Neighbor complains about us hanging cloths to dry (washed clothing) in the backyard

One of my next door neighbor complains how our family hangs out clothing outside to dry during the day.

My neighbors (both sides) has a really high fence and to see our back yard or theirs, they have to look out their bedroom windows.

We only hang the washed clothing outside during weekdays working hours.

So apparently today he was at home sick, and he came over knocking on our door saying "it is very in appropriate to hang your clothing to dry outside in the back yard" and told me he will call the city and complain if i don't remove immediately.

My parents and I have been doing it since around the beginning of summer (starting of June to be exact). and since it's almost the end of summer, ~ 1 - 2 months left of warmth during the day.


What should be done? ... will the city do anything about this? I am not hanging out underwear, bras or anything personal and the only way for them to see if I did hang out underwear if if they had binoculars.

We live in a detached home.

So long as there are no bylaws (and yes some cities have them, something about wanting a "uniform" look among houses, etc), they can't do anything.

I just looked through the by-laws of my city (Mississauga), I have not found anything about what I am doing.

Source:
http://www.mississauga.ca/portal/cityhall/bylaws

Unless I am missing something

I thought Ontario made it so that subdivisions/bylaws can no longer say we can't hang out clothing since they want us to save energy and hanging clothes to dry saves energy

That's ridiculous! Let him complain to the city, they will probably laugh in his face.

Offer to make him some chicken soup and wish him a speedy recovery. I would tell him you are conserving energy by hanging up your laundry and encourage him to do the same. And thank him for his concern....you could ask him to become the neighbourhood watch for your laundry. :)

The province of Ontario lifted bans on clothes lines in 2008.
http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/TopStories...es_ban_080418/


Unless you agreed not to as part of a condo association/homeowners association agreement thus waiving this right - there is very little your neighbour can do
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We have no bylaws here in Montreal north but some of the west Island cummunities have this. Idiots.

Talk about big brother. Sheesh.

You are doing nothing wrong. Let him call the city. They'll probably just laugh at him. And what's in your yard is none of his business. Why is he even looking over there?

Ask him what he was looking for in your backyard :)

Best to call city hall and ask - I did some googling and Mississauga did have a clothesline bylaw, they weren't allowed - but I could only find info from several years ago, nothing current. As the other poster said, there is a new provincial regulation which may superceed any local bylaw.


SO if your neighbour didn't know there was a change, don't beat him down too much... just inform him nicely about the law once you find out for sure what it is.

And it doesn't matter what goes out on a clothesline - we have one, though it doesn't slope up too high toward the alley, and I put my granny panties out there if anyone cares to look! There's a house across the alley and down a bit -they have two huge clotheslines which go up quite high - and they do put out delicates, too!

I have always hung my laundry-everything! Too bad for him..don't stop.. you are helping the environment and saving money! Print him the ontario bylaws and put it in his mail box. Then I am sure it will be finished :) (from FallenPixels)
http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/TopStories...es_ban_080418/

I live in Mississauga and we hang our clothes in our yard everyday to dry...so do all our neighbors. The condo corp we live in has no law against this nor does the city of Mississauga. Your neighbor is a tool and you shoul dlet him call the city so they can laugh at him...gawd some ppl are such ...*insert mean word* haha

This is why I love living in the country=)

Yeah I heard alot of crazy things from my cousin and his boyfriend; they bought a new house in a brampton subdivison and they can't hangout their laundry either. The city or whoever [home owners accosiation or block group or whatever] don't want the yards to look trashy or different

I think it's stupid. And childish. Tell your neighbour to mind his own business. Let him go off an make an ass of himself to the city.

it really depends upon what bylaws are in place for your town i do know that most towns have a bylaw not allowing you to dry your laundry outside which i find to be very stupid it saves on the hydro and with all this talk about conserving energy i just don't get it so call to find out what the bylaw is is your area

Does this neighbour have no life?! There are plenty of things to worry about in the world. Clothes hanging on a line is not one of them.

If he says he'll call the city the next time you have your clothes out there, tell him he's quite welcome to.

Silly, petty man.

gosh what a moron. I wouldnt of been so nice to him.

If there's no bylaws, let them hang.

first of all, it's the back yard. What you have hanging there is none of his (insert discriptive word of your choice) business. I lived in Mississauga before moving to Burlington and hung all my laundry outside. If he complains again to you, just ask to use his dryer

Unbelievable! Is that all your neighbor has to worry about? I mean, seriously. Get a life. Its laundry, its not anything smelly or obnoxious. I can't believe people have such petty complaints about such insignificant details. You are saving money, saving the environment and its your own damn backyard. Hang it up proudly. I would even get some super racy lacy undies and put them up too!!!

thats crazy it's like a person complaining becuase you have childrens play toys in your yard when you have kids. just because he doesn't like the look of clothing hanging on a line doesn't mean he has the right to call the police over it.. it's not like your smoking pot on your patio and it's blowing into his window

Wow,that guy has no life,we have a drug house on our block[NON STOP CRACK HEADS] 6 large dogs in the house next door[German shepherds]which don't bother me at all,and homeless people living in a garage in a house on the block they drink all night,we had 6 teens the other night drunk and yelling outside at the crack house until 2 in the morning,can you please move beside us we would love your laundry,I live in a so called quite residential area looks are deceiving,if that's all he has to complain about he's darn lucky,what a super jerk,hope you drop him a copy of the bylaw in his mailbox,but with arses like that he'll just try to start fighting over nothing,best to let the city deal with it,again what a JERKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by win-star

I just looked through the by-laws of my city (Mississauga), I have not found anything about what I am doing.

Source:
http://www.mississauga.ca/portal/cityhall/bylaws

Unless I am missing something

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the only thing is missing is the srews the guy lost.

they probably just don't want to look at it...it does save on electricity cost if the dryer is not working in the house to make it even hotter. Some people are just weird and stupid all in the same sentance at the same time.

Usually as long as you are not hanging them on your fence it isn't a problem.

Sounds like your neighbor needs a hobby.

oh geee laughing at the comments, too cute
thanks, :flowers:
and since i do this - why is the poor guy so upset?
thinking it's not really your clean clothes.
i'd ignore him, unless you are kind/know him a enough - to bring
him soup. something else, (bad), is happening in his life. :sad:

I live in the boonies and still cannot hang any undies & such. Not that its not allowed, I never could hang these.

I remember when I lived in town, someone stole the top sheet of my comfy blue sheets straight from my line. Was I ever mad:(

I hope your neighbor gets over it

When did clean laundry hanging in the sun to dry become bad or trashy? I have no dryer and hang out clothes winter and summer. It saves me alot of money on hydro and smells good too.It also keeps the house cooler on these hot days. Your neighbour is a little silly.
I am also glad I live in the country!

Look up the number for the By-Law office. More specifically the complaints office. Or even google it. Print out the directions/instructions on how and who to complain to. Place it in an envelope along with a note that says "Dear Princess. Be my guest."

I LOVE to hang out my clothes...mmmm the smell! We did have a bylaw when we first moved here (outside Guelph) but that bylaw was lifted about 4 yrs ago by the government that in an effort to promote being green (this was provincial). It surprises me the number of people that say to be "I would hang my clothes out but our neighbour has a bylaw" Most people have No idea of the changes. So hang away ....your doing nothing wrong!!!!