AIBU to ask my next door neighbours not to smoke indoors?

[BeansOnToast41]

Genuinely not sure what my own opinion is on this so intrigued to see what the consensus is. My house is an end-of-terrace and the next door neighbours smoke indoors (sometimes normal cigarettes, sometimes weed). I’ve no major issue with smokers, but because they’re doing it inside, the smell comes through to my living room. We’ve not mentioned it to the neighbours and haven’t decided if we will or not (to be fair it isn’t constant) but I’m wondering if it would even be acceptable to ask someone not to do something which they’re well within their rights to do in their own home.

Voting is:

IABU = no you can’t ask someone not to do something in their own home
IANBU = yes totally fine to say something because the smell is coming through the wall

Get advice from Environmental Health at your local council. They are best placed to tell you what your optiona are.

I think you’re probably right that it would be pretty difficult to stop someone smoking in their own private home, but do remember that there’s a whole world of legal recourse out there beyond the criminal law, which is what you have referred to with talk of the police and arrest. If there’s a remedy for smoke coming through to your property from your neighbours then it definitely won’t be through the criminal law, you’re right about that…

Nuisance? Negligence? If it’s social housing, the council may be able to be forced to act if it’s a health issue? I dunno, I’m a criminal lawyer! 😂

I feel your pain . We had a neighbour who smoked cigarettes and weed and let her 2 large dogs poop in her house ,and she didnt clean it up for weeks
The terrible stink did come through the walls of our ,quite, modern semi. It was living hell for us. We complained to her ( absent) landlord, he did nothing
We complained to the letting agent , he did nothing . We complained to environmental health re the bad conditions the dogs were living in , they did nothing either. Luckily she stopped paying her rent and council tax and was eventually evicted
The owner of her house then had to spend months and a fortune refurbishing the property. A disaster for all.

I sympathise OP, as i'm having a similar issue with weed smoking neighbour, but there really isn't anything you can do. It's their house and you can't dictate what they're doing in there, especially as tobacco smoking is legal. My weed smoking neighbour is a very good neighbour in every other way, so I've decided to live with it and use a lot of scented candles to mask the smell. I had an awful noisy family living next door before he he moved in. So the weed is the lesser of two evils.

I had this problem with the old woman who lives next to me and smokes like a train. Was leaking into my son's bedroom - actual smoke. Really pissed me off. I ended up sealing the skirting at the floor with expanding foam where there was a gap and duct-taping the floor boards ( rolled back the carpet ) to seal the gaps. There is still a very faint smell in the winter when she has all her windows shut and the house bears the full brunt of her relentless fagging. Shouldn't have had to do it but that did improve matters.

Do you own? Or do you rent? If you rent, you can contact the landlord as it is their responsibility to keep your unit free from noxious fumes. He can buy a portable air filter that removes smoke. If you own the unit, you have to buy it.

I live in California so it's weird to me that Britain has not yet voted in protections against second hand smoke. Second hand smoke has well documented harmful effects on people, especially babies and children. Nicotine is a poison. Nicotine falls out of tobacco smoke as the smoke cools covering whatever is beneath the smoke. Babies and children touch everything and put their hands and toys and whatever else in their mouths. It is a very serious health concern because smoke gets everywhere.

Here smokers must go outside an apartment, an office building or multi-unit building (2 or more) 50 feet away from the main door. No smoking in restaurants or bars. It's so nice.

Possible Solitions

Neutradol Air Spray.
Some ood esdenrial.oils. Googke them.
An extrsctor fan.

Maybe some kind of wall covering or boards.

Feel sorry fir your predicament.

But l am sure there is a solution.
👍
x

That’s interesting. I think we’re a bit behind in the UK!

I raised the risks earlier in the thread about second hand smoke and was called insane and ridiculous so we’ve some work to do in the country.

Those rules still wouldn’t help the OP. She lives in a house which is not a multi unit apartment block or an office etc. It’s still a private home which people can smoke in if they wish.

I agree you should be able to ask if it's affecting you but probably shouldn't unless they're very reasonable humans

I meant about the risks of second hand smoke. I know that in this country nobody will do anything about it.

it’s just good to hear that some countries recognise the risks.

im aware people can do what they want in their own home a

I would. They probably don’t realise. Despite many on the thread saying it is their home, you sound like a nice neighbour and I’d definitely make an effort to change my behaviour if it was impacting your home.

A super loud, noisy fan every time they smoke should help.

