To ask neighbour not to smoke in his own garden?

Bumping this thread to say that we've had the same issue here. It's infuriating going from living with your windows open and wandering between your house and garden... to sitting with windows closed and hating going out back. All because someone wants a smoker's patio right up against the back of their property.

On principle, I think it's disgusting someone can take control of ventilation to neighbouring properties in this way; for an addiction no less.

We have half a dozen residents either side of said smoker and the smoker themselves is lighting up every 15, 30 or 60 minutes, every day.

The fumes really do seem to skirt outer walls and get delivered to open windows very efficiently. We've found windows closest to their smoking area are a write-off and internal doors have to stay shut to avoid a draught which will literally pull in the cigarette fumes.

I would describe the situation as hell on earth.

Other residents on our street smoke out their frontdoor whilst nextdoor smokes exclusively garden side and if they spot open windows, they hide under the precipice so there's a magical floating cigarette or just turn their back to us.

Seems they don't want the stench in their own home but are fine dumping the problem on neighbours either side.

Definitely so much worse than BBQing or bonfires because the nuisance from smokers is unrelenting as opposed to a few odd days over the summer. I would go knocking to ask what the heck is going on if frequent fumes of any other type where coming from a neighbour's garden in the way they do with cigarettes. But you know what it is and you know it's hopeless.

We've now had several years of keeping tabs on open windows whilst the nextdoor neighbour sits watching television, only to light up out their backdoor at their leisure. Meanwhile here we won't be getting on with anything as we're literally trying to actively let heat out upstairs late in the day between their cigarettes.

I would not wish living next to a smoker on my worst enemy. After years I'm bitter and resentful that one got their mitts on the house nextdoor. Not felt like home since they moved in.

Whatever short-lived high they get comes at our expense... and then they're out getting more.

Local authorities are absolutely useless - smokers are a housing problem but environment health won't do anything, counsellors won't do anything - you're just told it's "reasonable use" and a "civil matter".

I have absolutely no idea how smoking can be lumped in with cooking odours. I've never smelt anything as dire as cigarette fumes whilst someone was cooking.

Would probably sue in private nuisance if it were feasible. It isn't. It's ridiculous anyone can actually dump this problem on neighbours. Smokers should be liable for the cost of AC being fitted in neighbouring homes.

Fresh air out back away from the street should be for everyone, not for one smoker to contaminate with acrid, noxious fumes and then turn their back on, going back in to watch TV.

Never have I been so appalled by a "neighbour", just seems callous, disrespectful, vile, inconsiderate, lazy and selfish.

Not unreasonable to ask, especially if you have a decent relationship with him. But don’t be too surprised if he refuses to change what he’s doing.
You may have to just live with having your windows closed and buy a fan for warm nights.

I don’t think you can ask him not to smoke but I would say something along the lines of “would it be ok to stand a bit further away from the house when you smoke as it’s rising up into our bedroom when we have to open the window in hot weather. Thank you so much”

I think you might have to move.

@Everanewbie I don't think the OP was suggesting that her neighbour stood in the doorway of his home 10-20 times every day. Unless it's raining heavily, It is very rare for there to be a Friday, Saturday, Sunday, or bank holiday from may to the end of September where I live when at least one neighbour doesn't light up their barbecue, and it's often the case that several neighbours have one on the same day, and the stench travels over several gardens. I've yet to notice the smell from a cigarette being smoked in a neighbour's garden. In fact, I visited a friend last weekend who is a smoker and we sat outside a couple of times so thst she could have a cigarette and I could barely smell her smoke - there was definitely not a trace of any smell on my clothing when I got home. I hate the revolting smell from barbecues, I have to bring my washing in, and shut all my windows, often for several hours even in the middle of a heatwave - but I accept they have a right to have their barbecues in the same way that a smoker has the right to stand in their own doorway to smoke a cigarette for ten minutes at a time.

Presumably though, people don't pop out for 10-20 barbeques a day, 365 days a year. Its usually only a few exceptionally sunny Saturday afternoons a year.

I hate both tobacco smoke and bbq smoke. Tobacco smoke has the second and third hand detrimental to health effects as well. Editing in to include bonfire smoke as well - horrid.

Do all of the people who are so horrified by someone smoking a cigarette in their doorway feel the same about people having barbecues in their back gardens? Smoking a cigarette takes less than ten minutes, while the smell and smoke from a barbecue lasts for very much longer. I find the smoke and smell from neighbours barbecuing their burgers and sausages for an hour or more at a time far more offensive than a cigarette being smoked in a doorway. Also, the smell and smoke from a barbecue travels far further than the smoke from a cigarette.

I'm not sure about that really. You can be as selfish as you like in regards to garish decorations, what TV you watch, scratching your arse on the sofa and make as many something-phobic comments as you fancy (although not in Scotland!). But, this stops when it affects others. There are rules around lighting bonfires, about attracting rats, about noise and so on. It might be you castle, but that doesn't mean responsibilities to others in proximity end at the front door. I am no expert on this, but some of these responsibilities are in law, others are more moral.

TinyYellow · Yesterday 11:47
It’s ok to be selfish in your own home, it’s what it’s there for.”

In your home, sure. Not outside blowing shite into next door’s windows. That’s not ok.

I understand why your upset - I will be too.

I think the best you can do is ask him to move further away from your window when smoking. Be prepared for him to say no.

Other than that all you can really do is keep your window shut and hope he moves soon.

It’s ok to be selfish in your own home, it’s what it’s there for.

Ask him, if he's reasonable he'll move away from the door, I would if you'd asked nicely, except if it was bad weather then you'd have to suck it up unfortunately

That must be awful. Honestly I’d just mention it to him. I used to smoke and used to smoke out of my back door. If a neighbour had mentioned the smell was floating in their house I would have definitely moved out of the way.

My NDN smoke weed in their garden, two generations of them and beside young children as well. They also smoke nicotine so both smells combine.
Nothing I can do about it as it is their garden.

YABU

I wouldn't try to reason with them. They responded to me to me and seemed a little bit understanding but then edited their comment trying to be snarky and cool. I'm thinking teenage edgelord.

I'm a non smoker and feel your pain but you and others are being unreasonable

As much as you don’t like it you can’t go spraying people ( you wouldn’t get the cigarette without the person ) with hosepipes

there doing nothing illegal breaking no laws so you are at the mercy of there good will and cooperation

speak to people aggressively and like shit not to mention spraying hosepipe it’s highly unlikely they are going to do you any favours and cooperate

probably have the opposite effect and make them do it even more

your completely powerless in this situation so I wouldn’t be pissing them off

@SabreIsMyFave sweetie it says he is standing inside his house blowing the smoke outwards!

Are you going to go down from your upstairs flat, with your hose pipe attached to your water supply and go into his garden and do that?

Good luck with that, but I'm not sure you run the world just yet?

You may find yourself arrested.

@Copenhagener · Today 20:49

You can try. But don’t expect much. In my last apartment the upstairs people constantly threw fag butts down onto their neighbour’s balcony below - and they landed in a baby’s pram and started to burn. Luckily the mother was there and managed to get baby out before too much damage was done.

SOME smokers in a nutshell. Rude, arrogant, selfish, and inconsiderate.

Thank fuck the Government has put measures into place to make sure that eventually, no-one will be able to buy cigarettes.

The tic-turd won't have a very enjoyable smoke when the cigarette has been soaked by the hosepipe.

Ask nicely and bring a present, you never know he might move further away to smoke.