Are my neighbours being UR?

[coffeecoffeecofffee]

Oh man, It's been on going with our neighbours recently and it's driving me crazy!

We're in a block of flats (6 total, one on each floor- they're all 1-2 bed flats).

As we're right at the top we thankfully don't have the loud footsteps/furniture moving issue but our downstairs & second floor neighbours both smoke in their flats (non smoking building) and the smoke rises up to our floor, 3 times now our fire alarm has been set off due to THEIR smoke & we explained to the landlord it wasn't us (which he knew as he's spoken to them about smoking before) but they've muted our smoke alarm (something I think is surely illegal?) as it kept going off so often.

I've now bought one we can control ourselves and turn off if it goes off (the standard ones in all the flats are controlled by a panel on the first floor- you have to go all the way downstairs to turn it off and it's a locked panel so the maintenance people have to do it each time!

Smoking is the main issue, we also have...
-3rd floor play loud music every Saturday night from around 9-2am and it's THE SAME song continuously on a loop (some kind of foreign music).
-Someone or a few flats in the building cook smelly food every day, I'm talking strong onion smells, weird curry sort of smells and it makes me feel so nauseas so we have to open all our windows and put our extractor fan on when they clearly aren't!
-Ground floors kids (they have about 6 we've counted, 4 young and 2 teens) hang out in the stairwells, stinking of BO (I know that sounds mean but it's true!) and playing/talking loudly with all their friends, blocking the front door.
-The smoking, the smoking, the smoking.

We viewed a few new places recently and are hearing back from the estate agents on Friday regarding one we really liked so hopefully we've got it and can move by May 1st, fingers crossed. 😫

Would I be crazy to put a (polite) note downstairs in the communal hall just pointing out its non smoking, affects our fire alarms and makes the building smell of smoke, to please open windows/use extractor fan when cooking & maybe not loiter in the hallways?

[burritofan]

The smoking is grim, I'd get on to your LL about it again, especially in light of the smoke alarm situation. Any hallway sign re smoking needs to come from the LL, who ought to enforce the rules.

Have you spoken to the music-playing neighbours? I'd knock on their door rather than leave a passagg note, or complain to noise control.

YABU about cooking smells; you might find curry "weird" but it's perfectly normal. You have no way of knowing whether they're putting their extractor fans on or opening windows or not. Cooking smells, people in hallways and general noise is just the side effect of flat-dwelling. A note is a bit busybody.

🤞🏻 you get the new flat – 1st May isn't long to put up with a few issues. What will you do if people cook/smoke/loiter around the new flat?

[AllMYSmellySocks]

YABVU about curry cooking smells. But YADNBU about loud music and smoking. I would keep hassling your LL. I doubt a polite note will help they must know they shouldn't be doing it. I'd just be counting the days until I could finally move.

[coffeecoffeecofffee]

@burritofan Thank you, it's a basement flat and much nicer than our current one, recently renovated with a gorgeous big kitchen AND garden.

We've viewed it a few times too at different times of the day and it's been quiet every time so hoping we won't have any noise issues. 🤞🏻😫

The smoking is deffo grim (and bad for the air too), I can't believe the landlord hasn't got on at them more as I'm sure smoke can damage walls/hard to get the smell out etc.

Yes us & our neighbour below us (the only decent person in the building it seems!) have both left notes during the parties & mentioned it the next day. The only reply we've had is 'call the police then'

I know people eat different foods and that's fine but the thing is they clearly aren't opening windows or using their extractor fan. When I cook an Italian dish with a lot of onion or garlic our flat never smells as I ensure it is properly aired. I get nauseas frequently (health condition) and it really doesn't make me feel well when they cook strong smelling foods.

[coffeecoffeecofffee]

@AllMYSmellySocks LL is useless. He owns about 5 blocks on the street and him or his secretary never reply to emails or calls regarding the smoking issue.

I don't actually think I'm being UR about the food as it's everyday & it doesn't take much to open a window or put the extractor fan on. I feel ill daily at meal times as it's so strong.

[RhiWrites]

You have touching faith in the power of a polite note!

[GPatz]

I don't think you ABU about everything but the cooking smells. It can be part and parcel of living in flats and they might already have the window open/ventilation. You also don't know if your garlicky meals penetrate the hallways. This might also be a siutation repeated at your new flat.

[DarlingNikita]

YANBU about most of it, but no sympathy from me for the 'strong onion smells, weird curry sort of smells'

[BlackSatinDancer]

Well, if you have emailed the landlord you have done your duty. On the subject of the smoke alarms I would explain to the fire service and see if they might have a talk with your landlord and inspect the fire alarms.
I probably wouldn't bother about the food smells. I don't think the LL will be able to dictate to tenants about that.

[Jaxhog]

On the subject of the smoke alarms I would explain to the fire service and see if they might have a talk with your landlord and inspect the fire alarms.

If he's muting the firealarm, I imagine the Fire Service would be quite concerned. Ditto with you turning them off.

[ifyoulikepinacolada]

The rest of it I agree with you but I think you’re being unreasonable about the cooking smells. I have a brain injury and feel sick a lot (strong smells make it worse) so I get how frustrating it is, but onions and curry are a perfectly normal part of day to day life 😂

[RavenLG]

Turning the smoke alarms off is massively illegal and dangerous. The Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015 stipulates that the landlord has a duty of care to ensure smoke alarms are installed on every level of the property and in working order. I'd report him for that. It is also his responsibility to ensure the other tenants are not smoking and setting the alarms off.

