Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Neighbours cooking us alive ….

359 replies

DaisyStiener · 08/11/2021 08:36

We live in a freezing but lovely townhouse/tenement /high ceiling, bay but single glazed flat.
It’s been freezing since Before Time
Heating is rubbish and often wear layers to keep warm/survive

About 3 months ago : we got new downstairs neighbours

They did a lot of building work and at first , we thought by the heat and the noise- that they were drying plaster or similar with industrial heaters of some sort ?
Turns out no: they are just from a much warmer country and have their heating on 24/7 !?

My eyeballs are drying out. It’s like a Sahara now
I’ve windows open constantly , but at least my washing dries quickly …

Is it even SAFE to have heating on 24/7? What kind of heating rattles a whole room? My cats are just lying in pools on the floor!

AIBU - you’ll age by dehydration, your cats will eventually jump out of the wide open windows , the noise will drive you mad , it’s bad for the environment
YABU- enjoy the heat ,for once - make a cocktail chillax, throw away your onesies as you won’t need them this winter.

OP posts:
TheUser420 · 08/11/2021 14:46

It sounds like a professional grow.

Not really. A professional would make darn sure nobody who didn't need to know, knew.

If you work on the data from number of growshops adjusted for population and capacity you can work out about 4 in 5 grows in the UK are undetected.

RantyAunty · 08/11/2021 14:47

I did think of that movie the Burbs reading this thread! Grin

2bazookas · 08/11/2021 14:52

@DaisyStiener

So I had a quick nosey. Two sets of blinds shut. At mid day. Both front rooms Confused
The vibration is fans circulating heat.

Yes, there is a fire risk. You need to drop an anonymous tip off
call 0800 555111

crimestoppers-uk.org/campaigns-media/campaigns/report-cannabis-cultivation

quote

" Cannabis farms are very dangerous places and pose a serious risk of fire. Often the electricity meter has been bypassed and overloaded electrical circuits run close to water-filled pipes. Plants grown upstairs in a building can also cause floorboards to rot, presenting the danger of collapse.

LadyCatStark · 08/11/2021 14:54

If it’s a cannabis farm I’d be checking to make sure they haven’t illegally connected up to your electricity supply as I’m sure I’ve heard that they do that to neighbours.

ReginaaPhalange · 08/11/2021 14:56

@DaisyStiener please either request a welfare check by calling 101, or report via crime stoppers as PP has suggested.

BIL said the quickest course of action would be to request the welfare check. You said there's 8 blocks of flats in your building... so it could be anyone requesting the welfare check.

KloppsTeeth · 08/11/2021 14:59

I know someone who rented a flat out and it was turned into a cannabis farm. Trafficked teenager as “the gardener”.
Report to Crimestoppers for anonymity.

DaisyNGO · 08/11/2021 15:10

[quote Sashimiandhisthunderpaws]@DaisyStiener not sure which part of eastern Europe. But I used to date an Albanian. All of the residents in his house were tradesman and there wasn't a cannabis plant in sight.
1 - In Albania it's both much hotter in summer and colder in winter and yet the weather is too cold in the UK.
2 - Their curtains were drawn permanently.
3 - Once the heating needed to be switched in it was kept at a balmy 24 degrees as they didn't like the cold.

4 - I used to take a t-shirt with me in the winter as I got fed up with sweating in a jumper.

It could be nothing. See if you could get yourself invited in for a cup of tea.[/quote]
If I could type in giant caps I would type

DO NOT DO THIS

you do not want to have any interaction with these people. Why anyone would suggest a cup of tea when most signs point to cannabis farm...unless you wanted something very different to tea...

I think cannabis is more likely than bitcoin...

Is there a freeholder or management company with whom you can raise a concern?

Nevermindthesquirrels · 08/11/2021 15:11

I think you're actually very naive to not report this. I'm not crazy but do live in a very dangerous area and when things go unreported they just deteriorate. If they have found a flat that goes unreported for a long time, they use it for that and other things and it'll get worse and worse. Violence will often follow places like this.
We had a garage rented out on our road by some 'trap stars'. It started off with weed and everyone ignored it. Ended with a shooting on our street 6 months down the line as well as some guys running around with machetes at 10am.
You live in a flat in a building with 8 others, it can be anyone that reports it, not just you.
I think youre being very naive and irresponsible in all honesty. The fumes those plants will emit when its time for harvesting will be so strong you won't be able to stay there with your baby. I don't know what damage it'll do to your baby, but I'm sure it's not good.

Nevermindthesquirrels · 08/11/2021 15:12

@Sashimiandhisthunderpaws I think you are lacking some grey matter suggesting cups of tea. Nosing around their business and then doing an anonymous report? I wonder who that was??

