Just bought a flat and realised that neighbours are heavy smokers

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We were going through quite a complicated transaction for our Victorian conversion in South East London as FTB and I thought we have gone through all the potential issues and found mitigations to them.
The house had subsidence in the past - but we got confirmation from engineers that it is absolutely fine now. The house had very little paper trail with a few planning permissions missing from years ago - we also resolved those. Wrong deed of variation - also resolved.

Today we finally received the keys and as we walked in to the small communal corridor absolutely disgusting pungent smell of cigarettes was coming from the downstairs flat and seeping out to the whole house. We visited a few times before buying the house a couple of months ago but never noticed the smell. But here the smell isn't just a "few cheeky fags" - it was absolutely eye watering type of smell.
It stank out upstairs flat which was empty for a few months before we bought it. The EA must have asked them to not smoke whilst house was up for viewings.
I am devastated. We thought we could live in the place for a few years and enjoy beautiful views and great area. But people downstairs must be absolute addicts to do it and I am not sure my pleading with them would work. They are nice people and we spoke to them before but no one mentioned chimney style smoking.
I just hope they were negligent whilst they were the only occupants in the house and somehow get themselves together no that we have moved in. It stinks absolutely everywhere and I felt physically sick whilst going through the corridor.

Now I am pretty sure we will just renovate the place and sell it on. I genuinely have no idea what else to do. Has anyone been in the similar situation? How did you resolve it?

How awful. I can’t see how you can resolve it. The neighbours are within their rights. However disgusting.

Did you really not smell it before? I can't imagine the estate agents asking the neighbours not to smoke whilst the house was on the market (can't imagine the neighbours complying either - I certainly wouldn't)

I doubt the agents would have been able to do that- and smoke lingers anyway.
Very unfortunate for you.

@ThisIsStartingToBoreMe

Did you really not smell it before? I can't imagine the estate agents asking the neighbours not to smoke whilst the house was on the market (can't imagine the neighbours complying either - I certainly wouldn't)

Not even a bit! I am not sure if it was winter and it makes a difference or they were not home then. I really don't understand how is it possible. Still slightly holding on to a hope that they just went on a strange bender when there was no one else in the house and they felt they could do it.

I recently had a serious lung condition (not Covid) and any idea of smokers living nearby is just awful. We were so excited about this area and everything is perfect and then this..

Definitely worth viewing houses a week before exchanging to check..

I think you're over reacting a tad. I hate the smell of smoke so I sympathise there. However, smoke smell stains everything so there is no way that if this was an old problem you wouldn't have smelt something in there. Maybe they had friends round on that day. See how it goes before writing it off, it really could be a one off

If it’s really that bad then You could get an ozone generator
They are often used in hotels and self catering places to get rid of smok
They are about £250’-£300 and you can’t be in the room when you use it I think from memory but they will definitely get rid of the smell

I think you’re over-reacting a bit! I get that smokers are now seen as filthy social pariahs. But if you didn’t catch a whiff of smoke during viewings then it’s not going to be permanently overwhelming from now on.

It sounds more like you’ve “new house terror” rather than such a huge issue.

Talk to them, tell them you're a severe asthmatic if necessary they might change the habit of smoking indoors.
It might be a guest in there.
If it's as heavy as you described it'd have been hard not to notice.
Definitely have a word, they might go outside or use draft cushions at the doors.

Is it cigarette smoke or weed? If it's weed and the smell has suddenly become much stronger I'm wondering if they're growing it.

I live in a ground floor flat - four in total- and three of them smoke. The corridor stinks but I can't smell it indoors.

We occasionally get a really strong smell of smoke from our upstairs neighbor but it is only occasionally. Which seems weird as to generate that much smoke you'd assume they were a massive chain smoker and expect it to be constant. All I can think it's either that it's actually his girlfriend who visits but doesn't live there, or maybe to do with where he sits when smoking, or maybe just when he has particularly heavy smoking days!? Anyway, just sharing to say that hopefully your situation will be the same - occasional rather than constant. It's gross when we can smell it but knowing that it will soon be gone makes it bearable

Can you put those Neutrodol (?spelling) things in the hall? They will help a bit, or a diffuser.

If you aren't planning on living there, why worry.

Sorry to hear OP, this is horrible. What can you do to seal up gaps/air flow in the place to prevent it coming to you?

In my old flat smoke (weed) came in from downstairs through : air bricks, chimney, open windows. Seal up as best you can & get an air purifier... The right floor coverings would help a lot to stop it coming through

Try to keep on good terms with the neighbours: they will prob smoke mainly in 1 room and then yoiu can work around that

Could it have been 1 person smoking in the hallway that has caused the smell?

Is the flat below yours rented? Could be new tennant's who are smokers moved in.

@Etherealhedgehog could be an occasional cigar? The stench from those is on another level compared to cigarette smoking.

We visited a few times before buying the house a couple of months ago but never noticed the smell. But here the smell isn't just a "few cheeky fags" - it was absolutely eye watering type of smell.
It stank out upstairs flat which was empty for a few months before we bought it. The EA must have asked them to not smoke whilst house was up for viewings.

The EA wouldn't have been able to ask them not to smoke, surely?
I can't work out how it wasn't noticeable on the previous viewings if it has permeated the upstairs flat

@AmberIsACertainty could be though smells exactly like cigarettes. But fingers crossed we're moving soon so hopefully not our problem for much longer (sorry for your predicament OP - hopefully it will turn out to be an occasional thing and/or one of the suggestions for getting rid of the smell will work)

Actually, something that could help is a candle called Anti Tobacco by Price's candles. Completely neutralizes the smell of smoke.

OP I definitely don't think you are being overdramatic - that sounds like an absolute nightmare!!

Sounds awful OP. We stayed in an Airbnb early last year. Just 5 nights. The downstairs flat (owners) smoked and the bathroom and kitchen in the Airbnb absolutely stank of it intermittently. Must have been airflow etc, but it was revolting. Was thankful it wasn’t my own holiday place.

Definitely look into the ozone machine idea mentioned above!

It sounds awful. I would HATE that.

But. I don't think it is necessarily that bad. Honestly, if chain smokers lived in the building you WOULD have smelled it on your visits. It seeps into everything. Something has changed.

Could be that the flat below has new occupants. Check the address for a recent sale.

If not, I honestly think it might resolve. Could be guests? Could there have been builders in who have been smoking a lot in the communal hallway?

It would be really strange for your to smell NOTHING on multiple visits then have the whole place stunk out from everyday smoking.

Wait and see. But yes, you coudl just renovate and sell :(

I wonder if they could be smoking in the communal areas? When we lived in a flat our downstairs neighbour decided to smoke by the open front door that we all used. This was because his partner wss pregnant and he didn't want her inhaling second hand smoke! The smell was awful in our flat. He stopped as soon as we let him know that we could smell it in our flat.

But if neighbours are smoking in their own flat then there's very little you can say to them.