Neighbour smoking on balcony

[PorridgeWobbler]

We have a relatively new neighbour in the flat immediately next to ours. Now that the weather is improving he seems to spend a lot of time on his balcony smoking cigarettes and weed. Yesterday it was about every 2-3 hours. The smell is horrendous and the prevailing wind flows it straight in through our windows. It’s as if someone is smoking inside our flat. I work from home so notice every time he smokes. Last night he lit up again at 11pm so I had to shut our bedroom windows despite it being very hot. I have young children and their bedrooms also end up stinking of smoke.

I feel I need to say something because it is vile and bad for our health. But I also appreciate that it’s his balcony and he can technically do what he wants on it. What should I say?

AIBU to complain to him?

Op wants it stopped all day long ....not just evenings.

Had this. Nothing you can do. We moved in the end but were renting.. our bedroom was next to the front door of a block of flats...awful

Ask your neighbour if he is happy for young black men to be stabbed, or for a young girl to be shot dead as happened in Liverpool. As this is what he is happy about by partaking in illegal drugs.

If he drives, then report him to the DVLA or the police.

You should be keeping your windows closed in this heat along with your curtains and putting a fan on. As for the smoking tobacco there is nothing you can do, smoking weed is a different matter, go and tell him the smell of the weed is affecting your children. If he doesn't bother then call the coppers or the council.

We had the same issue with our neighbour, but we're in a house with a garden. We put a note through their door just saying "sorry to bother you and we know you can do what you want in your own home but would you be a bit more mindful about smoking so close to our home as the smell of weed is coming into our home and making everything stink" it seemed to work as they now sit at the other end of their garden to do this. Its a bit harder with a balcony situation though.

Honestly, talk to him. If he smokes mj he is likely quite chilled out. If he knows it’s bothering you, you both may be able to come up with solution (like times).

You can go through other channels but I’m betting this will be more successful. Write a letter if you can’t do it face to face.

Why are the drugs illegal? I’m not asking for an answer, just thought I’d lay that there.

Smokers are already banned from smoking pretty much everywhere except a few designated areas and half of some beer gardens. I think in the vicinity of his own home on his own balcony is fine tbh and while you don't have to like it you will just have to suck it up. If you complain I imagine he might, if he feels like it, go downstairs but let's be fair he will probably find it inconvenient and start up again in a few days and then if you continue to complain you may end up making enemies with him (which as anybody with bad relationships with their beighbours can tell you, you really really do not want.) and the smell of smoke anyway. If there's disputes you will have to declare it when you sell as well, and could impact sale.

I would honestly just accept it and open windows on the other side of the building. It won't be this hot forever (or even for long knowing the UK) so it won't be all the time you need the windows open.

It’s like it’s own little planet on here. You’ll get mobbed if you speak against the herd. Watch your step 😹

I feel
your pain but my neighbours are a nightmare and asking them nicely wad pointless. You could ask him not to do it at night when the kids are in bed and you have the windows open. But don’t hold your breath , we just shut the windows when they start.

Thats a good idea lolll
No idea how it would go down with OPs neighbour though

OP, there are apparently THC infused vapes out there too, tell Him
I don't think You are BU

Maybe because they cause mental
health problems.
There are a lot of things that I don’t agree with. I still obey the law.
By buying any sort of drug you are supporting the criminal underworld and all the abuse of people that goes with it.

i am sometimes woken by cigarette smell from my neighbour if the wind is blowing in my direction. Do I like it? No. Will I say anything? Also no.

For context I'm an ex smoker, but while I wouldn't like the weed you'll never be able to stop him smoking cigarettes outside on his own property - after all folk wanted smokers to indulge only outside, and now they do that's not right either

Sounds to me like something you'll just have to accept as part and parcel of living alongside other people ...

Pushing the problem onto the people who live on the ground floor is hardly "the decent thing". I lost count of the people I had to ask to stop smoking on the front step of our old block of a summer evening because their smoke was blowing into our baby's bedroom while baby was asleep in there.

Included in the ban😉

Not your balcony, not your business. I don’t drive a polluting car, but I can’t stop others.

Buy him a box of gummies.

Perhaps it’s BECAUSE we have to breath in pollution all day long that I don’t also want to breath it in at home.

If you lived somewhere polluted and someone came and stood next to you and lit a cigarette would you move away from them or just shrug and think “oh well, what does a bit more pollution matter?”.

You seem to object to the idea of someone in London wanting what’s best for their child’s health. Why is that?

Not quite the same as having to breath in cigarette and weeds smoke in your own home.

If you lived somewhere polluted and someone came and stood next to you and lit a cigarette would you move away from them or just shrug and think “oh well, what does a bit more pollution matter?”.
The important phrase in the above is 'would you move away from them'. That is an option.

Of course it’s not an option. I can’t afford to just move house because my neighbour is polluting my flat! What are you on?!

In my sons old flat that he left in Feb
he was not allowed to smoke in his flat or on his balcony

originally he was buying and in the lease there was a clause about not allowing smoking on the balcony

however the balcony was in fact a long walkway it wasn’t separated for each individual flat people did put up mini fences/ planters to separate each balcony but they couldn’t be fixed to anything due to possibly being a fire hazard

no one used it as a walkway either

if he is renting find out who he rents from and complain to them

Smoking cigarettes is still legal, I’ve not smoked for over a year now, but am still on the side of anyone who smokes. Unless there is a clause saying you can’t in your flats or on the balcony there is nothing you can do, so leave him alone. He’s doing nothing wrong, and your little darling children or indeed you are absolutely not his concern. I really hate how smokers are demonised but not drinkers, who harm far more humans in the grand scheme of things, with their drunken behaviour, drink driving or violence. Smokers have been pushed around, it will disappear one day, and really it will be for the best of course, but he is outside like everyone wanted. But still the complaints go on ‘but they are smoking in beer gardens while we are trying to enjoy the sunshine WHAAAAAAA!’. Just move if it’s that bad!

You sound irrationally angry about smoking, maybe take it up again and chill.

It stinks and no one that isn't a smoker likes it!

Vile habit.

Glad it's getting harder and harder to smoke anywhere.

What made you give up? The smell? The fact it was killing you?