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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be pissed off with neighbours

56 replies

Bookeatingboy · 27/07/2016 14:51

Have been catching up with some work at home whilst dc are at sports camp. I finished early so before I pick the dc up I decided to sit in the garden for an hour peace.

Just sat down and neighbour decides to light a fire right up near the house (very long gardens) and the wind is blowing the smoke over to ours forcing me indoors and having to close doors/windows to stop it filling the house. Along with taking washing off the line that had just been put out.

Is it just me that thinks it rude to start a fire very close to the house in the middle of the day without even checking with neighbours first. They can see it billowing over into my garden FFS.

OP posts:
lovelilies · 27/07/2016 14:54

Can you go and sit at the other end of the garden?
But no, YANBU. Would piss me off too

Original poster
Bookeatingboy · 27/07/2016 14:56

Wouldn't matter where I was sat, the wind is blowing over the whole garden, theirs is smoke free Angry

OP posts:
storminabuttercup · 27/07/2016 14:57

I haven't checked this but I always thought you couldn't set fires before a certain time?

user1468166567 · 27/07/2016 14:59

Talk to them? Ask them to put it out?

Original poster
Bookeatingboy · 27/07/2016 15:00

user I'm checking whether IABU before I do Grin

OP posts:
NavyandWhite · 27/07/2016 15:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BorpBorpBorp · 27/07/2016 15:04

I might be worried about it being close to the house from a fire safety perspective, but the fact of having a fire (is it a bonfire or a chimenea or fire pit thing?) in the middle of the day wouldn't bother me. In fact, if I were doing it, I might deliberately do it in the day on a weekday as people are less likely to be at home to be bothered by it.

roomonmybroom · 27/07/2016 15:07

I always thought you were not supposed to light a bonfire until after 6.30pm in the summer, but even so it is neighbourly to check no one has washing out and to forewarn them if they do, even if not the case of not being allowed.

Original poster
Bookeatingboy · 27/07/2016 15:10

Navy not sure if it's a thing BTW, but in my book it's just plain old common courtesy no?

OP posts:
NavyandWhite · 27/07/2016 15:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

roomonmybroom · 27/07/2016 15:16

Well a quick search tells me there is no law around times, so something new learnt there, so not sure why that time is in my head, it is only if a nuisance or smoke is a danger to traffic you can report.
Maybe the time is from when I was young a lived on a quiet lane and this is just a time that was agreed by all as a good one, and I have always done it as seemed sensible, I do eye roll if someone lights up in the daytime and don't like it.

RosieandJim89 · 27/07/2016 15:16

I would have said it was the nice thing to do. As a kid everyone would warn neighbours of any upcoming noise disturbance or BBQs etc.

ReginaBlitz · 27/07/2016 15:17

This reply has been deleted

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nosireebob · 27/07/2016 15:25

Better than our neighbour who decided to use a pressure paint spray thing on his side of the joint fence,didn't consider the fence has holes everywhere, and so managed to spray mahogany fence paint all over my office clothes that were drying on a clothes aired on my decking. Several hundred pounds worth. I got an embarrassed sorry but he refused to pay anything towards the cost and home insurance didn't want to know - some neighbours are twats

PersianCatLady · 27/07/2016 15:28

You might not want to read this but according to the government website -
"There are no laws against having a bonfire, but there are laws for the nuisance they can cause."

The nuiosances include -

"Burning domestic waste - you can’t get rid of household waste if it will cause pollution or harm people’s health. This includes burning it."

"Danger to traffic by smoke - you could be fined if you light a fire and you allow the smoke to drift across the road and become a danger to traffic."

"Complain about a neighbour’s bonfire - your council can issue an ‘abatement notice’ if a neighbour’s bonfire is causing a nuisance. A bonfire must happen frequently to be considered a nuisance."

I am sorry if this is not what you wanted to read.

pinkie1982 · 27/07/2016 15:29

We have recently had to reserch this. There is no law regarding times or how far away it has to be (just as long as it is safe). There are laws on what you can actually burn but thats about it.

NavyandWhite · 27/07/2016 15:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

WoahSlowDown · 27/07/2016 15:31

Check your local council website as there might be local restrictions.

I'd have a look what they are burning and if it looks like it with be a quick fire then I'd ignore it but if it looks like it will drag on then I'd call around and very politely ask them if they could do something to stop the smoke.

If it's a hot fire with dry waste there shouldn't be too much smoke

TheNaze73 · 27/07/2016 15:32

YABU, it's their garden

StepAwayFromTheThesaurus · 27/07/2016 15:33

Just because something is not illegal, that doesn't mean it's not antisocial. Garden bonfires are just antisocial. Compost your waste instead.

Lilly948204 · 27/07/2016 15:47

My neighbours really annoy me when they do this. The man is obsessed with burning things. Plus they always smoke outside so it stinks of that as well.

They had the cheek to moan about the smoke when I had an engagement party with a fire pit - once!

Chopstick17 · 27/07/2016 15:48

YANBU that is antisocial and inconsiderate. When we have a fire we do it late and check gardens for washing or neighbours!

Original poster
Bookeatingboy · 27/07/2016 15:51

TheNaze just because it's their garden doesn't make it right.

I'm back from collecting the dc and they were straight out into the garden then back in again complaining about the smoke.

I might encourage the children to go out and complain loudly about the smoke getting in their eyes Grin

OP posts:
NavyandWhite · 27/07/2016 15:54

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

glenthebattleostrich · 27/07/2016 15:55

My neighbours shout over / text if they are even bbqing , especially if I have washing out. We do the same. It's called being considerate.

OP I think your kids need a bouncy castle on Sunday morning, starting around 6!!!

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