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AIBU?

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Original poster

My neighbours really smell…heeelp

362 replies

sjxoxo · 15/08/2022 13:22

I can see the ridiculousness of my issue BUT the smell is becoming unbearable for me to live with. We are attached on their side so our houses are joined.
The houses are very old- ours is having some renovations done, theirs was done several years ago so they’re not doing any work or anything like that. There is this horrendous stench from their house and I can’t for the life of me understand what it is. They are in their 30s and just had a baby like us, we are friendly. I can tell when their back door is open because I can smell the smell.. I have racked my brains as to the source but I just can’t think what it could be- it is quite a specific type of smell, kind of musty but sweet. Its constant, so not occasionally there- I can smell it any time their doors are open. I don’t think it’s a ‘rotting’ smell but it does make me feel a bit queasy; it’s thick, heavy and smells very very stale. Sort of sweet but not in a nice way. I wondered if they could be cooking with a certain type of oil or a fryer. I’ve never had one so can’t compare. I’ve been into their house before several times and it’s overpowering to me inside - it’s quite dirty (I don’t mean that as in insult) and their kitchen is on our side of the house; I can smell very strongly when she is cooking with her oven and the smell then is like an oven that’s full of grease and never been cleaned. You know when people have ‘their’ smell in their homes - obviously we all do and they are just that - it’s like theirs is really really intense and something is off with it. I don’t know if the smell is related to the oven; i have mentioned to her before that I can smell her oven and she did try and improve that but I just am at my wits end with it & don’t know what to do! I have these horrible thoughts we’ll all be on a Netflix doc in 20 years talking about something very sinister!!!! Heeeelp. Anyone have any similar stories or manky smells? Should I say something? What would you do?

OP posts:
wonkylegs · 15/08/2022 14:31

I swore my neighbours grandson was smoking weed in the garden/room adjacent to ours as I could smell it so strongly just after he moved in for a stay over lockdown it persisted and permeated our whole house for weeks. Luckily before I said anything I realised it was the new curtains I'd bought for DSs room when they got hot they absolutely reeked a smell that was the same as weed and boy it was strong . Washed x 3 and hung them out and suddenly my house was smell free. I was so close to going round and having a bit of a rant 😳

Kerrrmieee · 15/08/2022 14:31

SheWoreYellow · 15/08/2022 14:25

I would say litter tray or nappy bin too.

Could be couldn't it, esp if don't smoke indoors.

I have cats (outdoor) but in this heat I've come into my own house and thought ewww... We have a random male coming in catflap and spraying 😭

But yes baby poo... Foxes love that sweet smell of baby poo and they'll eat it (found that out in France)

People sometimes can't smell their own erm living aroma 🤮

Kerrrmieee · 15/08/2022 14:33

wonkylegs · 15/08/2022 14:31

I swore my neighbours grandson was smoking weed in the garden/room adjacent to ours as I could smell it so strongly just after he moved in for a stay over lockdown it persisted and permeated our whole house for weeks. Luckily before I said anything I realised it was the new curtains I'd bought for DSs room when they got hot they absolutely reeked a smell that was the same as weed and boy it was strong . Washed x 3 and hung them out and suddenly my house was smell free. I was so close to going round and having a bit of a rant 😳

🤣🤣 that is so odd!

We could smell fish for months once. I ended up feeling slighty paranoid...

Dodgy light socket! Phew!

thereisonlyoneofme · 15/08/2022 14:33

Erm, puts handup gingerly ,I dont know what weed smells like ! Must have led a sheltered life.

Habada · 15/08/2022 14:34

What nationality are they @sjxoxo ?
Could be Khat
Could be stale spilt baby formula
Could be weed
Could be some herb
BO and perfume but no deodorant

Babyroobs · 15/08/2022 14:34

Sounds like weed.

Habada · 15/08/2022 14:35

Unfortunately our blackout blinds have thus sicky smell when heated by the sun

EmmaH2022 · 15/08/2022 14:35

sjxoxo · 15/08/2022 13:28

Oh interesting thought @Rapidtango !! But I don’t think it’s that because they’re quite ‘conservative’ - they don’t even drink. She smokes but only outside maybe once or twice a day. They’ve got a baby about 4 months old now so I can’t imagine they are smoking weed!

Weed.

