AIBU to ask my next door neighbours not to smoke indoors?

the smell isn’t just a smell is it?!

The “smell” contains the toxins.

the “smell” means that there is a presence of those toxins.

the same with food smells. Fish smell comes from the fish particles in the air as it cooks.

fish smell - no harm

smoking smell - harm

How can you not know this is unreasonable, no you can’t decide what people can do in their homes,

I do smoke. I smoke indoors in my own house. I try to get on with my neighbours but I would honestly tell you that you are ridiculous and the chances of me not smoking in my own home because you don’t like the smell are absolutely zero.

no idea. I was just responding to the health issue part.

think it came from the comment re environmental health comment someone made and I suggested yes it is if it’s coming into the home.

no idea what they’d do though.

I don't smoke but I absolutely would wet myself with laughter if I did and a neighbour asked me not to do it in my own home!

I don't know where they are smoking it but I can smell weed just walking past the perimeter to some houses. Would hate to smell that in my own kitchen or living room. It must be an awful pong for their neighbours.

Let's say you did ask that and by some miracle they agree not to engage in a perfectly legal if unpleasant habit in their own home. They go and smoke in the back yard/garden and you smell it when you go in yours? They sit on the front door step and smoke and you walk through it when you arrive home?

Many see smoking as an antisocial habit, not without reason. But you can't really ask much more of people than that they do it in non-social spaces like their own house!

I live in an old terrace and have occasional unwelcome smells from neighbours. Plugging some gaps in the party wall brickwork helped (they were behind some plasterboard that I took off for a job), but there will ne more under the floorboards and possibly in the loft.

Short of taking all the floors up to check, I wonder if some positive air pressure in your house would help, like an extractor fan from outside in reverse. Hopefully, that would mean that the air leaks would be from your house to theirs.

What health issues do you think could possibly be caused by smelling - not inhaling - tobacco smoke from a neighbouring house?

I’m still not convinced anyone could actually stop them. How do you enforce it? Do the police come and break down their door if someone smells a cigarette? Do they get arrested if they get caught? What would be the charge? As annoying as it might be I’m not sure there is actually anything legal that can be done.

Don’t be ridiculous. Of course you can’t.

It may not be faint though.

everyone experiences smells differently. I am very sensitive to smells.

and those comparing it to food smells are missing the point that smoking can cause health conditions and passive smoking has implications too. So if it is coming through vents and air bricks then there is a health concern.

smelling fish and garlic won’t cause you harm.

You cannot be serious

The faint smell of cigarette smoke from an adjoining house absolutely will not be causing health issues.

The council can't stop someone from smoking on their own property any more than they can stop someone from, eg, cooking strong-smelling food.

This makes you sound mad as a lorry.

Well nothing stopping you from asking but I would expect a pretty sharp response!

Of course you can't tell them not to smoke in their own home!

Do you own the house, could you hire some kind of builder to work out where the smell is coming through and block it up, rerouting any ventilation etc that was being served by that gap?

It's the airbricks. I know precisely when my next door -, but one! - neighbours are sat on their doorstep with a morning fag and we don't live in a Terrace.
Similarly, when anyone walks past openly smoking weed 🤢

I think the age of the house and building quality probably plays a part and then lots of people have variations in how they experience senses.

I used to be told a lot as a kid that I can’t possibly smell the things I can smell. Or hear the things I can.

I live in an old end of street terraced house and can smell what my neighbour is cooking, I can smell the weed they’re smoking, their bathroom shares a wall with my bedroom and I can smell their toiletries.

I’d never ask anyone to stop doing a perfectly reasonable activity in their own home though.

Look, I can't stand the smell of fish and garlic but it's all next door ever seem to want to cook.

But it's their house and I wouldn't dream of telling them it literally turns my stomach over.

There are threads about people wishing their neighbours would NOT smoke out in the garden because it comes through their windows so it might not be any better for you.

You may not care about neighbourly relations, but op might if she ever wants to sell in future. Or need a favour from them or whatever.

Sorry - to add as well I’ve just remembered it wasn’t constant. So if it wasn’t that often then that may change my view. I’d focus on my side more. But if it were constant and a significant smell etc then yes I’d give it a go if they were decent people

I expect so if it’s causing health issues.

it’s horrible. I’d absolutely hate that. It wouldn’t bother me that someone was smoking in their own home. That’s their body their choice. But if it impacted me and the kids then absolutely would want to do something.

the air purifier sounds like a good idea and maybe getting someone in to look at the wall and any vents. See if something can be done from you side OP

depends what kind of people they are. If they’re abusive and likely to be rude then don’t bother. But if you think they may work with you then I’d try I think.

I don’t smoke but I’m so glad I’m not your neighbour ! I have a feeling this isn’t the only thing you will be telling them not to do