But we do recognise the risks in this country? Last time I checked the UK has banned smoking in all enclosed public spaces like bars and restaurants (same as what the person in California mentioned) and it’s illegal to smoke in cars with children in. It’s also illegal to smoke on public transport or work transport used by other people. You’re talking as though the UK allows everyone to smoke everywhere and we are so far behind other countries in this respect because they have all banned it totally. The person you quoted said this

Here smokers must go outside an apartment, an office building or multi-unit building (2 or more) 50 feet away from the main door. No smoking in restaurants or bars. It's so nice.

Other than smokers in flats needing to go outside and making them stand 50ft away from a main door it’s exactly the same over here and has been for the past 20 years. The UK is also bringing in the new smoking regulations from next year making it illegal to sell cigarettes to anyone born after 2009. So the UK will be smoke free (other than illegal selling) eventually. But that makes us much further behind all these other countries does it?

You really cant imagine how it could affect me? Use your imagination.
My clothes wardrobe is built in a space between my bedroom and theirs and every item of clothing in there stunk of cigarettes and had to be washed.
Anyway its no longer a problem as they smoke outside. I would have been prepared to move house if this problem hadnt been resolved.
I think smokers are the most disgusting, filthy and selfish people around.
How would you like your kids to breath in 60 a day? Not to mention the massive cost to the NHS of their treatment for years on end as they slowly kill themselves.
It should be banned everywhere.
I can wear noise blocking headphones but I cant block the stench of cigarette smoke.
I had a builder round and he said it would cost thousands for him to sort the problem.
Why should I pay thousands when all they have to do is either smoke outside or not right next to my bedroom?
Some people on here are so entitled its untrue.

Not to mention the massive cost to the NHS of their treatment for years on end as they slowly kill themselves.

Which is outweighed by the revenue from tobacco tax. However, the rest of that post indicates how irrationally over the top your attitude to a perfectly legal activity is. If I’d been your smoking neighbour you’d have had to move house. Entitlement is believing you have a divine right to dictate people’s behaviour in their own homes.

I’m so fed up of this argument now.

I meant that on this thread a lot of people don’t seem to understand the risks of second hand smoke. Being called insane and having arguments about it just shows that people think it’s minimal. It was refreshing to hear a post from someone who did.

regardless of the laws/rules etc - there are people that do not understand that there are toxins in the smoke that can cause health issues. These seep through badly made buildings (like I expect is the case for the OP). Yes they are less than sitting in the same room as the smoker. But they are still there. And if someone is chain smoking every day then that would build up. If people disagree with this then so be it. I don’t have to live like that thankfully.

I think as the OP has not returned that this was a post designed to pitch smokers and non-smokers against each other.

we know that it’s unlikely the council will help OP and other like them. So it’s up to OP to try to plug gaps and use an air purifier.

I do find it strange that there is so much defensiveness about smoking when we know so much more nowadays.

so argue with me all you like - I just wanted to share the risks.

i lived in a flat where my neighbours front door was opposite mine. We hung out coats inside the front door and they constantly smelled if really strong weed … as did the hall. It’s not right that five and six year olds walk around reeking of skunk. I asked him to put a towel across the bottom of the door, crack a window and turn on the extractor. He did. Solved.

I’m not sure what you think I’m arguing about? I’m not arguing about the risks of second hand smoke. I know it’s a thing. I am also not a smoker. I’m pointing out that you said how behind we are in this country when it comes to banning smoking in comparison to other places (like apparently California). You said you “know that no one in this country will do anything about secondhand smoke so it’s good to hear other countries are.” But we have almost the same laws. We as a country are even going one step further from next year in the attempt to become a totally smoke free country in the future. But you seem insistent on saying that people in this country don’t understand the risks. Do you think every single human in California understands or cares about the risks and always follows the rules and also never smokes around others or children? Of course they don’t. Which is why laws were brought in. There are some people in every country that don’t care about smoking around others if they are smokers. Which is why many countries, including ours, have banned it in many places. But I’m not sure how any country could ban it in every single private residence and away from any windows or doors and absolutely anywhere someone else might smell it without making it totally illegal. Which is what the UK as a country is heading towards long term in order for that to happen.

My neighbours (very occasionally smoke weed in their garden. I don't really care but be careful what you wish for!
I'd be wondering why you can smell this if they're indoors. Is it because you've both got your windows open? If not, it seems rather odd.

Or shitting 🤣😬

You cannot tell someone not to do something in their own house.

HTH.

I grew up surrounded by chain smokers and hated every minute of it, and lost both my parents to smoking related illness, but I still think you're massively exaggerating, and your rage sounds completely batshit.

How are you smelling it ? Our property is 125 years old and I have never ever in 25 years smelt anything coming from our neighbours house apart from bbq smells in the garden. Im just baffled how it’s getting through walls etc ?

I would focus on finding out why the smells are coming through into your house and try and find a solution.