Neighbour annoyed at me for asking her not to collect our washing in.

[Firefliesdancing]

I arrived home today to find the washing had disappeared off the line that I’d put out this morning before work. It had rained heavy but I wasn’t too worried as I knew the weather was going to be scorching hot so they would be dry regardless. No note had been left, so looked on our cctv to find the neighbour over the back garden had got her husband to climb over on some ladders and take them in after peering in our back patio doors after realising we wern’t in.

We’ve only spoke to these neighbours a handful of times. It has made us feel slightly uncomfortable as I hate the thought of someone else handling my underwear/clothes/bedding. We went round with a small box of chocolates to say thanks and retrieve them. We asked them not to do it again politely and just leave them out as we have a drier if they can’t get dry naturally, thanked them again and left.

Unfortunately they are smokers (we are not) so our clothes had a whiff of stale smoke on them so rinsed them back through and put them back on the line as it was still boiling hot outside all dried within the hour. Knock on the door 20 minutes later after I’d taken them in. I assumed something was left so wasn’t expecting her to start having a go on the doorstep saying we’re not dirty you know, we did you a favour, not everyone is as nice as us we like to do things for people.

I was a bit taken aback so just said I’m sorry we’re trying to put the kids to bed, again thank you for your kindness and closed the door.

Does anyone else find this behaviour bizarre…maybe it’s the heat, I’m tired and I’ve missed something…is it the norm for people you don’t really know to collect your washing in when it rains?

Yeah. It’s really weird of them.

On the bright side, they absolutely won’t do you any ‘favours’ again.

I had it once! Next door neighbour had took it in while I was out. It was all folded up on her dining table, my underwear folded up neatly like a bow on top of the pile! Right next to where her husband and his friends were having a cuppa tea... Felt so invasive! They ended up being the worst neighbours too, I thought they were the lovely, welcoming, elderly next door neighbours but they turned into the neighbours from hell 😅

In this house, we give next door a quick knock on the back door to let them know it's raining, they do vice versa. We give the other side a knock on the front door as we aren't as close with her but friendly enough.
I just couldn't bring myself to take someone else's washing in, let alone folding it and leaving it out in the open in the communal room! I was only early 20s, didn't need a group of older men sitting around my grungies!

that seems very old fashioned

That's just plain weird. I mean, sure, maybe if it was a shared outdoor space, but they literally climbed into your garden. Who does that?!

So he climbed over your fence to trespass on your property, then took your clean laundry into their smoky house & you’re the weird one?

No. I don’t even want a friendly tap on the window thanks. I have eyes, I can see if it’s raining. My laundry is nobody else’s business.

In this house, we give next door a quick knock on the back door to let them know it's raining, they do vice versa. We give the other side a knock on the front door as we aren't as close with her but friendly enough.

This is nowhere near the same ballpark as OP's issue (which is extra super weird) but is still... a little bit weird.

This isn't normal behaviour. I wouldn't want someone else handling my washing. And then coming round again afterwards? They've got some front!

Hey, I didn't start it, I just followed their lead 😅

That is very weird and also the poster that knocks on the door when it’s raining. Surely people know when it’s raining from seeing the sky rain?!!

I live in a London suburb and we absolutely would not touch each others washing or go in each others gardens or anything of the like.
if my washing had been out for 7 days straight there might be a message on the neighbour group asking if we were on holiday or just checking if we were dead but that’s about it.

They sound nuts! I can’t imagine thinking laundry justifies breaking into someone’s garden, unless it was on fire. It’s particularly weird they didn’t even tell you - if your cctv hadn’t been working you would have had no way of knowing and they could have just kept it

When she came round the second time I wouldn't have been able to stop myself being very rude to her.

I'd have laid into her for trespassing on my property and told her bluntly that I am the one who decides when my washing comes in or stays out, not her or anyone else. She'd be in no doubt that I hadn't appreciated the intrusion.

Quite an old fashioned and not unkind impulse, my mum recounts coming back pushing me in my pram ad realising all her washing was off the line. The elderly neigh our had took it in, ironed and and folded it bless her.

These guys however are in the wrong, it sounds like you did offend them but it's so hard to ask someone not to do it again subtley isn't it, they didn't need to react like that and put you on the spot. Just forget about the interaction if you can op.

Do people really still hang washing out?! I haven’t seen anyone do that for 20+ years! Wow.
I live in a lovely AONB so not in a suburban city or anything, yet clothes stink if they’re hung outside. 🤢 I’ve never understood it.

Making your washing smell of smoke is properly disgusting. I'd probably have said that, I might phrase it a bit nicer, maybe.

Very odd! Am I correct that they took your clothes into their home (after trespassing in your garden)? If you didn't have CCTV, how on earth would you know where they were? When were they planning on letting you know they had your clothes? 😕

It's weird of them. I've never known anyone do this.

I's have washed it again too if they were smokers.

What do clothes stink of if left outside??? Do you live in an industrial town? I hang clothes on a line. The whites stay whiter and they smell fresher the dried inside IMO.

When my mum moved house her new neighbour used to take her milk in off the step, even if mum was at home. She said she took it in at the same time as her own in case someone stole it. Nobody else's went missing! So, mum would have to call round and ask for her milk and then the neighbour would ask her all sorts of nosey questions. Could this be what your neighbours are up to op? Trying to get an excuse to find out all about you for some reason?

Why would clothes stink when hung outside? I really don't understand this at all.

Clothes are hung out everywhere I go and I travel around the country a lot. I refuse to believe you haven't seen washing hung out in 20 years unless you're in America then that makes more sense..

@Mumwithagreenhouse - Every single house with a washing line hangs washing outside!
As pp suggests, I suspect you don’t live in the UK..

That’s one of the weirdest things I’ve heard. Your neighbour should only ever go in your garden with permission or in an absolute emergency. Also, clothes smelling of smoke 🤢

Of couse they do! Washing smells beautiful when its been outside, how odd. Please don't tell me you tumble dry clothes when it's hot like this?

In my village everyone hangs their washing out. The air is lovely and fresh, and the laundry smells wonderful afterwards.

What’s an AONB?

@Sasha07 I’m just wondering how you can knock on your neighbours back door so easily! Is there not a boundary wall / fence between the gardens?