...to be seathing that 6 doors down are having a bonfire at 12:45 in the afternoon....and my washing is out??

[Coathanger]

I cant believe it!! My nice clean, fresh washing is now gonna stink! I am bubbling!!!

Should I go knock on their door, or ring the council? Isn't there a law about having bonfires before dusk or something?

Can see why you're p*sed off but there's nothing you can do about it. Why shouldn't they have a bonfire now? If it bothers you that much take your washing in and put it back out later

I think it used to be against some sort of byelaw to have a fire before 7pm (may be completely wrong about htat though).

I've just looked it up on my local council and there's nothing about it being illegal, just that it's an offence to cause a nuisance by lighting one - whatever that means!

www.croydon.gov.uk/community/safety/safetyfireworks/bonfires

Actually, just looked it up n my local council website:

"Whilst garden bonfires may have been a traditional method of disposing of garden wastes, burning garden waste produces smoke which contains carbon monoxide and toxic fumes. Most of us have neighbours living close by who may not share our enjoyment of a bonfire. Smoke can ruin a neighbour's enjoyment of their garden, prevent windows being opened and prevent them hanging out their washing.

These days it is not necessary to burn waste. You will find that nearby is a County Council local amenity site, where most waste items including cardboard, can be recycled or composted.

If you are bothered by smoke from a bonfire, firstly approach your neighbour and explain the problem. Immediate recourse to your Local Authority may cause animosity between you and your neighbour. Should this approach fail, it may be that the Environmental Services Division can assist. It is useful to keep records of the dates and times nuisance from the bonfires occurred.

Section 79 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 refers to nuisances caused by smoke. It may well be that smoky bonfires could be a contravention of the Act if they occur on a regular basis, and prosecution may result. It is, however, the view of this Authority that most people are proud of their civic responsibility as they are of their own gardens, and will consider their neighbours before lighting a bonfire."

Seems they shouldnt be burning anything at anytime

OK I didn't know about this. So maybe YANBU. Not sure it would bother me but then we don't dry our washing outside. Can't personally see its that much different to a BBQ but then if they were burning something that stunk maybe I would be less happy!

Are you going to go chat with your neighbour about it?

I have made a note of the date and time, and will wait and see if it happens again....

...if it does then I will approach the neighbours....

Thanks for the replies

I know I am late replying to this story of my life I only get to catch up at the weekend but why not approach them now and ask if they would mind telling you if they plan to have a fire so you can get your washing in

or go down the garden and shout loudly "thanks very much for ruining the whole day in the garden for EVERYONE in the street you MORON". Or words to that effect.

I hate people that do this. Nearly as much as I hate my neighbours who light their BBQ on the patio so the smoke comes in my double doors in the dining room and fills my house. How hard would it be to call over the fence so I could shut the doors? I don't mind them doing it, we all BBQ, but a leeetle bit of sense would be good.

bleaugh, the smell of someone else's bbq, especiallywhen you have just eaten.
i too thought ou shouldnt light a bonfire til after 6.-pm.

YANBU, I would be really annoyed.

It wouldn't bother me if it was a one-off event.

I certainly wouldn't go round to the neighbour's house or ring the council to complain.

The theory of 'live and let live' usually serves to keep things amicable round our neighbourhood.

But if they lit bonfires that disturbed me on a regular basis, I would speak to them about it.

I had real problems with the people behind us having bonfires every week.
Their gardens are 300ft long and ours just 40. I waas told to keep a record by the local council to see if it consititutes a nuisance. Our gardens used to be full of smoke on Sunday afternooons.

The trouble was that the 3 back neighbours to us were all doing it at the very end of the garden.
One day I got the hose pipe out and sprayed one of them and he moved his fires to the middle of the garden.

My next door neighbour had enough one day when their was a huge bonfire, our gardens and even the cars parked out the front were covered in ash. he called the police, who then called the firebrigade who came out and put it out and told theidiot off.
I put a letter out to all the houses down that road and asked nicely to be more neighbourly about the bonfires, but it didn't make any difference.
I kept a diary and sent it to the council and things definitely improved but I don't know what action they took.