Reporting weed smoking neighbour

[somedizzywhore1804]

Hi all

Any experience here?

We live in a town house which we rent from a private landlord. He owns three houses in a row and ours is on one end. Great landlord in every respect.

Next door (middle terrace) our neighbours are avid weed users. They smoke it a lot- morning, noon and night. All three houses have balconies off the living rooms and they often sit out and smoke it there.

I'm not mad about it but it's not hugely bothered me in the two years we've been here. However I am now 22 weeks pregnant and when I smell it it makes me throw up. You can only really smell it on the balcony or when the window to the living room is open and sometimes in the garden.

I don't really want to bother the landlord with it simply because I don't want to get personally involved IYSWIM .... But is there any point reporting it to the police?

I don't want to move as a) the house is brilliant b) we got the house via a government key worker scheme and it's a frigging steal

have you tried talking to the neighbour? It seems a bit ott to call the police without trying to have a conversation first.

Thanks for replying away. Yes, my husband did try and broach a conversation about it with them last summer but they're quite an unfriendly bunch and they were pretty hostile. They're Eastern European and their English doesn't seem great. 7 of them are living there but we don't know what their relationships are to one another or if they all smoke it or just one or two of them.

don't report. live and let live

Well, we have been but now with a baby on the way and the smell making me sick it's made us questions should we? It's horrible and they do it loads- not just a cheeky spliff of an evening. Some days they start at 9am.

I'd really appreciate advice from a wider audience. If I'm wrong I will ignore it and live with it. I'm not against a bit of a casual drug use and haven't for a moment said I'm morally outraged or anything. I just hate the smell!

I have to wonder how much time you spend on the balcony/with windows wide open at this time of year. I am sympathetic; the smell of coffee made me boak when pregnant and I can see that the smell of weed wouldn't be any better, but I do think involving the police now, when you've lived and let live for a couple of years, is a bit much.

I wouldn't report. Personally I'd cook them something I think they'd like (they're heavy weed users - they'll get the munchies big-time!) and get DH to take them round, being friendly and explaining that you're PG and could they try and keep the smoke away from the house as it makes you sick.

If they don't take any notice, then you'd made a really nice gesture and they're clearly twunts. At least it's not seeping through your walls/doors - I lived in a house as a student where next door's house stank so badly I could smell it constantly

I remember how sensitive you can feel when pregnant but if you can smell it now it is only reasonable to assume that when your child is older they will also be able to, and I don't see why a child should have to accept the smell of drugs being smoked.

Thanks for all the advice. I like the cooking them something idea. Ideally I'd like to not have to involve anyone else at first so this may be a plan but I have been put off as they were unfriendly last time. I do really want them to stop or just do it in the house so I can't smell it!

Secretly I've been hoping they'll move for a while as it can become overbearing in spring and summer when we are outside more and the windows/doors are open

I'd think about speaking to landlord, as you say he's reasonable. Am wondering if he knows there are seven people living there, as I doubt that's legal either, and both would be his problem. Have you spoken to other neighbours about this yet?

Just an idea - are you certain that children are welcome at this property?

Yes we've spoken to the landlord about my being pregnant and it's all good and details of a new tenant (ie the baby) will be on our new contract come June. He's very thorough and in no way "dodgy".

He is aware of the number of people there- it's a big house with five bedrooms and there are a couple of couples in there too. For all we know it's rented out on a room by room basis.

There's no one in the third house at the moment.... A couple and their two children recently moved out so we are waiting to see who moves in.

The landlord is a nice, legit seeming fellow so probably speaking to him is the best bet. I just dread doing it. DH will do it but he is very shy so doesn't relish it either. Looks like we will have to bite the bullet before spring comes and we are back to getting high whenever we use the garden

inform the landlord, but unless it is illegal (I'm not sure!) he can't do anything. However if the property is rented as 'no smoking' then he can end the tenancy for breach.

Smokers (whether basic stinkers or sad junkies) do always think there is an invisible curtain and no-one can smell their reek. As you've already tried asking nicely and they are clearly inconsiderate slobs, try the landlord.

It's unusual to find a rented property that allows smoking, so I would imagine the landlord might take it up for you, I understand your frustrations when its affecting you so much, I don't have an opinion either way on people smoking weed but if it was making my pregnancy more troublesome I would certainly want to try, I can't imagine that 7 people would all stop though even if the landlord asked or if you did the friendly gesture and asked nicely, nice idea and if it was a couple you were talking about maybe they might feel bad and stop but if its younger lads who's English isn't great either I can't see them stopping their weed habit or going round the block to do it personally x