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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To want something done about next door's cigarette smoke smell in my house?

69 replies

TastyMuffins · 19/07/2011 23:51

I own my own terraced house, one of the adjoining houses is privately let and the new tenants are smokers, when they smoke in the house the smell comes up through the floorboards.

I have lived here for over ten years and both houses have had major renovations including victorian hearths removed and new rear extensions. I believe removal of a hearth on either or our side or theirs has left a gap under the houses which causes the problem. The smell is worst in my bathroom and living room where the hearth used to be. The new tenants moved in a couple of weeks ago.

Am I being unreasonable to expect the landlord of the neighbouring house to sort out this hole to stop the smell coming through? Should I speak to the tenants? I guess it is unreasonable to ask them not to smoke in their kitchen (which seems to be where the smell comes from).

OP posts:
AmaraDresden · 20/07/2011 01:02

*annoy

I should browse when half asleep!

AmaraDresden · 20/07/2011 01:02

*annoy

I should browse when half asleep!

sunshinelifeisgood · 20/07/2011 01:03

you have two choices really accept it or move :) simple

sunshinelifeisgood · 20/07/2011 01:08

sorry :( just getting bored of the "i own my own house and they are just renters on hb crap" This is 2011 the majority now have to rent it is as simple as that, and just because they rent next to someone who (rents from the building society for a hundred years) owns the house they are classed as a second classed citizen. They pay thier rent like you pay your rent to your building society.

Original poster
TastyMuffins · 20/07/2011 08:01

Where does the 'they are just renters on HB' come in to the equation? Are they on Hb and would that make any difference?

The other point about the house being rented is that many landlords specify no smoking. Apparently this one doesn't.

OP posts:
GooseyLoosey · 20/07/2011 08:08

Tasty - this would drive me nuts and I completely sympathise.

My friends, one of whom is a builder, recently had this problem in their house. He took up all of the floorboards to investigate what was underneath them - filled the gaps and put them back.

There is no way I could live with this. Have you thought of approaching the Landlord and offering to pay 50:50 for any work needed to solve the problem?

I would absolutely have to get this sorted.

BornInAfrica · 20/07/2011 08:09

Good for the landlord then and ffs stop policing what other people do in their own homes. Buy some air freshener like worra said - or some scented candles - or open some windows or even better start smoking - that'll fuck your sense of smell and bingo! Problem solved!

TheProvincialLady · 20/07/2011 08:11

Get the floorboards up and mortar the holes that are under there. We had a similar problem and when we investigated there were lots of holes in the mortaring that led straight through to next door (we could see their lights on). The problem stopped and it helped with noise too.

microserf · 20/07/2011 09:24

i think the posters have been quite tough on you. this would annoy the hell out of me.

first, you need to do some self help and seal up the gaps you are aware of. if the problem still continues, then i think it is reasonable to ask the landlord to work together with you to find out if there is another problem.

i'm surprised a private landlord allows smoking in the house tbh. he may not know they are doing it.

ShoutyHamster · 20/07/2011 09:25

Sorry, it would drive me ABSOLUTELY NUTS too. I would probably be asking a builder/joiner for some advice - yes, the landlord could be approached but to be fair I'd think that it was a 'no-one's fault' kind of problem and as I was the one it was bothering I'd just take it upon myself to sort out. Also then you KNOW you will really (hopefully) be getting it sorted Grin

It may not be too difficult to sort. I'd ask for some advice - you'd probably take up some floorboards but I'd think it was worth it. You'll always get this happening unless you sort it.

You could ask your neighbours where they smoke - but make sure you couch it as 'the smoke is coming through - I plan to get a joiner in as there is a gap somehwere, could I ask you where you smoke the most in the rooms adjoining our house' - so you're not being arsey, but you might find find that they are lovely and instantly agree to smoke only in rooms not against yours. ;)

newmum001 · 20/07/2011 09:36

To be honest I think your fighting a losing battle. Get your house checked by all means but the landlord would have had to have his house completely checked to make sure it was suitable for tennants therefore it doesn't sound like the problem is next door! IMO you'd be very unreasonable to speak to the tennants and I'd think twice about speaking to the landlord as it'd look like you were making a complaint about his tennants and they haven't done anything wrong. I think you need to buy some air freshner and get over it!

valiumredhead · 20/07/2011 09:37

Would drive me nuts too - smokers don't realise just how strong the smell is.

