Laundry drying outside flat??

[CherriesAndBerries5]

Hi,

i rent and live on the ground floor of a maisonette type flat complex. I live on the end flat (number 6), and you can access the back of the properties by walking to number 1 and around the back.

Our flats are tiny and so I have been leaving my clothes horse to dry outside the front of my garden (as have some other residents).

I’ve now received an email stating that other residents have complained about laundry drying outside the front of the complex (even though I live on the end flat and nobody has to walk past it to get anywhere).

They are stating I should place my clothes horse around the back of the complex out of sight, meaning I would have to wheel it to the end of the complex past flat 1; then around the side of the complex past the car park, then back across so it is in front of my back window.

Does this not seem really unreasonable? Again our flats are tiny and there is really no other space for me to dry my clothes. Plus I have seen other residents use them?

It's a pain but it's not unusual for there to be restrictions on what can be placed/kept in the front of your building. e.g. I cannot keep my wheelie bins on the front drive, they just go out of sight somewhere.

There is other space though, you just have to walk around? Also how do you know other residents haven't received the same letter?

It’s just such an awkward complex that I would have to wheel it 100/200m to get it into a place they’d be happy with

I’d have to go right across and around the whole buildings and car park

50/50. As you have access to an area, they can insist that you use the area.

It can look messy too in a small area.

Gone are the days when sheets dried on washing lines across balconies for all the neighbours to see.

It sounds as though there’s a clause against it in the leases, which you’ll not have had sight of as you’re a tenant. If the management have asked you not to do it then while it’s inconvenient you’ll just have to walk it around the back.

Ludicrous, what the heck is wrong with people complaining about laundry?

I feel sorry for you.

A lot of building managements have what seem to be illogical and overbearing rules about where you can dry laundry, keep bins, have planters etc. When it’s just one person like the OP saying “but nobody has to walk around mine” they seem petty, but it’s easier for management to have one consistent rule for everyone to prevent fifteen different laundry racks being placed at the front causing obstruction and looking a bit tatty.

Can't you get a drier that stays there OP? Or a line you can just tie up then wind away? Sorry if this isn't possible - it's a bit difficult to understand without knowing your setup!

It always amazes me that one persons complaint can create a reaction from 'the powers that be' these days. I personally would carry on - if it is not written in the lease, they can do one.

Possibly a super weird question OP (and I also would have no issue with laundry drying!).....but how big is your window to the back garden?

I'm lazy and would be tempted to climb in and out to access the back. But I do have very low windows.

Unless your tenancy agreement specifically prevents you using that space I would ignore it.

Can you use some kind of screen around it?

Does anyone have a balcony that they use to dry washing? If the complaint holds against you then complain about the balcony being used to dry clothes.

I do. My balcony is 14m long. Washing hangs to dry all summer long.

Problem when you live in close quarters like a flat is that certain standards need to be upheld or the place ends up looking like a dump. One person just wants to leave out laundry, one person wants to leave out bikes, someone else a paddling pool... it just doesn't work.

Management companies have to be strict otherwise the place starts to look scruffy. Oh its just laundry, just just easier for me to leave my bins here.... people need to put in effort to keep it looking smart.

Just walk your drier a little further to take it to the appropriate place.

I meant in the OP’s building - in case the idiots complaining about her win then she could challenge them. I also dry washing outside and inside when raining.

I am a leaseholder and my lease says I can’t hang laundry in my balcony. Maybe your building has similar rules?

We are not supposed to hang laundry on our 5th floor terrace either - even though it disturbs no-one and can't been seen from the street. We still do though.

Apparently this came from a resident complaint. So I’m certain it’s not in the tenancy agreement.

I don’t understand why people can’t just talk anymore. They could have just knocked and asked us to move it rather than going to block management!

I am trying to work out where your flat is compared to the front of the building. If yours overlooks the back but you have to walk all the way round could you ring up a pulley system out a window to a post in the garden and hang it out the window? Ot is it that the bit outside your flat is at the front? I get that it is a pain to walk round but I can also understand that the normal practice is to put washing in back gardens and keep front areas for show. I had my baby when I was in a top floor flat and used to have to strap a baby on my front and carry large loads of laundry down 4 flights of stairs to the back drying green. It was a pain but that was the option I had.

This will be written down somewhere. Is there a management company/factor that you pay a fee too? They might know.

If it is not in any tenancy agreement or rules for the building then the resident will
have to accept looking at your clothes! Or ask the building management if they would prefer the damp clothes drying inside and possibly creating mould?

My friend used to live in a ground floor maisonette and hung her washing out the front. In fact everyday was wash day in her home! I don't understand why people complain, its much better for the environment, people's health and their pocket to dry outside. Maybe it didn't look the best but surely that's not as important as the other things I've mentioned!

I thought it was fairly standard that you don't just hang washing outside the front of flats in everyone's view and instead have a discreet dedicated drying area? In this instance they are simply saying that washing should be dried out of the back rather than out the front. As I understand, this applies equally to all residents, not just you.

Personally I'd put a permanent washing line in the back garden behind your flat, and then put it up and hang washing out the back as needed. Carrying your washing basket 100m to the back isn't really a big deal and a permanent line means no need to wrestle with carrying a clothes horse, and you all benefit from a nice clear area out the front.

I don't think it's an unreasonable ask.