Neighbour with wood burning hot tub

[tootyfruitypickle]

My neighbour behind has a small garden and a wood burning hot tub just a few metres from the fence. He also has a BBQ even closer to the fence. He starts the hot tub up at about midday every weekend day. It emits smoke every time be reheats it. I have to make sure all my washing is in before 12. Then about 5pm he adds in the BBQ. This is every single sunny weekend day .

I’m at the point now where I think I have to complain. I was going to send a text during the week?

Also point out that as our gardens are so close we need to be considerate eg I wear headphones rather than use a speaker for my music.

They have people over every weekend evening but I realise I can’t do anything about that and they’re not terribly noisy - but it aggravates me just because I’m so wound up generally by them! I’m a bit worried though if I complain they might make these gatherings less tolerable and add in pumping music !

Is this reasonable or does this make me a difficult neighbour ?

I think he won’t change his behaviour significantly though. If he won’t, would I get anywhere with environmental health? It’s hard to provide evidence and it’s not continuous all afternoon, it’s off and on as he reheats the water.

I’m also worried about having family over during August as it’s not nice sitting out there when the chimney pumps out smoke.

Unfortunately in his garden he has the right to do what he wants.... it's annoying but you can't control what he does, only what you do.

It feels a shame but perhaps dry your clothes in a tumble dryer rather than outside. You may feel like you 'shouldn't have to' do that, but at least it eliminates one problem.

I'm afraid what you've described though is typical of British gardens all across the country - we're so tightly packed in alongside each other that we can't help but impact on other people's lives....but there's really not much we can do about it. Every man's (or woman's) home is his castle and all that...

Are you in a smokeless zone?

Bbq won’t be coveted but hot tub might

A wood burning hot tub? I thought hot tubs had water in them? How is it a wood burner? Genuinely puzzled

Our local council isn’t allowing bonfires at the moment. I know this isn’t strictly speaking a bonfire but the smoke problem might be taken seriously. No harm in asking your council for advice.

even in a non smokeless zone you are suppose to be considerate - ring up local council & ask whether this is OK
bbq is one thing but a heating a hot tub?

It’s heated by a wood burning stove. The only saving grace is that he is quite good at using both so the smoke output is considerably less than if I was using them ! Yes that’s a good idea about asking the council as they have asked for no bonfires although I don’t know if that’s still current with the restrictions lifted .

It’s very irritating as he has an entire woods the other side - he built his house and has plonked all this smelly stuff right up against my boundary .

The BBQ is less of an issue but the wood burner really stinks!

I did hear he was in some sort of dispute with another neighbour and the chimney is also close to her boundary so if by chance she’s complained to the council it might be worth me adding my voice

Bluesheep, the water is heated by a wood/log fire, unless you seriously think people are sitting amongst burning embers in a hot tub!
Op, if they are approachable I would speak to them, failing that, contact the council. Does the wood fired tub have a dedicated chimney? I ask because a friend was made to remove a woodburner from a stone outhouse (used as a small workshop) because it was a single storey building close to the boundary with the neighbour, and the chimney was deemed to be fitted at too low a height, causing the smoke to go in the ground floor of next door.

www.problemneighbours.co.uk/neighbour-guide-wood-burning-stoves-chimineas.html
this shows details on how to do complaints but best advice is to have a friendly chat to neighbour & bring it up

If you complain it will escalate. Best to put up with it I’m afraid.
My neighbour has a chimnea, a bbq and a water feature that babbles all night.

We once had a small bonfire. A neighbour two gardens' away complained. A few days' later we got a letter from the council.

It has a chimney yes, it’s about the height of one storey. The hot tub is probably 2m from my boundary. The smoke actually tends to go more across the two neighbours the other side with the wind. It might be that the council have already received complaints.

He’s approachable yes and it wouldn’t escalate into a slanging match, but he won’t change his behaviour I don’t think . But it would annoy him that I thought he was antisocial as he’s quite self important 😂. I might see what the council say first by way of advice and ask them if I have any backup if I ask him to reduce the use and he doesn’t.

@SteelyPanther my other neighbour has a babbly water feature. I wear earplugs at night as a result !!

@mellowww I think I am quite tolerant but it’s literally every Saturday and Sunday on and off all afternoon

We have a similarly inconsiderate neighbour. Not so much with smoke, more with noise: excessively loud tools and his latest trick is revving up the vintage motorbike he's restored. It's not Harley Davidson loud but it is loud. And they like to share their music, their shit drum and bass music. We are not in Ibiza.

None of these "entertainments" existed when these houses were built, they weren't designed for it in 1902.

My point is if you want to enjoy your garden noisily and "smellily" buy a house in the woods. Preferably in another country.

@StCharlotte I feel for you as I think noise is worse. I’ve just moved from a terraced house with very enthusiastic diy neighbours 🤨. My house would shake .

Speak to your local council first. Let them mediate for you and you can remain anonymous unless he gets taken to court. They will most likely to be able to sort it out for you.

I know people have said that they can 'do what they like' in their own garden, but surely most people who have a fence or boundary between their garden and the next at least consider their neighbours to some degree? Or do people just not give a shit anymore? I'd be mortified if neighbours thought we were noisy or inconsiderate to them.

@Izzidigne. Thank you I will ask about that. He’s fallen out with at least two near neighbours before I moved in and I’ve heard one is taking legal action so he might not think it was me. Not that I particularly care if he does, he thinks we’re friendly neighbours so I’d be happy to disabuse him of that notion.

My concern is that I moved here after DV and a protracted court divorce and I’m not that keen on starting a new battle ! Really just want a quiet (non smelly) life .

Get yourself a couple of really intricate windchimes..

@BillywilliamV. They have wind chimes !!

I’ve put my compost bin the other side of the fence to their eating area