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AIBU?

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Original poster

New neighbours complaining about our toilet

342 replies

Amanda98 · 16/05/2025 13:30

We’ve got a new build where one side of our house completely backs on to a neighbours garden - that’s the back wall/boundary of their garden essentially.

Downstairs, we have a toilet with a window which is on the side of the house where that wall is, and has a small window which opens at the top. Their garden is slightly lowered so it isn’t within reaching distance. It’s a fairly odd design but we’ve lived here for years with no issues.

The neighbours have recently changed. In one of the early weeks in April when it was warm, they put a note through the door which asked we keep the window closed when it’s sunny because of the smell. We don’t really open it much anyway so thought nothing of it.

We’ve since had a further note through this week asking it stays closed on Saturday because they are hosting a BBQ for a family members birthday. We also have family over on Saturday and the downstairs loo is the one they’d naturally use.

Are the neighbours being CF? They surely can’t expect us to introduce a rule where we only crap upstairs whenever they say so!

OP posts:
Toomuch2019 · 16/05/2025 14:05

Could it be a noise thing rather than smell?

motherboredd · 16/05/2025 14:05

Do they have a very small garden which means they have to sit very close to the window?
I don't see how they could smell it otherwise?

IOSTT · 16/05/2025 14:05

If the window opens onto their land / “airspace” then the window is trespassing! Should not have been approved with planning permission. YABU

LakieLady · 16/05/2025 14:05

I think that is one of the most ludicrous neighbour requests I've ever heard.

Surely any shitty smell disperses pretty quickly once it's out in the open?

TooGoodToGoto · 16/05/2025 14:04

WorryBear · 16/05/2025 13:59

I can't believe th3 comments.

Clean your bloody toilet! The fact they can smell it is disgusting!

Please do explain how cleaning the toilet will
help the smell from a fresh 💩? Spray and open the window.

They open the window to let the smell out, it’s literally the purpose of the window to let in fresh air!

OP, ignore them! Don’t get embroiled in their bat shittery!

DelboytrottersDnecklace · 16/05/2025 14:03

HoppingPavlova · 16/05/2025 13:56

Honestly, some people’s poo just really stinks. Our household has the same diet yet the smell that comes from the bathroom when DH has been there could clear a suburb. With the rest of us, it’s just a ‘normal’ poo smell. Nothing physically wrong with him though. However, even if it is a case like this, the neighbours are still out of order asking the window be kept shut, it would obviously need to be open to clear the smell faster!

My father is the same-his backside has to be smelt to be believed

He can clear a whole house out when he's had his trip to the loo

I'm amazed his neighbours haven't complained (although they are bloody tolerant-he once put 50 bags of fresh horse manure on his garden,In a heatwave,dug it in and avoided them for a few days-they just laughed,i was gagging)

I wouldn't do that op!

Alifemoreordinary123 · 16/05/2025 14:02

I mean, they are being CF but no one wants to smell poo in their garden. Aesop poo drops are what you need here. Game changer.

Gloriia · 16/05/2025 14:00

HoppingPavlova · 16/05/2025 13:56

Honestly, some people’s poo just really stinks. Our household has the same diet yet the smell that comes from the bathroom when DH has been there could clear a suburb. With the rest of us, it’s just a ‘normal’ poo smell. Nothing physically wrong with him though. However, even if it is a case like this, the neighbours are still out of order asking the window be kept shut, it would obviously need to be open to clear the smell faster!

Poor you! Get him to get checked out though or try avoiding something in his diet it really should not be so bad that it could clear a suburb Grin

Rollercoaster1920 · 16/05/2025 14:00

I suspect it isn't all about the smell. Imagine sitting in your garden and hearing the neighbours straining, farting and poo plop noises. Gross!

It's a really poor layout. Caveat Emptor for the new neighbour.

But don't be surprised to have a trellis, fence or tree erected right outside the loo window to minimise the intrusion.

Can you clarify exactly where the boundary is, and do you have rights to actually open your window into their land?.

Daisyvodka · 16/05/2025 13:59

My immediate response is to tell them to bugger off, but then I read back and realised that the toilet window isn't even next to their house... I'm wondering if it's smell AND noise? Agree with PP there might be a dodgy drain somewhere, very common on new build sites.

