Smell from neighbours

[LovesAutumnColours]

My house is less than 10 years old. My neighbours kitchen is the other side of the party wall. Every time they use their electric oven a foul smell pervades my whole house. There must be a ventilation problem somewhere.
Household name building company that constructed the house, the NHBCC and buildings insurer all refuse to investigate the problem.
Who should I employ to investigate? I know there is a problem somewhere.
Local council have suggested I log incidents (easy it's almost every day) and say they will investigate smell as a form of nuisance pollution but I am good friends with my neighbour and don't want to start a war. Please help

I wouldn't have thought that you'd get that much of a smell from an oven. Is it the same sort of smell every time and if so, what's it like?

It smells rotting, burning, veggie ish and happens either at lunchtime and or dinner time.

It's definitely nothing in my property

I mean, that just sounds like a dirty oven?

I could ask an electrician. Thanks for suggestion.

I don't know how a ventilation system works. I do think it's a ventilation problem.

Neighbour has big problem with damp (I don't)
They have mentioned they don't have the money to sort problem

Smells like cooking veggie, burning odour. Very unpleasant but not fishy

Do they have house insurance?

It's more than that I think. It's pervading my whole house.

Definitely coming from next door associated with when they are using oven to cook

Cooking smells can do that, especially if they have bad ventilation or you have your windows open.

My old next door neighbours extractor fan used to point at our shared wall.....you knew when they had garlic bread for tea 🤢🤢

I think you need to work together with your neighbour on this one if you get in with them. Does the smell happen in their property too? If you're looking for a professional, can you find a building surveyor with a specialism in building pathology nearby?

No idea.

They are struggling financially. I am sure they won't be prepared to do anything about it themselves even if it's affecting them.

They have mentioned a huge damp problem in their house. The walls are black and they haven't done anything about it

Thank you.

The neighbours won't be prepared to do anything even if it's a problem for them too.

They have a massive damp problem which is just being ignored

I don't think cooker hoods vent outside either. They recirculate air.

There must be some kind of general ventilation between the houses. I think.

The air from their property is somehow coming into mine.

I am guessing. It happens lunch time and or early evenings. Most days.
I can smell it all over my house not just in the kitchen

My oven/hob extractor is opposite theirs (on party wall) We both have stainless steel chimney hoods

No vents on party wall.
Outside we both have a gas boiler vents (next to one another)
There is one vent coming out of the middle of the roof which I assume is for both houses

Is it a smell from somewhere in your electrical system? Electrical problems can create a foul, fishy sort of smell. I would check everywhere in your own home first. Does the smell coincide with the timed periods on your boiler? Ours is timed to come on at lunchtime and in the evening, for both heating and hot water.

Do your neighbours know they have recourse to their guarantee on the house to help with the damp issue? Do help them understand if not.

But just because they have an issue with one aspect of their home it doesn’t mean they’re responsible for what is happening in yours.

Who should I get to investigate this for me professionally?

No one has ever been in my roof. I am a retired, single woman.

I wouldn't know what to look for

Can you gain access into your loft space? If so, can you glean anything from it, ie could it be joint? Maybe see if it smells up there at the times you mention. If there's a joint ventilation system, I wonder if there's a leak somewhere.

Are there other properties on your road exactly the same style? If so, knock on their doors and ask them if they know anything about the ventilation system and have problems. Most people won't mind you knowing on the door and asking.

Definitely nothing in my house

It's a ventilation problem. But who do I employ to investigate

Just seen your post, if you're not confident going up in the loft, do you have a family member, friend or neighbour who would possibly look for you?