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?

It’s truly awful, and so selfish. I suffered this in a flat as well, but luckily it wasn’t my permanent home. In the summer, like you, I needed the windows open. The guy below would come out every two hours for a fag. Literally every two hours through the night like clockwork. 11pm….1am…..3am…..5am….. it was DISGUSTING and just gave me the rage. It would come straight in my bedroom window and fill the room with fetid smoke while I was trying to sleep.

I honestly could have happily thrown the ignorant prick off that balcony.

Oh I wasn't asking you to, don't worry

It's just you said 'lots of London flats' and I can't find anything.

They all mention BBQs but not cigarettes.

The only replies that are 'bananas' are from people who think the police will do anything at all, just because weed is illegal.

Just how many spare police do you think are knocking around, spinning on their chairs and waiting for a phone call about someone smoking a spliff?

The Met won't even turn up if your home is being burgled and the burglars are still on the premises!

Attend any London council meeting where they're discussing cladding issues and you'll hear about it.

It's made flats unsellable because the insurance is so high.

How do I expect what to go? My suggestion was to talk to the neighbours about the weed smoke coming into the house where there's children. That's what I did, and because my neighbours aren't complete dickheads, the problem got a lot better.

Obviously the police won't do anything. But the replies saying he can do what he wants on his balcony, like the OP is being precious for complaining are not correct. Whether it not the police will enforce the rule, it isn't the case that he "can" (as in, is "allowed to") smoke weed on his balcony.

We can complain, we just shouldn't be surprised when we aren't taken that seriously.
People are allowed to smoke outside, sometimes we can smell the smoke. The fact that we don't like the smell doesn't mean we should feel entitled to stop those people smoking.
Life's annoying enough without fixating on things you can't change imo.

He literally can smoke weed on his balcony. By suggesting the OP go and ask what is a really risky and to be honest risky, it could end in a dispute impacting a sale, is naive.

The reality is people can't dictate what others do in their property no matter what opinions are.

Air quality is significantly better? No it is not. I live near a major road

No; the black nasal residue is alive and well on the tube. You do realise that the particulates from cars above ground barely affect the air and shit on the tube?all the shit there is from engines, bits os train, bits of humans (skin, hair, droplets of stuff expelled byscratching, shedding, and coughing and sneezing)

I think you need to re-read my post. I said it was still apparent if you travel on the tube.

But air quality in central London IS better as a result of ULEZ. You can disagree all you like, but the evidence says otherwise.

Anyway, none of this has anything to do with breathing in cigarette and cannabis smoke in my flat.

@PorridgeWobbler apologies, I did mis-read the tube bit.
Living in london, I see very little difference in air quality despity what the 'figues' say
But no, nothing to do with topic, i was responding to something raised.

My previous response about the use oofcweed (indoors or outdoors)!stands. The hysteria here when it is mentioned verges on hysterical. Yet same people are prepared to regularly break the law to suit themselves

@PorridgeWobbler I can't believe how many people equate your wish for cooler air in your home during a heatwave to someone's wish to smoke a ciggy! All this "its his balcony just dont open the window etc" but it's not is it because the smoke extends the limitations of his balcony and therefore is a nuisance.

@PorridgeWobbler you could try asking him not to, but it would be a massive inconvenience to him, so I'd expect him to say 'sorry, but there's no where else' (at best).

I assume if is leasehold? is there anything in the contract forbidding it? If he rents can you contact the landlord & see if it's permitted in his lease. Environmental health?

One cigarette every couple of hours would fill your room with smoke. Really?

I think you all must know dickhead weed users because the weed users I know would not want children to breathe the smoke in.

Just how many spare police do you think are knocking around, spinning on their chairs and waiting for a phone call about someone smoking a spliff?

Heh...I think there are quite a lot of mumsnetters who imagine this to be the case.

I realise this is frustrating for you and appreciate that you are concerned about the health of your children but, there is nothing you can do except speak with him and ask politely that he smoke elsewhere if possible.

He does not have to agree and can continue using his balcony - this is his right in his property.

If this is the case then you have to take steps to help the situation - such as close the windows, use a air purifier, fans etc.

Its as simple as that.

Yes mate. REALLY. I was directly below, and it drifted right in. Why would I make it up? How would I even have noticed if it didn’t happen? I hope you have a nuisance neighbour and that no one gives a fuck about it.

I wouldn’t have cared if it was normal times through the day when I could get away from it, but who needs a fag every TWO HOURS right through the fucking night?!

No it really does not. Someone asking me something pleasantly does not make me want to do it more.

I grant you, a 5-year-old will want sweeties regardless. But grown adults are surely capable of a more mature response than small children?

Really

So aggressive…

I was directly below, and it drifted right in

This smoke is starting to remind me of JFK's "magic bullet" - down and to the left, down and to the left - and surely smoke drifts upwards anyway?

It doesn't really make any difference though; unless it's disallowed in the lease nobody can stop him smoking on the balcony, so it's find a way to deal with it or move

Well all you can do is talk to him and hope he can move elsewhere to smoke.

If he says Tough I don't think there's anything you can do about it.

There’s no need for the ridiculous reply the poster made! Just because someone hasn’t suffered something doesn’t mean you then downplay what someone else has had to endure. Just stupid.

It should say “he” not “I”. Doesn’t take more than half a brain to figure that one out really does it?

As I said, I was lucky this was just a flat with work. I have my own house without ignorant cunts nearby 👍🏻

Calm down. You'll give yourself hypertension if you're not careful.