to ask neighbours to stop burning stuff?

[whethergirl]

For about a week now, workman at the house across the road have been burning rubbish as they've been doing some work on the house. I'm not sure if the neighbours are even actually there at the moment. It's so strong that my whole flat smells of it. However, I keep thinking, oh well, the smell is not that bad, and surely they will run out of stuff to burn soon.

However, since they have started, I have had a constant headache and wonder if this might have something to do with it? I never normally get headaches and this one just won't go away. However, I am also a week overdue (unusual but not pregnant) so the headaches could be related to this.

It's probable that the builders are burning the waste to avoid having to pay to dispose of it.

Some local authorities don't allow bonfires on building sites - I assume in urban areas that are Smoke Control Areas. Try Googling 'building site burning' and the name of your local authority to see if anything comes up. Or telephone your local authority's Environment department and ask for their advice.

If it's been going on for a few days I think you should report them anyway, regardless of whether or not it's the cause of your headaches.

My neighbour would burn stuff in the garden in the summer. The last time they did this they must have put aerosol cans in it because when I went to call my cat (the next morning) they were exploded aerosol cans all over my garden! I cleaned the garden up, printed off a map to our local dump then went round with the bag of very sharp objects (from the garden) and asked them not to burn explodable things again.

I was so pissed off I normally just open the doors and the kids can just go straight out! All I was thinking I could have let them out like normal and if they'd fallen over.

His never burnt anything again, I think the bag shocked him TBH they are really good neighbours normally been here nearly three years and never had problems before with them. I would say because it's been going on for a while now to call your local council to ask for advice.

I'm with Plumpcious on this one. They are trying to cut costs.

Wow, well the cutting costs thing is quite amusing. I live on a road consisting mostly of big houses that have been converted into either b&bs or flats. Except for this one huge house, they are known as the only wealthy people on our street!

However, I do suspect that the actually inhabitants aren't there as I haven't seen their porsche and jaguar around for a while so it could well be the workman trying to cut costs. Will look online re authority guidelines now.

Does anyone think that the headache could be related though? Am curious as the last time I had a headache was about a year ago.

Call your local council and report them to environmental health... who will come round in double quick time... you can be fined up to £5000 for burning domestic waste. If the smoke is black and smells noxious, they will not be happy... can you guess who had a problem a couple of Summers ago?

That's terrible TheEndTisHere! My dad was involved in an incident a few months ago where he was burning stuff in his garden, and one of his tenants decided to - I kid you not - throw some petrol into the fire to make the fire burn better.

My dad was walking away from the fire at the time but the back of him caught on fire from the explosion. He is still recovering from the skin grafts he had to have on the back of his legs. The idiot that did the deed was right next to the fire and only managed to lose his eyebrows!

No-one answering at environmental health....

Oh no Miaow - 4 months??? That's ridiculous. And to leave a burning fire unattended? Stupid as well as selfish.

It all depends how bothered and good your enivornmental health office is.

Keep on at them, even a householder burning leaves can be brought into line if he was doing it on a reglar basis and keeping you in doors.

Its my bug bear at this time of year.

We had one nice day in the half term but could my DD go outside? Could the baby get some sun and fresh air?

NO

Because some tosser thougt " ooh it s a nice day So will start a nice big fat bonfire and smoke out about 19 homes.

I recall the awful year my 'D'H made a bonfire at the bottom of the garden and chucked an old carpet on, then the underlay! It was like the Kuwait fires in 1991. I was mortified.

Personally I don't think it should be allowed except on bonfire. It's intrusive and affects the neighbours, who at least should be consulted.

I can't get through to EH, so have emailed them (have said ds is also suffering from headaches). Will also ask across the road next door to them as they are a nursing home and usually the first to complain about stuff like that. I'll have a little word with the builders too and ask them how long do they intend to continue.

PessaryPam

whethergirl: they're probably at lunch. I can't comment on the likely cause of your headache but I'd definitely mention it to Environmental Health (after all, the builders can't prove the fires aren't causing them). They might try to claim that it's a domestic bonfire rather than a building site fire, but point out that it's been going on for several days; it's the workmen creating the fires, not the householder; you can smell it in your flat (therefore it's a nuisance regardless of whether it's a domestic bonfire or not); and you have a headache (which is rare for you) which you've had constantly since the fires started. Lay it on thick.

Miaow: 4 months of bonfires - perhaps they were bringing materials from other sites to burn? I'm very cynical about these things!

A couple of years ago, a neighbour had his thatched roof replaced and they burned all the old thatch in their back garden. It went on for ages and I also ended up with stinking headaches

I spoke to Environmental Health who went round and had words so I'd keep trying

Finally got through to them, they took my details and said someone would be in touch . She asked me what colour the smoke was, I said "like a grey um...smokey colour."

Aha, thanks freddie, I'm pretty sure it's the smoke.

Wow! Someone from the council has turned up already! He is speaking to the builders now...

You obivoulsy have a great council. Mine are horrendously awful.

The Enviornmental Health officer just popped over and he was bloody gorgeous. He said that members of public are allowed to burn waste in their own gardens but building firms are not. Apparently the builders knew this and took a risk!! If they do it again, they will get fined.

AIBU to half want them to burn another fire so I get to flirt with the environmental health officer again?

Believe me MyDarlingClementine, I have had my problems with this council. But I doff my hat to them today!