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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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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:

WoahSlowDown · 27/07/2016 15:58

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

Lol, it's a fun idea but best sidestep the PA stuff and just be upfront and polite with the neighbour

user1468166567 · 27/07/2016 16:00

Bookeatingboy

Defo NBU to be annoyed, I would ask them to put it out - although I am a chicken so maybe not lol

Cackleberry4 · 27/07/2016 16:02

Get your hose pipe out and be a tad careless watering your garden. It might dampen their fire.....

SemiNormal · 27/07/2016 16:03

I have fires in my garden occasionly (maybe 3 times in the whole summer) but only if I can see that immediate neighbours don't have washing out.

If it's a one off then just ignore it, not worth bothering for a one off in my opinion. If it's frequent then have a word.

NavyandWhite · 27/07/2016 16:04

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Hissy · 27/07/2016 16:17

Go and ask the neighbour to put it out and tell them why. It's ridiculous the amount of idiots who burn stuff. Drives me mental.

Mumofone1972 · 27/07/2016 16:18

I feel your pain - visited disabled Sis in law a couple of weekends ago her side fence is the neighbours rear fence - they lit a fire at 12.30pm at the bottom of the garden - smoke came straight into her living room door. I was quite indignant quoting the law that a fire should not be lit etc etc, apparently there is not law!! nothing can be done you rely on neighbourly courtesy....

Mycatsabastard · 27/07/2016 16:20

We have a ton of garden waste which needs to be burned but we are waiting for a day that's not particularly nice weather wise in the hope that all washing/children will be indoors.

Our composter is full (we have been clearing our very overgrown garden since we moved in) and we now have two huge tree roots plus a ton of branches which are no use for the indoor fire.

As we live in an area where open fires are still in the houses I doubt that a bonfire will be much of an issue but we still wouldn't light one during a sunny day when we know people are out in their gardens.

RumbleMum · 27/07/2016 16:21

YANBU. They should only be lighting bonfires if the smoke won't blow around IMO. I'd love to be able to burn garden waste but think it would be too inconsiderate as I have neighbours on all sides and it's rarely still here.

PersianCatLady · 27/07/2016 16:22

Just because something is not illegal, that doesn't mean it's not antisocial.
This is so true, especially when councils won't take action over very loud music just because it stops before 11pm.

Magicpaintbrush · 27/07/2016 16:26

OMFG this is the thing that gives me the rage more than almost anything else! It is the most inconsiderate thing to subject your neighbours to, stinking horrible smoke which they can't get away from. We have lots if this from the houses that back on to ours and I fucking hate it. I find it even worse in summer as you have to shut your windows even if it's hot! Why can't these morons take their rubbish to the dump like everyone else instead of setting it on fire and pissing off the neighbours??? Selfish arseholes.

paxillin · 27/07/2016 16:27

I'd probably be annoyed, but wouldn't do anything about it. If it becomes a weekly thing I'd talk to them.

Tinklypoo · 27/07/2016 16:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Farmmummy · 27/07/2016 16:36

It would be awful if DC were having a waterfight with the hosepipe and it went over the fence...

CozImQuirky · 27/07/2016 16:50

My (three doors down) neighbour did this the other day. He was burning garden waste by the looks of things and it was fairly windy and the smoke was blowing in the direction of my clean washing. What annoyed me the most was that, when I looked had a nose out the window to see where it was coming from, the bloke had had the foresight to bring his own washing in, shut his windows and was stood at his closed conservatory door to keep an eye on the blaze.

PersianCatLady · 27/07/2016 17:08

I'd go round and ask them to put it out.
In some cases that might work but in other cases it might make them realise how much it pisses you off and encourage them to do it more often.

Original poster

Bookeatingboy · 27/07/2016 17:16

Clearly they have put more on top because the smoke has built up again, dc won't go outside (which is crazy as it's a beautiful day) and I can smell it in the house now, even with the windows and doors shut.

I know they are entitled to burn garden rubbish, but it's the fact that they can see it blowing over to us and obviously not giving a shit that is pissing me off.

They have started the fire right next to the party fence so we are getting all the smoke and they are getting none

I'm just waiting for the dc friends to get collected then I'm going to speak with them.

OP posts:

NavyandWhite · 27/07/2016 17:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

emilybrontescorset · 27/07/2016 17:21

I think this is totally not on.

You have washing out and windows open perfectly reasonable on a warm summers day.

Hopefully it will be a one off. Very inconsiderate of them.

GoblinLittleOwl · 27/07/2016 17:26

How big was this bonfire? You really couldn't sit in the garden and had to take all your washing off the line when the wind was already dissipating it into the atmosphere? I think you are being a little precious.
By all means mention it to your neighbours, and agree times, but you will have to be prepared for them to light a bonfire sometimes.

JellyBelly89 · 27/07/2016 17:29

YANBU. We have lots of garden greenery that's all dried out and could do with being burnt. But. Whilst our gardens are an OK size, I wouldn't do it. Everyone has doors and windows open and I would feel like a rubbish neighbour if I did it. I'll just take it to the tip instead. In several trips admittedly...

I would ask them if they can let you know in advance next time. They might have just failed to engage their brain.

Original poster

Bookeatingboy · 27/07/2016 17:34

Goblin I can smell smoke on my clothes, both those I've got on and the ones I've taken off the line... if that makes me precious in your eyes then name call to your hearts content

If my home wasn't being affected why would it bother me

OP posts:

bigbluebus · 27/07/2016 17:35

How close is it to the party fence? My ILs NDN had a bonfire which was too close to their fence and burned down the fence and a tree in ILs garden caught light. It narrowly avoided burning down their very large shed. The neighbour had to claim on his insurance. I'd get a hose pipe out immediately if it is close to your fence, run down the garden shouting 'fire, fire' and squirt the water over the fence in his direction.

Original poster

Bookeatingboy · 27/07/2016 17:58

big blue it's right next to the party fence, about 8 feet from their back door. Our garden are over 120ft long

OP posts:

allwornout0 · 27/07/2016 18:05

One of the rules in my local allotment is that you cannot light fires, this is partly because there is no water supply and also because there is a recycling 'tip' 2 minutes drive away where people can take their green waste.
Some people with plots there seem to think that the rules don't apply to them and will light a bonfire whenever it's a nice day, the smoke goes straight into local gardens and can be a nightmare. God forbit that their bonfire went out of control with no water supply.
Mind you these are also the same people that like to ignore the other rule of 'no dogs allowed', they let their dogs roam around peoples plots and go to the toilet on others plots. Not nice when your strimming some grass and you end up strimming some dogs turds that were hidden.

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