Neighbours bloody bonfires!

[Whyemseeaye]

We've recently moved in to a new build house on an estate in a fairly rural location.

Whilst we're in countryside we are still all close together. Semi detached houses etc.

Our neighbours to the rear of us seem to have a bonfire every time it's hot! When I say bonfire read small inferno

Which they locate it right by our back fence for full effect!

This means we have to close all our windows due to the smell.

We have two very young children who's rooms are very warm even with the windows open so it's a real pain to have close them in this weather.

Why do people do this?! They don't seem very approachable so going round isn't an option.

AIBU to contact our local council about this?! Surely there are rules in place.

I don't think there's much the council will do as I believe as long as there not burning toxic waste/ plastic etc and it's after a certain time (7pm I think), I don't think they'd do anything.

Can you speak to said neighbour? It would annoy me too...

Sorry skimmed over the bit you said they didn't look approachable. You could always try and see? Maybe look up the rules on fires first see if you will have a leg to stand on with the council

Just checked gov website, you can complain and they must investigate if they believe the bonfires are a 'nuisance'

@lotstolose1 thanks for that, I’ve just had a look on there too. I’m definitely going to complain on Monday. The fires are going all day - was on way after midnight last time. This one is still going now

They’re definitely unapproachable - gruff and unsmiling

I hate them on your behalf. I've just stated a thread about fire pits.

I feel your pain. At least with bonfires I think there are certain times they are and aren't allowed, can you check and report them?

Some councils will do something about it if you live in a low smoke area. I'd go around and tell them to knock it off.

@redheadonatractor thank you, I’ve just read your thread and wondered if we’re neighbours

Honestly I don’t know why people would waste their money on these stinking things. They put the absolute fear in me the last time they had it lit. I thought my fence was going to catch fire

Monday morning straight on to the council and fog they won’t do anything I’ll be contacting a solicitor. I’m not having every summer ruined by this shit.

Good luck with your equally awful neighbour x

@Whyemseeaye At least ours isn't a danger it's a wire bin. It just bloody stinks to high heaven.

I wish you luck in your complaint. It's about time antisocial neighbours were held to account.

What are they burning op and all day? That’s not an easy thing to accomplish, whatever they are burning they’d be going through a shit ton of it.

We have a fire pit. And we also burn our garden waste but we have a very large garden and no close neighbours. The only time we have a fire going all day is when we have excessive waste to burn, but that’s piles about twenty foot high and thirty foot wide. You don’t get that in most bew build gardens.

If it’s next to the fence it’s unlikely to be inferno like. It would take the fence out.

Can you explain better? An inferno like fire, which burns all day and 8nto the night, and is next to a fence is hard to comprehend.

I would report, it's antisocial and not acceptable. The more neighbours report it, the more chance of some action.

@Bluntness100 they seem to be burning wood or similar. The last fire was burning for good eight hours. They’re topping it up regularly.

We have a diving fence at the end of our garden. The fires are located just on the other side. I can feel the heat through the fence.

The last and biggest fire the flames were well above our six ft fence. I was extremely close to calling the fire brigade.

These are not large gardens. Our garden is 10m x 10m. Theirs is half the size of ours.

@fashionablefennel I’m hoping their next door neighbours will report them too. It must be even worse for them

It's only the fact you said new build that I new you weren't one of my neighbours.
Ours next door has a burn barrel. He burns stuff for fun and to stand staring in it, beer in hand. Just like yours this one does it every single evening on a hot day. I have to run round shutting all the windows as he chucks more petrol on it. I shall report to the council this year if it carries on as ours states bonfires are a nuisance and they will chase up in it.

Meanwhile one morning last week they had all their windows open and washing on the line, the wind was blowing the right way too. Seemed the perfect time to chuck the stack of junk mail I'd got on our chimnea (which we never use I add). Small victories.

Report it to environmental health. My neighbours had about 15 last year when it was warm. I kept dates etc and reported it and they were sent a warning then did it again so I reported again and they got a fine. Please report it. It’s so dangerous to the environment and also selfish and disgusting.

Take photos and make a note of dates and how long they last.

Council and Enviromental Health should do something- Usually start off by sending a letter.

One thing to be aware of , there is no actual time when you can have them, although yes it helps to take the neighhood into consideration when having one.