ReginaaPhalange · 08/11/2021 15:13

@Nevermindthesquirrels

I think you're actually very naive to not report this. I'm not crazy but do live in a very dangerous area and when things go unreported they just deteriorate. If they have found a flat that goes unreported for a long time, they use it for that and other things and it'll get worse and worse. Violence will often follow places like this. We had a garage rented out on our road by some 'trap stars'. It started off with weed and everyone ignored it. Ended with a shooting on our street 6 months down the line as well as some guys running around with machetes at 10am. You live in a flat in a building with 8 others, it can be anyone that reports it, not just you. I think youre being very naive and irresponsible in all honesty. The fumes those plants will emit when its time for harvesting will be so strong you won't be able to stay there with your baby. I don't know what damage it'll do to your baby, but I'm sure it's not good.
This. Every single word and 10000x THIS!
whynotwhatknot · 08/11/2021 15:13

do they own or rent

the only thing that would bother me is the electrics being dodgy i dont really care about people growing

Twentypast · 08/11/2021 15:18

@whynotwhatknot

do they own or rent

the only thing that would bother me is the electrics being dodgy i dont really care about people growing

Do you care about a child potentially trafficked into slavery?
toomuchlaundry · 08/11/2021 15:20

@whynotwhatknot you don't worry that the young teen might be trafficked

DaisyNGO · 08/11/2021 15:25

Nevermind I can't seem to get a definition of trap star that fits what you're saying.

Totally see your point re escalating.
OP I really feel for you.

Pascal80 · 08/11/2021 15:28

@Nevermindthesquirrels

I think you're actually very naive to not report this. I'm not crazy but do live in a very dangerous area and when things go unreported they just deteriorate. If they have found a flat that goes unreported for a long time, they use it for that and other things and it'll get worse and worse. Violence will often follow places like this. We had a garage rented out on our road by some 'trap stars'. It started off with weed and everyone ignored it. Ended with a shooting on our street 6 months down the line as well as some guys running around with machetes at 10am. You live in a flat in a building with 8 others, it can be anyone that reports it, not just you. I think youre being very naive and irresponsible in all honesty. The fumes those plants will emit when its time for harvesting will be so strong you won't be able to stay there with your baby. I don't know what damage it'll do to your baby, but I'm sure it's not good.
THIS PERSON knows what they are talking about.
Nevermindthesquirrels · 08/11/2021 15:28

@daisyNGO hahah sorry that made me laugh. Trap star is someone who is successful in trap music. That very very agressive genre of rap.

Nevermindthesquirrels · 08/11/2021 15:31

@DaisyNGO sorry what I actually meant was drill star. Drill is the very very agressive rap music. They were drill artists and were using the garage as a recording studio at first.

RampantIvy · 08/11/2021 15:32

Do you rent, or do you own the flat? If it is rented is it the same landlord as downstairs? Maybe you could raise your concerns with the landlord?

Nevermindthesquirrels · 08/11/2021 15:35

@RampantIvy You mean well but I also wouldn't do this. You would be surprised how many landlords are complicit in this kind of thing. It's best to just report on crimestoppers and keep yourself, to yourself.

Alwayscheerful · 08/11/2021 15:36

We have a rental property , lovely tenant reported disturbed sleep due to rumbling noise from neighbours. Curtains next door were drawn 24/7 and no reply when I knocked on the door, I peeped thru letterbox and saw 3 pairs of flip flops.
I decided to report noise to environmental health, immediate apologetic call from Chinese tenant blaming air in radiators. 6 months later tenants left property next door wrecked , 6 months unpaid rent , loft full of old soil and compost and irrigation equipment, ceiling was almost collapsing under the weight. The noise was the heating equipment working 24/7 .

RampantIvy · 08/11/2021 15:36

I admit that I am probably a little naive about this, but if it is going to be a fire risk something needs to be done.

Nevermindthesquirrels · 08/11/2021 15:38

@RampantIvy yup. It'll be a lot more than a fire risk if the OP leaves it.

Mummyoflittledragon · 08/11/2021 15:38

@Nevermindthesquirrels

I think you're actually very naive to not report this. I'm not crazy but do live in a very dangerous area and when things go unreported they just deteriorate. If they have found a flat that goes unreported for a long time, they use it for that and other things and it'll get worse and worse. Violence will often follow places like this. We had a garage rented out on our road by some 'trap stars'. It started off with weed and everyone ignored it. Ended with a shooting on our street 6 months down the line as well as some guys running around with machetes at 10am. You live in a flat in a building with 8 others, it can be anyone that reports it, not just you. I think youre being very naive and irresponsible in all honesty. The fumes those plants will emit when its time for harvesting will be so strong you won't be able to stay there with your baby. I don't know what damage it'll do to your baby, but I'm sure it's not good.
Also this. As it’s likely to be a farm, you are putting your baby in ore danger, not less by not reporting them. If you’re so afraid, you could perhaps stay with other people for a while until the place has been investigated? Would be worth talking to the police about that, perhaps.
DaisyNGO · 08/11/2021 15:39

[quote Nevermindthesquirrels]@DaisyNGO sorry what I actually meant was drill star. Drill is the very very agressive rap music. They were drill artists and were using the garage as a recording studio at first.[/quote]
Ah, that makes more sense, thanks.

Poshjock · 08/11/2021 15:42

If it's an old building I'd be worried about the state of the wiring it's unlikely to be set up for large loads needed to operate heat and ventilation for a larger scale production. Also insurance may not cover any damage due to it being "criminal activity"

www.insurancetimes.co.uk/news/loss-adjuster-warns-of-spike-in-cannabis-linked-fire-claims-amid-lockdown-easing/1439270.article