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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To report my neighbour to the police?

35 replies

Rottenneighbour · 09/07/2018 00:04

I live on a small estate (mixed council and private) and our property faces a small courtyard. One neighbour frequently smokes on his balcony throughout the night. He often smokes marijuana and the odour is quite strong. I have asthma and am pregnant and it makes me feel quite ill, so I've been sleeping on the sofa. He also has loud, hacking coughing fits lasting 15 minutes or more and watches loud clips/music videos on his mobile with no headphones at 2, 3, 4 am. Baby will soon be sleeping in our room and with the heat, can't bear to have the windows shut but don't want her exposed to the smoke.

AIBU to report neighbour to the police, or is there something else that can be done? I'm not able to knock on the door as I don't know exactly which flat is his. Have thought about yelling across the courtyard but that seems aggressive especially at 3 am...but I'm bloody close to just spraying him with our hose pipe!

OP posts:
Needsmorebeans · 09/07/2018 00:07

look up your council website and contact the asbo officer. You have a couple of issues here, noise and the smoking. you probably need to identify which flat it is.

GerbitaFillsbottomMcSimmons · 09/07/2018 00:35

It's unfortunate that the smell is coming into your room however I don't think it's unreasonable for someone to smoke marijuana on their own balcony. You could get a fan and position it towards the open window to stop any breezes or smoke from coming into the room. This will also keep the room cool and stop hot air coming in. It won't be long till windows will need to be closed anyway! As for the sound, I would find out which flat he lives in and leave a super friendly letter in his mailbox asking him if he could keep the volume down when watching videos late at night.

GerbitaFillsbottomMcSimmons · 09/07/2018 00:38

Also, the police are not going to give a rats about someone smoking marijuana. It's not long for it to be legalised in the UK so best get used to the smell. It's a natural substance and won't kill you - the politician from cars on the other hand...

schoty77 · 09/07/2018 00:46

We've called the police about marijuana smoking it, dealing it they just don't care. Illegal, but not worth their time (a lapse in standards IMO). Worth a try with the council though, this plus the noise.

Original poster
Rottenneighbour · 09/07/2018 01:05

Thank you, asbo is who I'll contact. To be clear, I'm not opposed to marijuana use and agree it should be legalised but don't want massive clouds of it coming into my bedroom, especially where a newborn will be sleeping!

OP posts:
KittyHawke80 · 09/07/2018 01:06

Oh, yes, do be super-friendly to the selfish antisocial fuckjob, won’t you? We've been hearing for fifty years that legalization is right around that pesky ole’ corner, but until that halcyon day, possession remains a crime, happily, and can be reported as such. Keep a record of the smoking and the noise - people shouldn’t have to be told that loud YouTube clips at 3am aren’t really the thing, unless perhaps their brain chemistry has been altered by something - and let the council know as soon as poss.

Sammyham88 · 09/07/2018 01:16

Think if you're close enough for the smoke from his spliffs to be wafting in and that you can hear videos from his mobile phone then you're close enough to raise your voice enough so that he can hear you with out you being unreasonably loud.

Just "shout" over that you're pregnant etc and how much it's disturbing you as they might not even realise the effect they're having on you, unless they're a complete a-hole they'll be more considerate in the future and if they aren't then you need to go to your council to complain, honestly, the police have absolutely no interest in neighbour disputes/ smoking weed unless someones been threatened.

Semster · 09/07/2018 03:23

Soon you'll be keeping him awake with a crying baby...

stillPhoenix · 09/07/2018 04:46

Have you asked him or told him?

Are you expecting him to be nice and tolerant when your screaming puke-ball arrives and cries at random intervals throughout the night?

Pengggwn · 09/07/2018 06:07

It isn't legal yet. Definitely report it.

Fatted · 09/07/2018 06:16

You can report it. But you will need to accept the fact that you will have to continuously report it. If someone is costuming drugs within their own property, the police will require a warrant to gain entry. They are not able to obtain one based on one report from one member of the public. So be prepared to keep reporting.

You can also report them to the housing association or landlord as appropriate if it's rented as ASB.

Noise nuisance should always be reported to the local council. Again, they will not turn out at 2am to tell him to turn it down.

My neighbour is forever outside in his back garden smoking the bloody stuff. We live in a terrace, so the smell does travel. I hate it because then my washing absolutely stinks of it!

