiculous.

bombastix · 20/06/2025 18:05

Well she’s unhinged, so take no notice.

Drying clothes outside is much better than using an electric dryer, smell better, last longer

Alwaysdancinginthemoonlight · 20/06/2025 18:06

Sthoremouse · 20/06/2025 16:28

Who the fuck voted YABU?!

YANBU op, I'd hang more washing out to deliberately annoy her, maybe get one of those tacky shower curtains people use in their gardens and a few wind chimes.

My guess is OPs neighbour 😂

AmelieSummer25 · 20/06/2025 18:06

WashingWoes · 20/06/2025 13:43

See, this might be the crooks of it. She behaves like she’s our landlord, has done since we moved in. She once told me that there was a hierarchy on the terrace and that we are at the bottom because we are the most recent to move in and the youngest. We’ve lived here 10 years. Not that that matters, if we’d been here 10 minutes there is still no hierarchy! Ridiculous

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You needed further proof she's unhinged.

'beryl, do shut the fuck up'

littlefireseverywhere · 20/06/2025 18:08

They’re insane! Dry away!! I do, so much better for clothes, environment, cost etc

MrsBroccolini · 20/06/2025 18:11

AngelicKaty · 20/06/2025 14:29

@WashingWoes YANBU OP, even though you make me feel even more guilty than I already do. I use my tumble drier even on the hottest days because I like my towels to be soft - even with conditioner they seem to turn into sandpaper when line dried (yes, I know, I should be hanged, drawn and quartered for such an offence to the environment and I don't feel good about it). My neighbours, however, put their laundry out every day - even when rain is forecast - which I can see from my bedroom window, but it doesn't bother me one jot. There's nothing offensive about a line of clean washing hanging out. Your neighbour's very odd - she sounds like a "Hyacinth Bouquet/Bucket" type - is she much older than you OP?. If she wants to enjoy looking at her garden that's what she should do - not look at your washing line!
Oh, and the birthday card - how passive/aggressive can you get? And she's still doing this when you've been neighbours for TEN years? My God the woman's got stamina for a cause - what a pity it's not an important one! On 25th December see if you can peg out your washing so that it spells "Happy Christmas Hyacinth!" 😂

What I do is I put the towels in the drier for 10/15 mins and THEN hang out. Definitely means they're not sandpapery, but not sure if they'd be fluffy enough for you!

Wynter25 · 20/06/2025 18:12

She's batshit. YADNBU X

Growlybear83 · 20/06/2025 18:12

Your neighbour is barking mad. Why would anyone use a tumble drier out of choice if they are able to hang their laundry outside?

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