My former neighbour(2 doors away) used to stand on his drive to smoke and it used to waft into our front room if we had the window open urghhhh. Nothing I could do apart from making sure the window was always closed and he moved recently so that's sorted! Grin

You can buy plug in anti tobacco fresheners that might help?

Punkatheart · 20/07/2011 09:41

If you are a non-smoker, the smell of smoke can be foul. I am asthmatic too, so it would affect me badly. It shouldn't happen that you experience other people's whiffs.

stupefy · 20/07/2011 09:46

It's not only the smell is it. Cigarette smoke is carcinogenic.

I'd be pissed right off if I was breathing in my neighbours cancer causing chemicals on a daily basis.. nothing anal about that!

If it's a rented property they are probably not supposed to smoke in it anyway. Report their stinking arses.

wompoopigeon · 20/07/2011 09:48

Why is everyone being so nasty to the OP? I'm incredibly sympathetic.
If you have any kind of relationship with the landlord you could ask if his lease does permit smoking. They may just be flouting his rules. But I'd probably try the practical solutions suggested on this thread first.

grrrfedup · 20/07/2011 09:50

Secondhand cigarette smoke cannot be compared to cooking smells! Cooking smells don't pose a serious health risk.

garlicbutter · 20/07/2011 09:54

microserf, my landlords allow smoking - because they're crappy old houses! This one hasn't even got floorboards on the ground floor - just earth and broken concrete.

I've renovated old terraces in the past. It wasn't unusual for the air/crawl spaces to be shared across several dwellings - floor and roof. I guess your two options, Tasty, are: take up the floor and seal any gaps; learn to like air freshener. Shouty's idea of a tactful conversation has to be worth a try first, though. Hope that works :)

newmum001 · 20/07/2011 09:56

I cannot understand why some people are even suggesting they be reported to the landlord for smoking! How cruel do you have to be to possibly get someone kicked out of their home because you don't agree with smoking? I assume they are adults therefore they are perfectly entitled to smoke if they want! And you don't know for sure that there tennancy agreement doesn't allow them to smoke in the house! Perhaps you'd prefer them to stand on the street and smoke right in front of your window however many times a day!

newmum001 · 20/07/2011 09:56

I cannot understand why some people are even suggesting they be reported to the landlord for smoking! How cruel do you have to be to possibly get someone kicked out of their home because you don't agree with smoking? I assume they are adults therefore they are perfectly entitled to smoke if they want! And you don't know for sure that there tennancy agreement doesn't allow them to smoke in the house! Perhaps you'd prefer them to stand on the street and smoke right in front of your window however many times a day!

AmaraDresden · 20/07/2011 11:07

I can believe it newmum - smoking is EVIL! The law clearly needs to ban smoking in our homes, or even outside their front door judging by people's comments on this thread...

OP clearly wants the landlord to tell them not to smoke or fix the problem that SHE has. Hmmm, and you wonder why we're being harsh on her? Jesus, we can hear next door's cuckoo clock and when they talk, I should tell them that they need to take the batteries out and wear ball gags. Or maybe grass them up to their landlord for crimes against clocks.

People smoking in their homes shouldn't be considered bad neighbours either, believe me we've had some bad neighbours.

stupefy · 20/07/2011 11:13

You cant get cancer from cuckoo clocks though can you Amara.

JanMorrow · 20/07/2011 11:53

I wouldn't like this either! It would drive me mad. I used to live above some really heavy smokers and the smell would permeate our bathroom (I'm assuming it's where the pipes came in) and it smelt rank. Urrg.

And for the people say stuff like "for fucks sake stop policing what people do in their own homes", they clearly can't read. It's quite clear you're not doing that and you haven't even thought of asking them not to smoke, you just want to fill the gap in.. which is fair enough. Ask the landlord what he thinks and maybe consult the builder who did your alterations? They might be able to suggest something!

NoHunIntended · 20/07/2011 12:13

I also have this problem, can't sleep with the windows open as the neighbours smoke underneath them, on all sides. Bring on the complete ban.

valiumredhead · 20/07/2011 14:29

Oh YES, I'd LOVE a complete bad! Grin

valiumredhead · 20/07/2011 14:29

BAN obviously !