Smoke from neighbour's house

[alex_b]

We have the smell of cigarette smoke coming into our understairs cupboard from our neighbour's house. It's a Victorian terrace and I'm guessing that there's a hole somewhere that's letting smells through. Does anyone have any experience or recommendations on how to fix it or a company who can help?

[missyelliott]

We had the same but it's got lots better since we filled the gaps in our hallway wooden floors. We also added a draft excluder to the door to the cupboard under the stairs (inside so not to see it). Maybe you could carpet the floor in the cupboard too if you have any cut offs.

[Sue]

Do you have a coal hole or cellar beneath the understairs cupboard?

If you have access to it, maybe have a look down there to see if there are any gaps between your and your neighbour's house that could be filled?

Or, if you are on good terms with your neighbours, ask them if they can see any gaps on their side?

Good luck, I'd hate to have the smell of cigarettes coming into my house (I say that as a (decades past) ex smoker).

[Angelina]

My friend's got the same (two flats on same floor of big old house) but can't find any gaps - he says it's so bad it's making him unwell (he's not long been out of hospital with heart surgery).

He went to see them and they denied even smoking, so he's off to the Environmental Health to make a complaint under the Environmental Health Act 1990.

I don't know what will happen but he's been told by doctors to not go anywhere near cigarette smoke so it's really hard for him at the mo.

[IlonaM]

I posted a similar discussion some time ago: http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?20,1826416,1826516#msg-1826516

Some helpful ideas and advice. Googling the problem demonstrated the difficulty of trying to remedy it - smoke not only comes through gaps, but also through electricity/pipe pathways, electrical sockets etc.

I developed a resistant cough after my neighbours moved back and the smoke became an issue. I bought an air purifier which I turned on as needed. The cough has calmed down massively since their recent move!

[alex_b]

Thanks very much for all the tips and ideas. No coal hole or cellar although the floor is slightly suspended, lots of pipe work and cables down there too. I expect it?ll be a nightmare to track down the source.

Next door is housing association owned and though we get on ok with the tenants I don?t think they?ll do much to fix any problems.