Neighbours that smoke

[Alg]

Hi

I have a neighbour below me that won't stop smoking whih causes our flat to skink of the unbearable smell.

They refuse to smoke oustide, any ideas how to address this issues?

[Bluerevolution]

Live and let live?

[katie1997]

hmmm...i am guessing this will be v.difficult to deal with if your apartment is a conversion rather than purpose-built? guessing also you have already requested that they smoke outside? keeping your windows and doors shut constantly? not a great solution i know...

[Ladymuck]

Oh dear...I do sympathise...but there is sod all you can really do about it...except move and buy a house? Sorry I cannot be more constructive.

[cate]

Is it coming through the floorboards? Perhaps you could insulate further. Might be worth contacting environmental health at Southwark as well to ask their advice. I had neighbours next door who smoked a lot. The smell came up through the understairs cupboard floorboards and underneath the door to cupboard. I insulated the floor and it helped a lot.

[Keef]

I do sympathise, but expecting someone to smoke outside their own home, come on!

[*Bob*]

Crap conversions. London's full of them - been in a couple of abysmal ones myself so can definitely sympathise.

Doesn't seem fair, but sometimes the only real fix is to move and find somewhere else. Easier if you rent (and a bugger if you've bought) obviously.

[????]

Well eventually the weed will get them. In the meantime you need something to alleviate the stress,,try smoking

[Alg]

Hi Cate

Seems that it is comming through various places, I think Bob is right, might just be a bad Victorian conversion.

I called Southwark council but they rekon they can't do anything about it.

[computedshorty]

?

[Alg]

Hi

It is cigarette smoke rather than the illegal substance, but it is still an unbearable smell.

[PeckhamRose]

"Live and Let Live". Daft suggestion. (Live and let DIE surely. And so we feel that way about people who might be drug addicts or who we suspect are abusing kids or animals "Live and let live".).

If it is affecting your health (as it would mine - I am lucky none of my neighbours have this addiction which has serious consequences for my own health) I would simply ask the council for advice.

I sympathise with you I really do. A horrid situation.

[Applespider]

If you've asked them if they can smoke outside and they've said no (understandably I suppose from their point of view since they should be able to do what they like in their own home) then you're going to be reduced to just trying to mask/neutralise the smell. I'd suggest making sure that you have lavender (or cedar etc) sachets hanging amongst clothing or other storage - it will stop moths as well as masking the stale smoke.

In living areas, it's going prob going to have to be flowers (lilies have a strong scent), candles, pot pourri and air fresheners. And I expect a monster supply of Febreze for your textiles.

I do sympathise entirely with you. I am about to get new downstairs neighbours and I have my fingers tightly crossed that they won't be smokers.

[computedshorty]

?

[matthew123]

Hmmm so you've asked politely and they've basically said fcuk off...

Wouldn't it be a shame if you bought a box of kippers which mysteriously found their way under your floorboards in various parts of your flat before you went to the pain of paying for proper insolation to cut out the stench travelling in your direction... ;-) But personally I'd be looking to move pronto!

[Ladymuck]

pinocchio Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Hi

>

> It is cigarette smoke rather than the illegal

> substance, but it is still an unbearable smell.

Actually, I find that cigarette smoke is far more irritating (to nose, throat, eyes etc) than pure marujana...so I really do sympathise.

[giggirl]

Don't escalate this into a war with your neighbours because that would be something you might all regret bitterly. The thing is, they genuinely don't understand what your problem is. Only ex-smokers and non-smokers realise how bad cigarette smoke stinks; smokers genuinely can't smell it. I suggest going back to your neighbours again to have another discussion. It is Christmas after all so invite yourself round there with a card and a plate of mince pies (or a bottle of wine) and raise the problem. Some compromise is needed on all sides. It is their home too and it's a free country so they can smoke wherever they want in their home. I am not surprised they don't want to smoke outside in this cold. If the smoke is coming into certain areas in your property via certain areas in theirs then perhaps you can pinpoint those particular areas and agree that they will not smoke there. Is that possible? Perhaps they can nominate one room in their flat as a smoking room and keep the doors closed?

If and when your neighbours do eventually give up smoking then, and only then, will they realise how bad the smell is. Probably by then it will be too late to solve this dillema. You have my sympathies and the very best of luck to you. I had a builder working in my house who smoked when my back was turned because he figured I wouldn't know - but of course I could smell it as soon as I opened the front door.

[Ladymuck]

giggirl Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Don't escalate this into a war with your

> neighbours because that would be something you

> might all regret bitterly.

This is such a valid point...you really don't want this to escalate into something even more sinister.

I suggest going back to your neighbours

> again to have another discussion.

Even though I absolutely detest cigarette smoke (it gives me asthma, runny nose etc.), I would be loathed to do this purely because it is their flat and they are not doing anything particularly unreasonable and certainly not illegal. For most of my married life I lived in various flats and had to put up with various noise which was not the fault of the neighbours...just poor building/noise insulation standards (could hear them pee, shag, walk, talk, cook, clean...you name it we could hear it), and so for years we concentrated on saving as hard as we could for that deposit for a house...finally did it...the sacrifice was worth it believe me! I really do feel for you, but realistically, other than perhaps insulating (is this even allowed under the terms of your lease/rental agreement?) then moving is your only option. Hard, I know.

[womanofdulwich]

If it is that noticeable then maybe you could say to your land lord and they will insulate better? Any other occupier would have the same problem- unless they smoked? my friends has neighbours that smoked and in the end they realised all the smell came up through one cupboard in the hall that had no underlay or carpet. If they smoke outside then in the summer it would be even worse...............Otherwise if it is your flat it will be noticeable if you wanted to sell?

[computedshorty]

?

[cate]

pinocchio Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Hi Cate

>

> Seems that it is comming through various places, I

> think Bob is right, might just be a bad Victorian

> conversion.

>

>

> I called Southwark council but they rekon they

> can't do anything about it.

You didn't say what kind of flooring you have. Can you plug up the place where the smoke is coming in? I take it you are an owner/occupier? What status do the people downstairs have? Tenants? If so who is their landlord as I would contact them as well.

[Alg]

Hi Cate

I have wooden flooring, and have plugged as many holes as I possibly could ;-(

The neighbour downstairs is a tennant, but as the landlord has not enfored the no smoking rule, there is little I can do. The landlord does not seem to be be too conerned as he is still getting his rent.

Hi Computedshortly

We didn't end up doing renovations to the loft, bathroom or the chimney brest; but were lucky enough to catch all the mice

;-); but I will look into the expeller.

I think, if I do move, i might have the same problem elsewhere so not sure how much of a good idea this is.

But I will consider placingteh property on the market from Jan if the property prices ever go back up again ;-|

I'll keep you all posted on progress, and thanks for all your advice

[SteveT]

Identify each position in the place where it is most pungent.

Hire a joiner or handy man to lift the boards.

Squirt some fireproof foam which will seal the areas.

?120 per day for a handyman or ?180 for a joiner.

It should all be done for a few hundred and a bit of turmoil.

Selling up and moving is far too traumatic because of a small problem like this.

[SteveT]

Try around the downstairs light fittings and pipes which come from that floor too.

[Ladymuck]

SteveT Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Identify each position in the place where it is

> most pungent.

>

> Hire a joiner or handy man to lift the boards.

>

> Squirt some fireproof foam which will seal the

> areas.

>

> ?120 per day for a handyman or ?180 for a joiner.

>

> It should all be done for a few hundred and a bit

> of turmoil.

>

> Selling up and moving is far too traumatic because

> of a small problem like this.

Blimey...you're good! I'm actually speechless as well as impressed...well done you Mr. T.