The noise is a problem (although not sure why you needed to stipulate it is "some kind of foreign music", along with the 'weird curry smells' makes me raise an eyebrow as some worrying racist undertones there) but if it's causing that much distress call non-emergency police? Or record and report to EA.

You are massively BU with the cooking. You don't know they aren't opening the windows and using extractors, and your smells will drift too. Your flat might not smell when you cook but the halls might and it could be seeping into the other flats, and you could be used to the smell so become immune to it whilst you are cooking. What are you suggesting, your neighbours cook bland food to accommodate your 'health condition'? This is something part and parcel of flat living.

[RosaWaiting]

I think the notice is fine

muting the smoke alarm - fire service might come round and have a word.

I feel for you. my previous neighbour was a lovely guy, but I think his favourite dish was oignon a la oignon. We used to joke about it - a group of us go to the pub every so often - but he carried on cooking it.

this then caused further problems because another resident started leaving the main door open to get the smell out. I understood but she forgot to close it.

Mr Oignon moved out - to a large detached house, I'm glad to say!

[DontCallMeCharlotte]

When I cook an Italian dish with a lot of onion or garlic our flat never smells

I bet it does!

[fruitbrewhaha]

I think I would just hope to get the new place and maybe leave a note on your way out "YOU LOT STINK" and then hope you never have to go back to collect any post.

[Bringbackthestripes]

Of course the cooking smell is every day, people eat everyday, but unless you are in there you don’t know if the fan is on or not. Either way you can’t police what people cook and eat and can’t insist they open windows so yes, YABU.

Report the fire alarms being turned off.

Knock and complain about the (foreign ) music. Don’t leave notes, it’s rude.

[Eliza9917]

I don't see how smoking on the ground or first floors would set off a smoke alarm on the 6th floor?

Surely if the alarms were that sensitive, ALL the alarms would be going off.

[qazxc]

I'm not sure about the noise and smells, but the muting of the alarm seems to be really dodgy and dangerous.
I would kick up a fuss with landlord about the fire alarm but let the rest slide as you'll be moving out soon.

[Boysey45]

I'd phone the non emergency fire brigade number and let them come out and talk to the residents.
Its serious you don't want the flats to go up in flames.
I'd move and get a house instead if you can afford it.
Is it weed or cigarette smoke? because weed really stinks.

[BossAssBitch]

Living in flats suck for all of the reasons you have pointed out. The smoking / fire thing is ridiculous, this needs to be sorted pronto. The loitering sounds irritating but nothing you can do about that. I do get where you are coming from with the pungent cooking odours, it's horrible and really lingers, but again, there is nothing you can do about that, sadly people can cook what they want, even if it's the stinkiest fish dish on record, they are legally entitled to cook what they please. The loud music is simply selfish and you should report them to the council. Go to your local authority website, there will be a link to unsociable behaviour. I hope your move works out.

[coffeecoffeecofffee]

@BossAssBitch thank you, feel like I've been really flamed on here for mentioning I don't like certain food smells😂 I can't help it! I'm super fussy and don't eat Chinese/Indian food ever so I'm probably extra sensitive to the smell putting me off.

I will definitely contact the council re the music. I actually have videos I've filmed when it's been going on at various times as proof!

@Boysey45 Its actual cigarette. No weed as far as I'm aware. That's a good idea about the firemen, I don't want to bother them though! We can't afford a deposit to buy anywhere unfortunately.

@Eliza9917 what was happening was it would rise up the stair way when they would smoke in the halls (no smoke alarms in the actual halls) and I'm assuming come under our door and set our alarm off near the door as nobody else's ever goes off but we went outside when it happened and it stank of smoke in the halls.

@Bringbackthestripes I simply stated it as being 'foreign music' because it is- it wouldn't be so bad maybe if it was something English I could maybe sing along too but it's a constant foreign singer.

@fruitbrewhaha 😂😂😂

[wigglypiggly]

I'd call the fire brigade and the council about he smoking in communal areas and the lack of alarms the rest you cant do much about and sounds a bit petty.

[Treaclesweet]

I mean yes, it would be every day, don't you cook every day?
You sound a bit intolerant to me OP.

Fire alarm is a different issue, especially if it has been turned off which is definitely illegal. Not a waste of fire fighters time at all to do a home check, especially in flats!

[CircleofWillis]

1. Giving children the stink eye for playing with their friends 5 floors below. BTW if they really appear unwashed and are living 8 to a 1-2 bed flat I would be worrying about them being neglected not complaining about them online.
   
2. Complaining about the smell of ethnic cooking
   
3. Complaining about non British music being played (although 9-2am is ridiculous if true)
   
4. Smoke alarm in her flat continuously going off. I sympathise with you about the smoking but your explanation as to why it is only your alarm that goes off doesn't make sense. If it is too sensitive it actually makes sense to adjust it rather than call out the fire brigade on so many false alarms.
   
5. You also speak about loud footsteps and moving furniture - but you are on the top floor so is it you making that sort of noise?
   
   If I lived in that building I know who I would be upset with...

[CircleofWillis]

just seen that they have muted your alarm - do you mean adjusted its sensitivity or turned it off which is incredibly dangerous.

[RestingBitchFaced]

If your moving in a month there's no point doing anything, just look forwards to getting out of there - sounds awful, and definitely not safe with the smoke alarm. Doesn't sound like the landlord actually cares though, so I would say he/she is your main problem