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Original poster

Are you allowed to dry your washing outside?

21 replies

tacticalfloosy · 07/05/2010 21:26

Erm, bear with me.... Years ago now I should think, there was a thread about drying washing on here, and i distinctly remember two posters saying that there were actual rules in their estates/areas that prevented them from drying clothes outside. i can't remember at this distance whether they were in the uk.

I'd like to know if there are places where there is a rule like that in the UK. is that so where you live, or somewhere that you know of?

OP posts:
whomovedmychocolate · 07/05/2010 21:28

I think there are some private housing estates which have such rules.

Personally I think it's barking.

onepieceoflollipop · 07/05/2010 21:31

Perhaps if you live in an apartment with communal/shared gardens there might be a rule?

Some people think it is "common" to hang washing outside. My mil will not hang washing on the line if she has visitors. No idea why, I'm sure the vicar/neighbour wouldn't faint at the sight of a few teatowels/pairs of tights.

bibbitybobbityhat · 07/05/2010 21:31

I used to work for The Cadogan Estate in Chelsea and the residents of flats were not allowed to dry their washing outside on balconies or in the communal gardens. It was an express condition of their leases, whether they were leaseholders or on ASTs.

I think you would find this is a common rule in many of the more upmarket (dare I say it) estates of central London.

LadyBlaBlah · 07/05/2010 21:33

How common, drying your washing inside

onepieceoflollipop · 07/05/2010 21:35

see post 4 - I did a little search

flossie64 · 07/05/2010 21:39

There is an estate /development near us just outside Lincoln where they have this rule. Also they are not allowed to fence off the bottom of their gardens, which is ridiculous considering they lead straight out onto a marina/canal.

Meglet · 07/05/2010 21:40

I hate having my washing drying inside. The dc's just yank all the clothes off the airer.

Even if it's raining / dark I often just put it on the line.

A nice line of washing looks lovely

And blows the creases out

expatinscotland · 07/05/2010 21:41

We stayed in a miniscule self-catering lodge with a huge deck and the holiday park didn't allow drying washing outdoors.

Stooooopid.

TooPragmatic · 07/05/2010 21:42

When I was 18 and living in Canada, my flatmate and I put our laundry out to dry one morning. Within a few hours, the neighbour had sent her teenage son to let us know that it wasn't really the done thing to hang laundry out in a communal garden on a Sunday. ditto having building work done on a Sunday. let's just say it was a 'precious' town!

onepieceoflollipop · 07/05/2010 21:42

If I was on holiday I think I would find it hard to resist the temptation to put a few towels/cossies out to air.

Different if you chose to buy/rent a place permanently where the rule was no laundry outside. Don't think I would make that choice unless there was no other realistic option.

Original poster
tacticalfloosy · 07/05/2010 21:43

ah you lovely people, thank you.

I'm going to have a litle think about a campaign on this - will have to find out who it affects, and then maybe write to every MP and every councillor in the affected areas). i would be the last person to force anyone to dry washing outside if they don't want to (and the electricity difference between tumble drying a load and drying it over the radiators + ironing it is only about 25%) but I don't think any UK citizen who WANTS to dry washing outside should be prevented from doing so by red tape and regulation.

[does that sound Tory enough for our brave new world?]

OP posts:
Pancakeflipper · 07/05/2010 21:43

I love my washing being outside - it smells fresh. Tumble dryers/ radiators and indoor drying racks just don't have that gorgeous smell

Original poster
tacticalfloosy · 07/05/2010 21:44

expat, where was that self-catering place if you don't mind my asking? could you give the county, if you don't want to give more specific info?

OP posts:
expatinscotland · 07/05/2010 21:45

it was in Perthshire.

Original poster
tacticalfloosy · 07/05/2010 21:47

ta

OP posts:
nannyl · 08/05/2010 17:40

we have friends who live by the sea...

when you go for a walk around the millpond you can see their gardens...
it is in the deeds that they can NEVER hang out washing on a Sunday! (but can on other days)

On the other hand where we live... we are the end of the terrace, we have our own garden and the rest of the houses (4 other) share the other bit (a piece of concrete, each with a washing line to their house)

anyway they have the right to hand their washing in our garden!!! (they dont exercise this right though!)
again in our deeds!

ticktockclock · 08/05/2010 17:45

We lived in an estate in West London and we could not hang washing out in the garden. We also had to get permission from the board for my DH to park his work van in the drive!

SuSylvester · 08/05/2010 17:45

ALLOWED?

MrsDinky · 08/05/2010 18:13

I used to put mine on a clothes airer in the front bedroom in front of the window, my mum told me I shouldn't as it looked odd and the nieghbours might not like it, spoil the look of the street etc. She's not a snob at all, so this really surprised me, I would never have thought of this.

Beasknees · 08/05/2010 18:19

We can hang out washing where i live but very few of my neighbours do, even when the weather is gorgeous and sunny, but i've noticed that my neighbours (family of 5 with 3 grown up/teenage sons) never have more than 10 pieces of washing out and never any undies /socks or 'jamas. What's that all about?

BigBadMummy · 08/05/2010 18:22

It will be a restriction set down in a superior lease.

Lots of newer developments don't allow washing to be dried on balconies because the developer thinks it cheapens the area or looks crappy.

Not a view I hold, of course.

My parents have such a restriction on their place in London.

If you don't live in a property with a superior lease (ie you don't live in a flat) you will be fine.

By the way in Germany it is illegal to cut your grass on a Sunday

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