I live in a housing association flat. There appears to be some kind of gap at the back of the kitchen cupboard under the sink. The holes are where pipework emerges, so it's a 'necessary' hole. The problem is that the gaps around the pipework are just empty, there is no filler or cover there. These holes must somehow be connected to the flat next to me, as over the 15 years I have lived there, all manner of smells have emerged from this cupboard, food smells, paint smells...you name it.
I've always put up with this as I realise there are lots of things that have to be tolerated when you're living in close proximity to other people. However, a new tenant has just moved in next door, and I suspect he's a smoker as this morning, when I entered my kitchen, the smell of cigarette smoke hit me.
Now, just to be absolutely clear: I am well aware that what other people do in their own homes is their business. I am entirely unconcerned with whether someone smokes or not. My concern is that this smoke is entering my property and, if it continues, could affect my health. I suffer from asthma, take two inhalers to manage the problem, and cigarette smoke is one of the things that can really bring on an attack.
I rang the housing association this morning and was told, in no uncertain terms, that there's nothing they can do. They continually repeated that "we can't tell people what to do in their own homes". ENTIRELY missing the point that I have no desire to curtail what people do in the privacy of their own homes. The maintenance woman was extremely patronising and because of her attitude I'm going to put in a formal complaint, but aside from that, I'm asking: am I being unreasonable to expect the landlord to sufficiently seal gaps between properties so that cigarette smoke from one property does not enter another? Is it really My responsibility?
I felt I was being fobbed off. One member of staff, suggested that for example, if my neighbour were to smoke out of the window, it may still drift into my property via MY window. There is of course, no comparison, as I could close the window! It was just one of many silly things they said to me. None of which addressed the issue of my property being (in my opinion) inadequately sealed.
Thank you for reading - sorry it's so long!