Neighbours biomass smoke is ruining our house (and health of unborn child?)

[TheCornishGoodLife]

We moved house 4 months ago and really stretched ourselves to get it because we loved it so much.
Turns out our neighbours have a biomass boiler that pumps out black smoke across our house and garden every single day from about 4pm-9pm and it’s really getting me down. Now that the weather is warmer, we can’t have any doors or windows open at all, we can’t be out/sit out in the garden during that time because it stinks and hurts your chest, we can’t put any washing out. The smell also seems to seep into the house as well.
The smoke doesn’t affect them because it always blows away from them, right over our house and you get a horrible smoky haze in our garden for hours. It’s like living next to someone that has a big bonfire next to you every single day.
On top of that, I’m quite worried about the health effects of this (plus I’ve just found out I’m pregnant so that’s a double worry).
Ive read up about biomass boilers and used right, they should have a clean burn. So they’re clearly not using it right/burning rubbish to try to save money.
It’s such a shame because this house was supposed to be THE house, and now I’m starting to want to rush to get the redecorating done and move again.
We are super keen to keep good neighbourly relations - is it reasonable for me to say something - have we left it long enough since moving in? Am I being overly sensitive? Is there a gentle way of approaching this?
Thank you so much!!

Report them to your council they can’t use it like this

Are they aware? Can you invite them over to your garden to show them what’s happening? That would be my starting point.

I agree that you need to do something. Are they aware of it? I would ask them to come and see the smoke blowing across your garden so they can see what it is like. Hopefully this will lead them to take action. If it doesn’t I would report them.

It is a nuisance so your council should be involved; make sure you make clear the adverse affect this is having on you.

Why does everyone want to rush to the council? Talk to them first, document the evidence, then report to council if they don't take fast action.

Do this it's likely that they're not aware of the problem.

If no joy then you have this option, but I'd do my best to sort the issue out amicably first:
Report them to your council they can’t use it like this

Are you sure it’s a biomass boiler? Sounds more like a wood burner either way I’d talk to them.

Thank you so much for all the amazing tips ☺️ inviting them over is a really good idea - I’d not thought of that. I think unfortunately they are aware that the smoke blows onto our side and into the garden - the boiler flue is huge and in full view of their house snd garden so would be impossible to miss. Both the houses are fairly close so they’ll be able to see it blowing over, but perhaps they aren’t aware of how much smoke fills the garden? And they probably don’t know we can smell it in the house. Who knows… part of me thinks they’re just hoping we don’t say anything, but it’s definitely a worth a try! I’m super keen to keep good relations so don’t want to report them just yet 😅

It’s definitely a biomass boiler and not a wood burner luckily - it’s hugeee 😫 and they proudly gave us an in-depth tour of the biomass boiler when we first moved in 😂 they do have a log burners but only light them when it’s cold, and those aren’t an issue thankfully!

Good luck with your invitation suggest you invite then for BBQ. Plan it for when their biomass burner in full flow & they get your point whilst 'enjoying' your BBQ. 😂

We often invite neighbours to share BBQ once lit - helps to keeps neighbours happy if they know there's free food & drink. Never any complaints about an invitation.

Ask them to come and see it in your garden and also explain to them that you're pregnant and worried about the smoke and also will want to be in the garden with your baby in the future. Perhaps it needs repairing or servicing?

'I’m super keen to keep good relations '

They clearly aren't.

I would have knocked their door the first day the smoke came over.

Bit of an update - we gently broached it but the first conversation didn’t go so well 😢 he kind of dismissed us and then joked about how the smokiness is because of what is being burnt.
He then said that he’s even been chucking his dead lambs in it recently (he’s a farmer and currently lambing) 😮 which I was quite shocked about - I am pretty sure that is illegal and that you have to officially notify authorities of dead livestock and dispose of them properly. So it’s clear he just chucks everything and anything on it. It’s a bit demoralising but we are going to try and plug away and mention it again soon.
We are desperate not to fall out (we moved from our last house due to horrible neighbours). But you move to the countryside for clean, fresh air and to enjoy the outside. Sadly we would have to genuinely consider moving again if they don’t sort this out 😕 we can’t live like this - we can’t have any windows open, sit or just generally be outside from 4pm - 9/10pm everyday, hang washing out etc. The smell also seeps into the house somehow. It’s hard not to feel like ‘why us’. We moved from horrible neighbours and yet again we are being negatively affected 😫

Honestly if they're actually burning carcasses then you are never going to get this sorted without reporting them because no one reasonable would do that.

You need to get tough, OP. Contact the council and really push for action to be taken. Report them for burning carcasses (WTF?). They sound batshit.

You are right - thank you so much. We started to think ‘are we being unreasonable,’ but that is not normal/reasonabke behaviour from them. Thank you for making us feel validated, I do really appreciate it

We will try - you are so right. We’re both quite scarred and fatigued from our last neighbours 😅 so we’ve been reluctant to ruffle any feathers, but this is quite extreme and does need to be sorted. It’s making us both extremely anxious. Thank you

Did you clearly say that the smoke is affecting you in the garden and also indoors? That it hurts your chest? It does sound as though they either don't understand that, or don't care.

I doubt any farmer would dispose of fallen livestock in that way. There are clear regulations. However, it sounds like he is burning any old rubbish to produce the smoke you describe.

You've tried being nice. I'd report him to the council. I'd also make a freedom of information request to the council, to ask whether there have been any other complaints against him over the same issue in the past 5 years.

This would a) tell you if he's done it before, meaning there is evidence to support your complaint, and b) means you have a claim for costs against the previous owner of your house, if they did not disclose a dispute.

Unfortunately yes, but in hindsight we definitely could have been stronger and less apologetic. Our previous neighbours were very aggressive and intimidating and made our lives hell for 6 years, so we are overly cautious with neighbours now I think. We are conscious that they are lambing and probably exhausted so likely to be less receptive. So we will broach it again next week 🤞

Also get to the GP and have your chest checked. It can also be documentation if this does escalate.
But do it more for your own health and the babies

You be surprised at the ways some farmers dispose of fallen livestock.
If they’ve got a bonfire going they will Chuck anything on it, carcasses, old tyres and a lot of them think they’re exempt from social norms because they ‘work hard’ and ‘no farms no food’ etc etc.

I’m sorry you have had such a bad experience with your last neighbours; that will definitely affect how you view disputes now. But I don’t think you have a choice.

agree with a pp’s suggestion of making a FOI request to the council too.

i wonder why he was allowed to put his boiler where it affects his neighbours so much? Does he have planning permission for it? Might be worth looking into that too.

Legally, you are entitled to quiet enjoyment of your garden and house. Good luck.

I was only thinking from your first message that he was burning something incorrectly in it. Those boilers don’t give off black smoke if they are using the correct fuel.

You’ll have to go in much stronger on this. It’s a genuine health risk.

You won’t be able to sell the house if you get the council involved. You have to declare any disputes / issues with neighbours