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?

Oh great, so you'll have your windows shut all day anyway having to breathe pollution in all day.

I live in London and object to people thinking they can dictate what other people do in their own homes. If you don't like what comes naturally with living on top of other people in a flat then don't live in one.

If he did it Indoors you'd probably still complain and want him to shut his windows next.

Put up a barrier at the end of your balcony adjacent to his. This could be solid, like a board, or as someone suggested upthread, a trellis with stuff growing up it. Even though this kind of barrier is porous, it can very effectively baffle and deaden the prevailing breeze so the vast majority of the smoke would dissipate on his side.

@PorridgeWobbler

Seriously - get one of these. We’ve got the top one on this list - it clears fire smoke and particles brilliantly - it’s a HEPA filter so will get the pollutants from both the cigarettes and general London pollution out of the air.
Gets rid of the smells quickly too.

www.outdoorlife.com/gear/best-air-purifiers-for-smoke/

The issue is the smoke coming in through our open windows, not coming onto our balcony.

So shut your window. Problem solved.

@mrsm43s the issue with that was explained in the first post.

What? That its hot? Well, yeah, OP probably will be hot if she doesn't want to let outdoor air along with associated smells and pollutants inside, unless she installs air conditioning.

Choice is windows open letting air (and smoke/smells/pollution) in, or windows closed keeping air (and smoke/smells/pollution) out.

OP doesn't get to control what her neighbours do on their own balcony for her convenience. Not her right. She gets to close or open her window, whichever suits her best. That is all she gets to control.

Cigarette smoke is normal daily living, just like children's noise is normal daily living. Luckily, OP has the choice to shut it out by shutting her windows.

When did people become so entitled that they think it's up to everyone else to inconvenience themselves to suit them? People can smoke in their own homes/balconies/gardens if they wish. And I say this as a staunch non smoker.

@mrsm43s I merely told you that your inane comment was dealt with in the first OP.

I don't need a lecture, thanks!

When did people become so entitled that they inflict their nasty evil smelling pollutants on other folk?

Not inane, valid and reasonable.

@mrsm43s inane because it had already been answered. But you'd not read the OP or lack comprehension skills.

Apparently the other folk should "just close their windows".

No matter how hot it is

No one is smoking in her flat. It's her choosing to open the window that is inflicting it on herself and her child.

I live next door to a family with three noisy young boys. I work from home and need peace and quiet to concentrate. In the school holidays I don't tell them not to play in their own garden as the noise disturbs me. I shut the window (and turn the fan on) if them reasonably using their property how they like disturbs me. I don't get to tell them to cease their reasonable behaviour because I want my window open! Like it or not, smoking on your own balcony is a perfectly reasonable thing to do, and OPs desire to have her windows open doesn't trump that.

I'm not on anything! Just giving you the options, put up with it or move out - it's his home, his balcony and his addiction so if you can't move out.....

No there's not. Unless there's a clause in his tenancy saying he can't smoke on his own balcony, which I very much doubt, there's bugger all the council/HA/landlord can or will do anything about it. Ridiculous advice

@mrsm43s - so why doesn’t he smoke in his own home? Because it’s smelly. But he doesn’t object to smelling out other peoples homes does he?

When did people become so entitled they feel they have the right to stop people indulging in their nasty, evil smelling habits? If you choose to live in close quarters with other people you have to accept they may have habits you don't like. Smoking is not illegal

Was just about to say this!

Open in cooler hours, then closed during the hotter times with blinds/curtains drawn to keep that cooler air inside cool.

My neighbours puff weed every morning before going to work, and every evening when they get home, outside the back door.

If I can be bothered I shut my windows for half an hour.

I could probably set an alarm clock.

I was curious about the disgusting stench of weed where I live, earlier in the year (2024) I asked 2 police officers during a walk in and I was told there is nothing they can do about it. Their resources are already tied up.

I don't have asthma, thank goodness, I am aware that adults and children who have serious breathing issues like asthma etc etc, local authorities and police can do nothing to stop smokers from polluting the air with weed and cigarette smoke..
Some selfish pricks continue to smoke near windows just to wind people up.

So the $hit hits the fan in the case of people who don't smoke or want the acrid smell of weed in their homes, especially those with breathing issues.

They are like a fart in a lift.

Probably because his tenancy says he can't smoke inside, so he's quote reasonably complying with that rather than risking getting kicked out.

It doesn't matter anyway. If he wishes to smoke on his balcony, he's perfectly entitled to, and its a perfectly reasonable/normal thing to do. If OP doesn't wish to smell that smoke, she can shut her windows.

😂

A decent air purifier would be more effective than you think. Even a little rubbish air purifier will take the smell down a bit.

It is annoying but if he is a heavy smoker and does not want to smoke indoors he is unlikely to vacate his property every time he wants to smoke. I can't think of many people who would be that accomodating.

If you are asking him to do something else, sit to other end of balcony or try and blow it other way then he might but i doubt that will help much if breeze is towards you.