Actually method of separation should not be applied in the case when all the boundary conditions are inhomogeneous and an idiot-expert would write $u=v+w$ where $v$, $w$ satisfy the same equation but with
\begin{equation*}
v = \left\{\begin{aligned}
&0 &&\text{as }x=1,\\[3pt]
&0 &&\text{as }x=-1,\\[3pt]
&x &&\text{as }y=1,\\[3pt]
-&x &&\text{as }y=-1,
\end{aligned}\right.
\qquad\qquad\qquad
w = \left\{\begin{aligned}
&y &&\text{as }x=1,\\[3pt]
-&y &&\text{as }x=-1,\\[3pt]
&0 &&\text{as }y=1,\\[3pt]
&0 &&\text{as }y=-1.
\end{aligned}\right.
\end{equation*}
and then separate variables and after looooong calculations get solutions in the form of series.
But $u=xy$ is correct and simple (much simpler than formulae for $v$, $w$).
Sometimes insight (or just luck) beats an expertise!