to report neighbour to landlord for smoking weed?

[alisunshine29]

DD was playing in the garden tonight and our neighbour and some boys were smoking weed. I've smelt it many times before but hadn't realised that's where it was coming from - she has a 2 year old who was also out in the garden so hadn't suspected her at all. If it wasn't for her having a child there, and my children having to breath the smoke in if they want to play in their own garden, I'd mind my own business but now I'm thinking of reporting her to our joint landlord. AIBU?

[Catchingmockingbirds]

Yes sadly I have deepred, but I'm not arguing that smoking weed isn't bad for you, I'm arguing that going to your neighbours landlord behind their back about them smoking it in their back garden is unreasonable. I wouldn't smoke it myself, but I wouldn't tell someone's landlord about them smoking it.

[Mugofteaforme]

Hum... So you'd possibly propel them into a situation that might make them homeless would you OP? it's almost impossible to get a good rental at a realistic price as it is, let alone the issues of being credit checked left right and centre if you go through an agent etc, and is it reallty worth the hostility that might result?

[pluCaChange]

Hear, hear, Mugoftea

[undercoverhousewife]

but mugoftea if you want to keep your house, why smoke illegal drugs? Any LL would not appreciate a tenant doing that and risking THEM getting a criminal record on the back of it. Actions have consequences. Law breaking will not result in good ones. People can't complain about being made homeless if it is due to their own deliberate choice to break the law.

[pluCaChange]

People can't complain about being made homeless if it is due to their own deliberate choice to break the law.

I thought possession without intent to supply was something the police turned a blind eye to? In any case, the important point is simply that it is not a matter fir a landlord, but for the police.

Also, someone who owned his/her own home wouldn't lose it even with a non-custodial sentence, so here again we have a rather shitty social double standard about tenants and homeowners. That is important because (a) more and more people live in rented accommodation and/or rent for longer of their lives, and (b) with such an illiquid market for housing sale and purchase, many "homeowners" are renting, too, between owned houses. Therefore, no-one can feel this sort of vulnerability is "nothing to do with me". (and the OP rents, anyway).

Sorry to rant, but people are being very stubborn about using the LL as an agent to control/punish someone when it's not really appropriate... or a very grown-up thing to do.

[undercoverhousewife]

But it IS the LL's business - the tenants' actions render the LL guilty of the strict liability offence of having drugs on his/her property. "Strict liability" means that you don't even have to KNOW about it or have any control - in law, there are no excuses.

I have a friend who has been prosecuted for exactly that - she had NO idea her tenants had drugs but is still "guilty".

Actually, I am not sure I am advocating using the LL as an agent of control (LL's don't actually have much power over tenants as they have to respect the tenants' rights to quiet enjoyment) but I DO think the OP should tell the LL so that the LL can kick out the tenants before he/she gets a criminal record themselves.

[lottiegarbanzo]

undercoverhousewife, your friend was either very unlucky or there was something quite serious going on in her house. I'd suggest you look up numbers of prosecutions for owning small amounts of cannabis associated with personal use, check those against estimates for numbers of people who use cannabis and perhaps ask your local police what priority they give this.

Your earlier comment I doubt the police have better things to do than enforcing drugs laws.... just made you sound incredibly naive. The anecdote about your friend at least makes sense of your perspective but is just one anecdote in a sea of contrary evidence.

Anyway, it is beside the point here. The OP is just hoping to use illegality, via her landlord, to manipulate her neighbour's behaviour, rather than speak to them about an issue that would exist if they were just smoking cigarettes.

[jollygoose]

glad i dont li ve next door to you, myob

[GentlyGentlyOhDear]

YANBU to want to make sure her smoking does not impact on you or your children. Smokers are so selfish spraying everyone else with their disgusting smells and carcinogens.

My neighbour's son does it and has the window so wide open that the smell comes through our boiler vents and windows that are ajar. It makes me so mad that they choose to do the drugs then open the window to let the smell out so someone else has to suffer. Fucking disgusting.

