It's a lovely day here, warm, sunny, and all our doors and windows are shut against the fumes coming in from the garden. Our garden backs onto the neighbour behind, & the boundary is legally his to maintain & do what he wants with.
Neighbour painted two of the three fence panels with creosote a couple of months ago, & the smell is still coming off them. Our garden is teeny tiny, so we're often really near the fence, & it's pretty unpleasant. DS1 is 2 and DS2 is 7 months, so we're not keen on them hanging around such massive VOCs either, & DH won't let them out in the garden at the moment at all, or hang any washing out.
The other day DH asked Neighbour if he'd mind taking the panels down for a bit until the smell goes, & we'll put up some bamboo screening in the meantime. Neighbour v reluctantly said he would, but then yesterday took off the other panel & put creosote on that one too.
We've tried really hard to keep communication friendly, but did in passing mention that DIY use of creosote is banned - neighbour says he's seen it in a shop so it can't be banned, but everything I've read on t'internet says it is - even if you've already got stuff in your shed from years ago, I think you're not allowed to use it. DH asked him if he'd mind not using creosote on the last one & we'd happily buy something else for him to use, & Neighbour just said "oh, this is the last one, I won't need to do it again for another three years, don't worry about it", & just cracked on with it.
I think he thinks it's our hard luck as it's his fence to do what he wants with. His garden is much bigger than ours, so I don't think any smell is much of an issue for him - he said he quite likes the smell anyway.
I really don't know what to do - I don't want to fall out with the neighbour, it IS his fence, but... so long happy family days messing about in the paddling pool...
Can anyone give me any advice??? Or tell me how long this blooming smell is going to last??