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!!

@SingWithMeJustForToday My reply was to the poster who posted categorically that once you get the council involved, you won't be able to sell - which is just a complete untruth

True. But it’s also best to make buyers aware anyway even if the council are not involved - if buyers have the same issue and find out you also had that issue they can take you to court, I think they have 7 years but could be wrong.
edited to add: I would go through any legal channel possible - it could actually solve things and you can live a lovely life then.

You need to report them to the Environment Agency for pollution. Or at least call them/ council for advice. This is not acceptable and would damage your health.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/nuisance-smoke-how-councils-deal-with-complaints

Do not talk to them again, deal with them from the legal stand point only. Talking would clearly not change anything.

Has your seller failed to notify you of this hazard? Did they report it to the council ?

I totally sympathise! I have the same problem, I also have neighbours who have a biomass boiler. Rural area - Move to the country for some fresh air they said! Mmm.

I can't hang my washing out, open our bathroom window after showering or kitchen windows when cooking. I can't open my child’s bedroom window to let cool air in in the summer. The environmental health dept at the council has been useless.

I bought a small PM2.5 monitor to measure the levels of pollution in the garden. Even when I informed the council of the really high readings I was picking up of around 180 they did nothing.

I also checked the PM2.5 readings in the house, as I could smell the smoke even with the windows closed, it gets in the flipping vents and everywhere doesn't it! The monitor showed me what my nose was telling me, that the PM2.5 levels were also raised within the house.

I now run a HEPA filter in the house, which is very effective at removing traces of the smoke and I can see the PM2.5 level on the monitor dropping after I’ve switched it on. This is, of course, not a long-term solution to the problem, but does mean I can at least keep the air clean in the house, and protect our health by not continuously breathing in the smoke fumes that seep in.

I say it's not a long-term solution, but it’s feeling like this is the best it’s going to get at this rate. I feel at a total loss to solve the issue, and it really gets me down at times. We have a lovely little garden and I’d love for my child to be able to play out there more, but our time in our garden is dictated by what’s coming out of the biomass boiler chimney.

Have you had chance to speak to her at all? It sounds like it was just him before? I'd maybe see if you can get her on side a bit.

Our neighbour (a real farmer unlike yours) has a biomass boiler which sometimes smokes us. We call them up and they adjust the chimney somehow. It only happens if they’ve not noticed when they first start it up .
You have my sympathy as it’s awful when you get the smoke and it seeps everywhere.

I’ve never actually seen it so don’t know how it works.