When I grew up everyone had a backyard and in it
My Mom had an electric dryer and still insisted on hanging the bedding out to dry. A fact I am eternally grateful for, because crawling into bed it smelled wonderful. Now
What’s on the box!!???
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Haha! Its so bizarre isn’t it!
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Sad part is if we still did laundry like that some creep would be stealing your knickers. 
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We are getting too Amercianised, several of my FB pals from over the pond have told me they are not allowed to dry washing outside. It wouldn’t do me at all, I like my washing dried outside, as for that neighbour I’d be telling her to keep her big nose on her own side of the fence…Cheeky Scunner.
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Somewhere in my memory banks, is that some new new properties specify they can’t hang washing out.
Also Prince Charles doesn’t allow it on whatever estate it is where he has properties or farms or whatever it is he owns, where people rent them.
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I cannot believe some places don’t allow you to hang washing out! I would adore the chance to hang some sheets out, but my (shared) back yard is tiny and full of rubbish bins, so no “Sunshine Fresh & Breezy” there!
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I’d not be buying any place with that daft rule, As for HRH he could get stuffed, and keep his houses.
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Took the words out of my mouth, well similar ones… 
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This is was in Melbourne Australia - funny though.
I put my washing on the line and have lavender planted underneath suits me think my response would be to write a letter on a largish card and put those on the washing line saying “NOSEY”
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I’m sure that will change given the climate debate. I have never felt it justified to install a dryer. height of decadence when it will dry naturally.
When I first moved into my shared ownership flat, we all had washing lines across the bath. So far, so good. Bed linen had to still go over airers though, because of their weight. Over the years the lines started sagging till eventually, they were no good. When my niece’s husband renovated my bathroom, we tried a new one, but couldn’t get it to stay up. Back in the beginning, when some people put their airers outside, the girl in flat above me complained, so we all got letters from the housing association, reminding us of our bathroom lines.
She moved out after a short time, and eventually we all started (well, those of us in the GF flats) putting washing out on airers. Though we faced the pavement outside, I had no qualms about airing my clean laundry! It got it dry. (Bet some neighbours were glad I moved, lol.). I tried to ensure undies weren’t visible, or were indoors. We had bushes along the railings but could still see.
Unfortunately the shortness of my garden line, and the closeness of the shrubs, means I can’t hang out a full set of bed linen, so still have to resort to airers. But at least it is all in my own garden now.
I do sympathise with the recipient of the letter.
Was that like the pulley system, Jazzi? My neighbour still has one…old wooden slatted thing that she cranks up and down. Its a modern flat, but her son fixed one up for her because its all she ever uses.
No Pixie, you pull the bar across the bath and hook it at the other end. Had about 4-5 lines.
Something like this.
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Ahh I see, well that looks efficient! 
Yes, they are. My original did last a good few years.
Jazzi it must have taken days to dry bedding . Did the walls have damp ?
Never. I was able to walk or catch a bus up the road to the launderette, and used their dryer. I did that a lot in winter months, with clothes, or bed linen. I’d bundle all damp washing into my sholley and push it up the hill, or wait for a bus, for one stop. Or I could take the car and park outside.
When I moved here to Lowestoft, first of all in the rental I used the back bedroom to hang up all my washing, with the window open. Bed linen was hung over the bannister (that was so handy!!). I had no washing machine there so either used my sister’s, or went regularly to a launderette.
Then after a while in this house I decided to get my own dryer, and made space for it in the back room, and open the window beside it when it’s running.
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I’d bundle all damp washing into my sholley and push it up the hill.
OO00oo , I cant let that go without some accompanying singing:-
Talking of launderettes…there’s a block of bought flats near me who have their own laundry room, which is maintained by a service guy. There’s a rota for each household to use, and a “medical key” for those that have health issues, and they can bypass the rota to use the laundry anytime. There’s a monthly charge for it, which needs to be paid, regardless of whether you use the facilities or not. Needless to say, the rota is bypassed, the medical key is passed to friends, and “Laundry Wars” ensues! Many people have now bought their own washing machine, and still pay the fee. 