Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

To think that there must be SOME explanation for this??

34 replies

MrsFlannel · 07/04/2015 23:08

I live in a flat....there are 4 in the block. Two on my floor including me and two on the bottom. There's a shared hallway with private gardens front and back.

Nobody in the building smokes...nobody has visitors who smokes and yet...we all keep smelling smoke in the communal hallway.

One neighbour accused me of smoking there...as the newest tenant she felt it was me...it wasn't.

I've been smelling it for the same period of time...about 1 month or so. It's lingering in the air...nobody can get into the building at all...we're all very conscious about locking doors and there's security lights.

There's no other buildings or areas where someone's smoking nearby...no alleyways or anything...the street is too far from the door for a passer by's smoke to come in...it's quite a strong smell.

What is it?

OP posts:

WorraLiberty · 07/04/2015 23:14

It's cigarette smoke.

Someone there who despite being an adult and doing something perfectly legal in their own home, either doesn't want to admit it or they think as it's no-one else's business it's easier to keep quiet and deny.

passthewineplz · 07/04/2015 23:16

Someone is smoking and lying that they don't smoke

MrsTerryPratchett · 07/04/2015 23:18

Is it definitely cigarette smoke? Because if it's not, call your local fire prevention peeps. Could be anything.

FarFromAnyRoad · 07/04/2015 23:18

Any flats with teens as part of the family?
Not that I used every unlikely trick in the book to sneak a crafty one when I was a teen. Oh no.

MaudGonneAway · 07/04/2015 23:19

Someone is smoking or has visitors who smoke, or old smoke has lingered in the floor covering or whatever in the hall.

LaLyra · 07/04/2015 23:19

Is it definitely cigarette smoke? Every day or occasionally?

If it's definitely cigarette smoke then either someone is smoking and denying it or someone is accessing the building despite your security.

Someone whose Mum/Dad/Wife/Husband/Housemate doesn't know they smoke?

PunkrockerGirl · 07/04/2015 23:20

Sorry, but this has made me chuckle.
Yep, there's a smoker in your block, OP.

WorraLiberty · 07/04/2015 23:22

It's probably drifting out from under the door of someone's flat.

As long as they're not smoking in a communal area, there's nothing to get worked up over.

HoneyDragon · 07/04/2015 23:24

Next time it is mentioned do your best Paddington stare and then firmly and calmly state

"She who smelt it dealt it"

Original poster

MrsFlannel · 07/04/2015 23:30

No teens. The thing is I belive the neighbours who say they're not smoking...they're not the type to lie or to have any reason to lie...they all live alone apart from the woman on my floor who has a baby and is a healthcare professional and would never smoke in her flat near her child...I know her....

OP posts:

deedee33 · 07/04/2015 23:31

What sort of ventilation do the flats have? Might someone be inadvertently smoking outside, but near an air intake?

WorraLiberty · 07/04/2015 23:34

Given the hysteria about the mere hint of second hand cigarette smoke ravaging the lungs of anyone living 3 roads away, I'd say whoever is smoking has every reason to 'lie'. Although they may see 'lying' as simply not wanting to tell people about their addiction/private business.

Would you all be facing this inquisition if you were cooking curry or fish and other people didn't like the smell of that either?

I would just put it out of your mind OP. You know it's not you, your neighbour had no right to 'confront' you so tell her to bugger off if she does it again.

PunkrockerGirl · 07/04/2015 23:40

God this gets better. A health professional who'd never smoke near a child I'm not suggesting your neighbour does, OP but believe me it happens.

Andrewofgg · 07/04/2015 23:46

You are right. There is an explanation. Somebody is smoking in a private home and there is a minute aount of smoke seeping out into the communal area.

Smoking anywhere is now so unpopular that people deny it even though it isn't illegal.

Now you know what is happening, stop worrying. Good night!

emmelinelucas · 08/04/2015 00:01

Phone 101?

AWholeLottaNosy · 08/04/2015 00:03

At least it's not cat poo.

PunkrockerGirl · 08/04/2015 00:04

LTB

AWholeLottaNosy · 08/04/2015 00:08

A ghost?

InhibitionsDevoid · 08/04/2015 00:11

Yip. Someone is smoking and is deeply embarrassed by it. Could be the healthcare who doesn't want to do so near her child so sneaks out to do it and the smell is lingering - her choice.

CelibacyCakeAndFuckThePO · 08/04/2015 00:14

Second hand fag smoke is hardly the same as a lingering curry smell

It's vile. But come on Op, stop being mean to all those poor innocent smokers out there.

I reckon it's the HCP, she has the most to lose by admitting she smokes (well, not really but in her eyes probably)

The other option is that your hallway is haunted by a previous, cigarette-loving tenant. Who died of lung cancer, obvs.

travertine · 08/04/2015 00:16

It's definitely a ghost that smokes. Or just someone having a crafty fag because we are evil. I smoke but not until I've finished work and have a glass of wine in my hand. The husband smokes tho with the doors open in the morning tho and doesn't realise how much the smell carries. So you have a liar in your midst cos someone is smoking!

Jux · 08/04/2015 00:37

Definitely an emanation from a past tenant who was brutally murdered in the hall by your evil landlord. The ghost is smoking there to warn you all of terrible doings.....

Jux · 08/04/2015 00:39

In fact, I bet the evil landlord is planning to burn the place down to the ground - dahn to the grahnd I tells 'ee - and the murdered tenant has taken up ghostly smoking to make your fate clearer to you.

Buy a fire extinguisher.

JessieMcJessie · 08/04/2015 03:41

next time you smell it quietly go into the corridor and go to each door to check. Perhaps someone has a cleaner or tradesman smoking?

Crossfitmyarse · 08/04/2015 03:48

What Worra said.

But even if they can do what they like in their own homes, it's pretty unpleasant if the common areas of the flats are affected by the drifting smell. Imagine what the inside of the place must smell like?

Flip

1 2