Unforgettablefire · 15/08/2022 14:35

FuckMyActual · 15/08/2022 13:27

Sounds like weed. Not a body. Dead body will make you gag, weed is one of those smells that hardly anyone likes. Sweet, sort of earthy- a lot of people have sweat that smells like weed.

Yes! People always look at me funny when I say weed smells like sweaty armpits! I'm not the only one then.

Op it's weed.

Lineala · 15/08/2022 14:36

Rat piss is a foul smell, like rotting food, maybe have a look around see if you can find some droppings. Dead rats can smell pretty foul too.

mamabear715 · 15/08/2022 14:37

I wouldn't have a clue, but I hope you can find out & get it dealt with. eeewww. :-(

dudsville · 15/08/2022 14:38

I'm enjoying the idea that those who make jam do not smoke weed!

How you get to the root of it soon OP!

Justkidding55 · 15/08/2022 14:38

Vape. It can smell really nasty to some people (me). If they always spill the juice and vape in the house it will smell

Unforgettablefire · 15/08/2022 14:38

They don't have to be smoking weed they could be making cookies with it or cakes. They could be growing it Grin
Never judge a book by its cover, people from all walks of life use it for all different reasons.

coconuthead · 15/08/2022 14:38

I instantly thought weed too, not the freshly smoked aroma that you often smell out in summer it's more of a sweet, earthy, almost cheesy stench that permeates the walls of those who grow or smoke it in their homes. It's very different.

Unforgettablefire · 15/08/2022 14:39

Ps
Look at all the coke hoovering mps!

3peassuit · 15/08/2022 14:40

Could it be home brewed beer? I remember the awful stench from the one time DH brewed up his own in the 80s.

Keladrythesaviour · 15/08/2022 14:40

Could you go round and say you're worried about the drains (or something) because if this terrible smell you keep getting out the back of the houses - can they smell anything? Opens up the dialogue without making accusations. Even if they deny smelling it, they might clean up their act especially if after a while of no success in 'locating' the smell you then say you're going to call out the council environmental team as you're concerned there's a dead badger or something somewhere.

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 15/08/2022 14:43

littlepeas · 15/08/2022 13:39

I always find it interesting that people who smoke weed seem to think that no one can smell it! It’s so flipping distinctive - you can’t smoke it stealthily. I do think maybe younger people don’t realise that older people know what it smells like, but of course most do 😂. Or possibly they just don’t care, but I see young lads hiding their joints in the street - I want to tell them that everyone can smell it but never do.

I agree, it reeks. You can smell it in a car with windows shut it's so strong.

VanGoghsDog · 15/08/2022 14:43

I don’t think it’s weed as that’s got quite a nice smell and you would get used to it quite quickly if it was there all of the time.

It's not a nice smell to me, it's vile. Also, you don't get used to it. Two houses from me reeks of it, I've reported them to the police and they've been raided three times and a few of the young men taken away. Still reeks. No, I'm not use to it nor will I ever be. I hate it and it's depressing.

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 15/08/2022 14:45

VanGoghsDog · 15/08/2022 14:43

I don’t think it’s weed as that’s got quite a nice smell and you would get used to it quite quickly if it was there all of the time.

It's not a nice smell to me, it's vile. Also, you don't get used to it. Two houses from me reeks of it, I've reported them to the police and they've been raided three times and a few of the young men taken away. Still reeks. No, I'm not use to it nor will I ever be. I hate it and it's depressing.

LOL @ get used to it !! 🙄🤣

Original poster
sjxoxo · 15/08/2022 14:45

@namethattunein1 im not saying she doesn’t smoke weed because she makes jam. Of course people from all walks of life are capable of using weed and other drugs. But it’s unlikely. And knowing what I know of them I don’t think it’s that! X

OP posts:
TroysMammy · 15/08/2022 14:46

What flavour jam did she give you? Blackberry and cannabis?

henni85 · 15/08/2022 14:46

I live in a really poor area, and a lot of houses smell of deep fat fryer, cigarettes and poor ventilation. Clothes dried inside, body odour and windows/doors opened not nearly enough. Covering that miasma with incense or air freshener might make the sweet, cloying smell? I also don’t think weed smells unpleasant. Loads of weed smokers round me too and it hangs in the air (much nicer than the manky house smell)

TooManyPlatesInMotion · 15/08/2022 14:46

I smoke weed while making jam all the time 😉

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