Foreverlexicon · 09/07/2018 06:33

schoty77 nothing to do with a lapse of standards, just a serious lapse of resources.

Council is your best bet.

Ebeneser · 09/07/2018 07:02

Good luck, hopefully you can get something done but I doubt it. I have a neighbour that smokes it in his garden and stinks the entire street out. I just close my windows and front door. Likewise there is a house on the high street and a constant smell of weed in the general vicinity. If people have bothered to complain absolutely nothing has been done about it.

JumbleJamba · 09/07/2018 07:18

"Screaming puke-ball"?

Seriously what the actual fuck are you doing on a parenting forum?

numptynuts · 09/07/2018 07:22

*Have you asked him or told him?

Are you expecting him to be nice and tolerant when your screaming puke-ball arrives and cries at random intervals throughout the night?*

Like a spliff do you?

hannah1992 · 09/07/2018 07:25

I would report to the council. The police won’t do anything at all in regards to smoking weed.

The council will tell you to keep a log so maybe leave it a couple of weeks and make a log of times dates and what he’s doing. Then you already have a log of things to go with

Afrostyle1000 · 09/07/2018 07:27

I smoke marijuana in my garden. My garden, my rules.

KittyHawke80 · 09/07/2018 07:38

‘My garden, my rules’? No, treacle, that’s not how it works, although it is the attitude typical of habitual drug users. A crime is a crime even if you commit it on your own property, you see: otherwise we wouldn’t have been able to pop Fred and Rose West in prison for murdering all those girls - “My torture chamber, my rules!” “Fair enough. On your way!” Jesus.

DontBuyANewMumAnyLUSHProduce · 09/07/2018 07:47

Why don't you smoke it in your house with all the windows and doors closed, if you don't mind the smell?

Oh, you don't want the smell in your house?
Funny that.

Pengggwn · 09/07/2018 08:03

My torture chamber, my rules!”

😂

IsMyUserNameRubbish · 09/07/2018 08:05

Oh I feel for you, a neighbour like that can reduce your quality of life and it annoys me to be honest, why a person like that is allowed to get away with it. Everyone should report him but I know that's not possible as some people are just prepared to put up and shut up. If I was you I'd report him anonymously on the council website, and ring up the Police from a phone box and report him. In this case it's both the councils responsibility because of his antisocial behaviour and the Police because he's breaking the law. If you don't feel you can do that, write a letter explaining why you can't give your name in. Maybe you should look in to being rehoused, be upfront with the council and tell them why you're wanting to move, that's what a work colleague did, virtually identical circumstances to yours. The council gave her a diary to fill in of what he did and when, when he smoked cannabis, when and how long his music went on for that sort of thing, she gave them in after six months after filling in three books, then one day the council turned up with the police, marched him off the premises and changed the locks and he was never to be seen again. Good luck and I hope it works out for you.

ItsalmostSummer · 09/07/2018 08:10

Gerbita you’re right : “It's a natural substance and won't kill you - the politician from cars on the other hand...”
Politicians from cars would kill us Grin. Oh dear, I want to give up cars now. Who needs more politicians ??GrinGrin

ShovingLeopard · 09/07/2018 08:19

I see we have a couple of stoners on the thread.

If you possibly can find out who it is, I would have a quiet, friendly word and ask that all weed smoking be done within the confines of their own premises, as you don't want your newborn breathing it in. If it's a harmless, natural substance, they will have no problem with that. I would also mention the noise in a 'you wouldn't believe the way sounds echo' type of way. They may be unaware of how their actions are impacting on their neighbours.

If that doesn't work, then complain to the council and do as pp suggest re repeated complaints and keeping a diary. Sadly, I do agree that the police are unlikely to have the resources to pursue it.

Gettingbackonmyfeet · 09/07/2018 10:29

I very much doubt the police will do anything but I also wouldn't suggest a pregnant woman confront a man she's not sure is safe

Unfortunately I think your best bet is the council

stillPhoenix · 09/07/2018 13:33

@numptynuts

"like a spliff do you?"

Not for several decades but yes, I did.

If a neighbour had told me the smell was getting into their house etc then I'd have been embarrassed and stopped and apologised. I think that's antisocial.

However, I think it's antisocial to report him to the police before asking politely for him to stop especially as he's about to have his peace ended by the OP's baby.