[BOF]

You could have FAR worse neighbours, OP, so count your blessings. Mine were hammering on the walls at 3am last night, if you can believe it. Luckily, I was still awake anyway, playing my bagpipes.

[ReallyTired]

Are you annoyed by your neighbour smoking weed or are you concerned for her children. Surely reporting that a two year old is being neglected by a druggie to social services or the police would have more of a response. However your neighbour would not take too kindly to being reported to authorities and understandly might make your life hell.

Complaining to the landlord is not likely to do much. It is not that easy to evict a tenant even when there are grounds.

[aquashiv]

Personally if it were bothering me I would just tell them politely. Honestly spliff smoke is everywhere we live bloody posh middle England. My old neighbour smokes it. I used to burn a josh stick just to mask the smell until I got a grip. I would rather live next door to a stoner than a bunch of piss heads to be honest. The smell is not nice but not as bad as the pig shit the other uses.
PS is it not called spliff any more then Jeez I am old.

[JamieandtheMagicTorch]

BOF

[Lauryn20]

My landlord knows i smoke weed on a regular basis, everyday in fact. I smoke it in my garage or shed not his house and he's fine as long as i don't have some big cannabis farm in my attic! Seriously chill...marijuana is safer than cigarettes, alcohol and most pharmaceuticals. Do some research you will find marijuana is used for medicinal purposes in some places, it may not be legal yet in the UK but there are hundreds and thousands of people including A list celebrities fighting for marijuana legalisation or decriminalisation around the world.

[IShallCallYouSquishy]

Lots of people are of the thought "it's only weed"

Umm, last time I checked that was a class B illegal drug. Taking drugs is acceptable now is it?

I'm not saying report them, but amazed people seem so blasé about illegal drugs

[Gas69]

Yes, report them to the landlord and if no joy then to the authorities. Cannabis smoke can effect brain development in children and also with the carcinogens in the smoke is very nasty indeed. Its your right/instinct to protect your child as any normal parent would do.
I've had the this problem with new neighbours for the last 7 months. The mother of the weed smoking house dont care that her older son smokes and she has a younger child of 8. I've tried the one to one approach several times with her. Then had meetings with the landlady. She dont care either. My next move is to the authorities as she has a younger son living there. Not really keen on doing this but I want to save my child from this pollution and is my last chance to stop this. They have rights to a healthy environment. I would just move house but cannot afford to do presently. So am stuck with these stoners who dont care how they are affecting our health/lives.
People who tell you to chill out? Need to show some empathy. Its your childs health not theirs.

[Rachel778]

YABU

Mind your own Business

[ShakeRattleNRoll]

You will be laughed at if you report her they will be able to do nothing without a warrant and that is very difficult to obtain without several people complaining.Just chill out please your kid won't be breathing the fumes in .

[PaulSmenis]

The landlord might even be a toker, who knows?

[flaflafla]

Report her. It is illegal.

[NotDead]

When you have banned all the traffic, and industrial particulates, then move on to the odd whiff of tobacco smoke.

[NotDead]

not sleeping well affects brain development - are you reporting yourself for your child abuse each time he/she wakes up and you don't put him/er straight back to bed?

Some people read the DM as if its fact! Honestly wake up!

[Buzzardbird]

Yy to undercoverhousewife, it IS a problem. I have faced this problem recently, it is no joke when you think YOU are going to be prosecuted for what your TENANTS do

[NotDead]

I think you should get a notepad, a pen and a camera and report EVERY minor infringement of the law to somebody INCLUDING YOUR OWN. A standard letter saying 'I saw my neighbour speeding over the speed limit, don't you know people die if there is an accident sometimes you know' or 'I saw someone parking in a loading bay for more than five minutes AND THEY WEREN"T LOADING' or 'I lifted something over 11 kilos at work the other day don't you know I could have injured MY OWN BACK' etc.. it could be a fun project!

[NotDead]

Its interesting - if smoke were as carcinogenic as everyone seems to think everyone would have cancer all the time. Weirdos.