Ceiling fell in, FGS!!!

[DivaSkyChick]

Thirty minutes ago DH and I are sitting in the living room minding our own business when we hear a huge CRASH.

Seems our downstairs neighbor (terrace house in London) has had his ceiling fall in. We can see through our floor slats to his place.

Ours is a rental, he owns. He smokes like a chimney and that's always been a problem, coming up thru the floors. Now it's a disaster. He's the biggest slob I've ever seen in my life - DH went in to help him clean the rubble and I kid you not, there are three inches of dirt in his hallway. His walls are brown with nicotine.

I'm due to give birth in two and half weeks. we're having a home birth. is there asbestos in the plaster? Do we have any tenant rights? Our landlord is the sweetest woman ever but this isn't her fault or responsibility. I love our flat, I love our neighborhood. What can we do?

I don't think you can do anything. I am sure he'll replace his ceiling though.
when you say you can see through your floor slats I presume you just mean through gaps in your floorboards? can you just put a big rug down temporarily or something?

Can you put down a big tarpaulin and a rug on top?

Or just keep 'spilling' thngs - things like bpilin tea, ice cold water, sticky syup etc, which will trickle through the boards onto his head. or, better still, extinguish his cigarettes. he'll soon get his ceiling fixed!
Remind him that he might get it replaced on insurance...that might speed him up!

How does a ceiling just fall down? What does he think caused it? Do you think he's going to delay getting it repaired?

To be honest, the prospect of a crying baby over his head might encourage him to think about the barrier between you and him... Can you tell stories of friends who are up all night with screaming infants?

let's be sensible here. it only happened under an hour ago.
there is no reason to suspect that he won't call his insurers and get it replaced asap.
I really don't think there is anything to worry about

but surely she could pour a bit of boiling tea through, now and again?
It's no fun if it isn't a crisis.
And I wouldn't like the smke or lack of privacy re the home birth if i was DivaSkyChick.

Thanks for your support Blu!

I let him know today about the screaming baby to come, I think he was sufficiently impressed. He also told me not to worry about the smoke, he wouldn't let that be a problem for me. Very sweet guy. Had the entire conversation with him outside, in his underpants, me inside the door silently begging him to stop scratching his ass.