My neighbour said my laundry is ruining her view

A woman has revealed she’s living next to the neighbour from hell, who’s complaining about her hanging washing in her own garden. 

The unnamed woman took to British forum Mumsnet, to express disdain for her new neighbour, who she claimed took offence to ‘run of the mill’ laundry that’s apparently ‘ruining’ her view. 

She explained that before her neighbour moved in, everyone got along just fine. But the dispute had since gone so far, that the neighbour threatened to call the council if the issue continued.

She also told of the neighbour’s extreme intolerance to both humans and animals, claiming that if she saw a bird singing, she would ‘start growling to scare it away.’

And in a post that has racked up over 400 comments, many users were quick to sympathise with the woman, and even drew upon their own experiences with intolerable neighbours.

She explained: ‘We have a new neighbour who has complained to me about my laundry hanging on the line ruining her view.’

‘It’s just run of the mill laundry, no crotch-less knickers or bondage gear, so not offensive. At first I ignored her, but she later told me she had photographed it and would complain to the council.’

‘I’m not the only neighbour she has complained to. Another was about his whistling which is piercing her ears, because she has sensitive hearing.’

‘She asked another neighbour to keep his windows and doors closed whilst cooking as it made her nauseous.’

‘It’s not just humans she intolerant of, if a bird is singing, she will start growling to scare it away.’

‘Before she moved here, we all just dodged along fine. Is there any law against hanging washing? ‘I’m not tumble drying our family’s wash when not necessary.’

One person assured her: ‘No, there’s no law against hanging washing and the council won’t have any interest in following up a complaint about it. She sounds like a pain in the a**e. Ignore. She won’t get anywhere with complaining about smells or whistling either.’

Many users were quick to sympathise with the woman, and even drew upon their own experiences with intolerable neighbours

Another added: ‘If the line is in your garden and there are no covenants put in place by developers or conditions of occupancy imposed by whoever owns the property, if it’s not you, then there is nothing she can do. I assume you are in the UK.’

‘If she’s complaining about other people it’s likely she’s going to be “that neighbour.” Best ignored, smile sweetly and carry on.’

Meanwhile, a third said: ‘The council will laugh. Her email will be the subject of much humour, for weeks. Laugh at her. Ask her to send you whatever the council responds with. But mostly just laugh a big cheery “righto!” Laugh.’

‘She’s clearly bats**t’ said another. 

One user shared a personal experience from the opposing point of view: ‘I once lived in a house where a neighbour, despite having a back garden, hung their washing on a rotary drier in the front garden. It did look awful and irritated me but I never said anything.’