to set some rules about frying onions?

[OhCheesus]

Was woken up at 6.45am this morning by the sound and smell of my new lodger chopping then violently frying onions. I say violently, as he seems to be deep frying them or something - I could hear oil practically boiling, popping and splattering. It didn't help he'd left the kitchen door wide open, and it's a single level flat.

I got woken up the other day by him doing the same at around 11.45pm. I think he was prepping his lunch this morning, but the smell!!!

DP (who doesn't live here but stayed last night) complained bitterly about it to me this morning but when I said I'd sort it, said 'Oh it's fine.'

AIBU to set some rules on cooking smelly food? Or do I just suck it up as part and parcel of living with someone?

Before anyone asks, yes I do have a lodger agreement but it only talks about noise, not pungent cooking smells...

Install an extractor fan? Cooking food in the kitchen is hardly unreasonable behaviour.

I don't think its reasonable to tell them they can't cook onions...

Haha no, you can't tell him he can't cook onion's if he wants to. Or eat fish. Or curry. Or anything else smelly.

YABU and quite honestly a bit over dramatic about this. Its a kitchen and he is cooking in it. You cannot tell a lodger he isn't allowed to cook certain foods due to the smell, specially ones as commonly found in recipes as onions are!

I wouldn't like to wake up to that but there's not a lot you can do really

I've got an extractor, which he does use. And I should have been clearer! I mean 'no cooking smelly food before 9am or after 9pm' or something

Surely they are allowed to use the kitchen? Even if it is for violent onion frying

I think it is something you just have to accept. At least he's using the kitchen at times you don't want to.

I would maybe suggest they put the fan on because cooking smells radiate around the flat but I don't think you can have kitchen opening/closing times

No, you can't put time limits on something that's subjective anyway. Sausages frying can smell unpleasant, but if he wanted a cooked breakfast, he'd have to wait until after 9am in case it was one of the unspecified smells you objected to!

No but ask him to open a window and keep the kitchen door shut to limit noise and food smell travels.

You live with another person now. You have to adjust.

He is maybe cooking his dinner for after work I am impresed somebody is that organised.

Complain about the noise at unreasonable hours and set a rule that you don't want strong smells in the whole house, so extractor fan and closing kitchen door when cooking certain foods (not before X am).

You could insist he closes kitchen door

This reminds me of a lady who reported her upstairs neighbour was hoovering aggressively early one Sunday morning. I've since wondered how to hoover aggressively.

Me too mrsJ

Ask him to close the door and open kitchen window as he’s woken you up.

My next door neighbour hoovers aggresively she batters right off the skirting boards she is obviously an angry lady

My former lodger would cook the stinkiest garlic chicken kievs at 3 in the morning. I feel your pain!

No, I have no advice. She got pregnant and moved in with her boyfriend so wasn't a smell related exit!

Thanks for the views so far. He has also left oil all over the hob (and anything near it) - pretty sure IANBU to ask him to wipe that down after he cooks. So gross!

I’d hate to be woken to the smell of onions being cooking, they smell really strong and the smell lingers a long time. If it’s your house then of course you can set some rules about not cooking late at night or early in the morning and I also think you can make rules about strongly smelling food.

Does he leave the kitchen tidy. Frying onions can be messy.

Of c ourse he needs to wipe up after himself.

Urgh I laughed my latte up the back of my nose when I laughed at "violently frying onions".
That's the second time I've done that.
Last time I laughed a pea up the back of my nose and it was there all day.

I love the smell of onions frying, the only thing that would annoy me is it would make me hungry.

At least he is not melting cheese, cooking smelly fish or deep frying meat and/or chips, those things really do reek.

It sounds like he is just letting the fat get too hot before he adds the onions.

Ask him to close the door and wipe the hob down.

I mean 'no cooking smelly food before 9am or after 9pm'

No you cannot put a time restriction on cooking food that you find smelly! Its subjective and he may have a different routine than you so should be allowed to cook what he wants, when he wants. But yes, he should clean up the mess afterwards.