WorryBear · 16/05/2025 13:59

I can't believe th3 comments.

Clean your bloody toilet! The fact they can smell it is disgusting!

Original poster
Amanda98 · 16/05/2025 13:58

HoppingPavlova · 16/05/2025 13:56

Honestly, some people’s poo just really stinks. Our household has the same diet yet the smell that comes from the bathroom when DH has been there could clear a suburb. With the rest of us, it’s just a ‘normal’ poo smell. Nothing physically wrong with him though. However, even if it is a case like this, the neighbours are still out of order asking the window be kept shut, it would obviously need to be open to clear the smell faster!

Yeah, this. Classic MN with everyone distancing themselves from doing smelly craps!

OP posts:
HoppingPavlova · 16/05/2025 13:56

Honestly, some people’s poo just really stinks. Our household has the same diet yet the smell that comes from the bathroom when DH has been there could clear a suburb. With the rest of us, it’s just a ‘normal’ poo smell. Nothing physically wrong with him though. However, even if it is a case like this, the neighbours are still out of order asking the window be kept shut, it would obviously need to be open to clear the smell faster!

ThatsCute · 16/05/2025 13:56

I’d be mortified if my shits were so foul that they could literally stink out a neighbour’s garden.

GasPanic · 16/05/2025 13:55

I'm surprised it smells that bad. As someone else pointed out it is probably the drains.

Not so nice to hear toilet noises while your chomping down on your burger though.

Provided it was not a frequent request and they didn't do anything that I found offensive (maybe now is a chance to negotiate) I would probably accomodate them.

SoManyIdiotsSoLittleTime · 16/05/2025 13:54

I wouldn’t entertain this at all. In fact I’d probably make a point of ensuring the window was ALWAYS open.

Original poster
Amanda98 · 16/05/2025 13:50

tripleginandtonic · 16/05/2025 13:36

Why does yout toilet smell so bad?

I mean, it’s a toilet. It doesn’t stink 24/7 but in a house where there’s four men (DH and 3 teenage DS) it’s not always going to smell of roses, hence the window being opened when needed.

OP posts:
Annascaul · 16/05/2025 13:50

That’s a very poorly designed house, having your bathroom window open into someone else’s garden.
I’m very surprised it passed planning.

ThatDaringEagle · 16/05/2025 13:49

They sound like gobsh1tes to firstly come to this conclusion & secondly to handle it like this.

I'd check your loo & look for any whiff outside your toilet (it will only likely be from a leaking pipe) & then go around to your neighbours and have a friendly chat & assuming it's not your sewer or drain causing it, ask them to get their house in order first, (& into the future) before sending misinformed missives through your door asking you to change your behaviour. I mean come on!?

ThejoyofNC · 16/05/2025 13:49

Also wondering why you bathroom smells so bad.

But regardless, bathroom windows need to be opened to prevent damp and mould.

WhatNoRaisins · 16/05/2025 13:48

Could you be noseblind? Do you have someone that you trust to tell you whether or not your toilet smells particularly bad?

Picklechicken · 16/05/2025 13:46

Their entitlement is awful! What if you had Crohn’s or some other bowel issue?! Madness.

Lavender14 · 16/05/2025 13:44

Well1mBack · 16/05/2025 13:42

I'm thinking this might be a drainage issue rather than the toilet. The poo should flush away down the pipes and any lingering smells will go with a window open in the fresh air. Can you check your drains/pipes? Is there something happening that it's underground bursting into their garden?

This is my thinking that maybe something is wrong with a blocked pipe under the ground for example. I'd go round and speak to them about it. Unless you know that you're making a stink in which case this is on you! But I'm guessing it's a plumbing issue.

CatsorDogsrule · 16/05/2025 13:44

Does your opening window trespass onto their land if the wall is the boundary?

babystarsandmoon · 16/05/2025 13:43

Why is your toilet so smelly? Are they over reacting?

I might be tempted to throw some fart bombs into their letterbox next time they send me a note. Just kidding but jeeeez. If you can’t have a shit at home where can you?