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 - People are giving suggestions and opinions and you clearly arent happy with the responses so maybe just make your own decisions on what you are going to do

Options are -

1. Put up with it

2. Talk to him

3. Close the window

Sometime between 1 and 2 million years ago when we started using fire for warmth, light and cooking. We weren't even homo sapiens at that point.

His status? Grown adult smoking on his own balcony. Perfectly legally.

Um no? Maybe you lack comprehension skills? The opening post makes it clear that it's only a problem when the windows are open. The fact she doesn't wish to close her windows is neither here nor there, it's the solution and entirely within her control. I can only assume you don't understand how to interpret text. OP makes it clear that at 11pm she had to close her windows to deal with the problem, hence indicating the problem is when the windows are open. A later post then complained that she wanted her windows open as it was hot. She is opening her windows, letting neighbours normal smells in. If she shuts the windows, the smells cease to be a problem (otherwise why shut them at 11pm). So if the smells bother her she needs to shut the windows (and find a different way of cooling her flat if needs be)

You live in London (as do I), you must have noticed the colour of a tissue when you blow your nose. Although you may dislike the smell and although it can be hard, try to be realistic about this. Cigarette smoke from outside is not going to have more of a health impact than the car fumes and pollution your kids are also exposed to daily. It's a shit fact, but it might help you keep a sense of proportion if your neighbour isn't interested in your concerns.

Are you allowed smoke on your balcony? I know that might sound a bit daft, but I lived in a block where it wasn't permitted. We found out why one evening when a fire started in a plant pot - someone had left their cigarette butt smouldering and it caught the wood of the plants.

I do sympathise though. A friend used to suffer with her upstairs neighbour smoking dope - disgusting smell. She'd get me to call out ' what's that vile smell?' in a very loud voice. Sometimes it worked.

I don’t know why you’re lumping weed in with general pollution. Cannabis is an illegal drug for a reason. You’re welcome to be relaxed about your own children smoking weed, but I’m not ok with it for mine.

And we don’t blow black snot out of our noses. That’s just not a thing anymore, unless you travel daily on the tube, thanks to ULEZ. Air quality is significantly better.

It’s entirely unreasonable to have to shut my windows every 2-3 hours when my neighbour lights up. I work from home and have better things to do with my time than to run around opening and closing windows. Our flat is very warm, even in winter. Our windows are open 90% of the year.

City folk can't complain about smokers now? Ok

Sorry, haven't read whole thread but it sounds horrible for you so 2 things you could try.
Hang wet towels in your windows.
Ask him to get a fan to blow the smoke away, I'd even maybe buy one for him!
Actually another one, put a high glass/perspex screen between the balconies.
Good luck!

I have the same problem. When it happens I cough loudly and go around shutting the windows noisily. Passive aggressive, but it has improved things.

Smokers can be pretty self absorbed unfortunately, it's all about their fix, screw everyone else

If you're not prepared to shut your windows, then you're going to have to accept that you're going to smell outdoor smells (including smoke). It's that simple.

You not wishing to close your windows doesn't remove the right of others to live a normal life, which may well include choosing to smoke in their own homes or gardens.

Your wants are not more important than their wants. Stop being so entitled, and shut your windows if you don't want smells from outside in your flat.

If your flat is that hot, I'd suggest investing in air con.

Could you put up a wind breaker on the side he's smoking from that should help. You could descorate it with your children's hand prints or get a pretty one as they do lovely ones these days.

Also mention to him if he would consider a fan? Snd or a wind breaker on his side too?

If you talk to neighbour what are you expecting from him? To ask him to stop smoking on his own balcony is no more reasonable than asking you to close windows.

I appreciate it is not pleasant but i dont know what you want your neighbour to do. Ideally quit smoking but not realistic they will do that to help neighbour if they can't stop for the health and financial benefits.

Oh get real. He has better things to do than leave his house to smoke elsewhere.

Live with it.

You could ask him whether he ever tried vaping. Who knows he might want to quit and it provided a motive. Or you could report the weed. If he is rented he may not be there forever.

I live in a South facing new build and bought a Meaco air con with window kit. It's brilliant for a smallish room when WFH. I also have an air purifier as I live near an airport and have lung disease. Don't use it all the time but do sleep better when I do. in my bedroom I have a blackout blind so window is always shut and blind down. Much cooler. On the balcony I bought a half moon parasol that doesn't really shade the balcony (I have a small clip on shade for sitting out) but it shades the front room and makes it cooler.

Totally sympathise, I can smell smoke from miles away.

You live in London, as do I.

All our kids are regularly inhaling poisonous chemicals.

Especially if you let them out on the balcony or open your windows.

But you expect him to leave his premises to smoke due to your pref of not closing windows? Rightio, good luck with that.

Lots of London flats don't allow smoking in the property (whether that's indoors or on a balcony) because the insurance doesn't cover it.

I'd check with the building management and if smoking is not allowed they'll stop him or the insurance will shoot up by 10s of thousands (or be invalid if there is a fire).

That's really interesting because I used to work in property management and I have never in all my days heard of this?

Do you have a link please? I've Googled around but can't find anything?

I know.
Not sure if egotistical or just dense.

Some of these replies are bananas. Weed is illegal, it's not within the realms of things he "can do on his balcony".

OP, you should just tell him. I had to his problem in a previous flat, it's awful. The neighbours in my case were more or less understanding - the only problem was they kept getting high and completely forgetting.

Post Grenfell and the cladding issues affecting many properties in London, Insurance prices have gone crazy.

The insurance on the flat I own has increased massively and all the Leaseholders had to agree that it was a smoking-free building, even on the roof terrace, otherwise the insurance would have been astronomical.

I'm not prepared to put my building's insurance documentation on this website, but I can assure you it's the case in my building currently and for the last 4 years.

Exactly how on earth do you expect that to go? Police generally look the other way if personal use.