Extractor fan going out external wall to neighbours garden

[22Newnames]

We have a kitchen on our external wall with an extractor going out there. The other side of the wall is in a neighbour’s garden.

Kitchen has been there with extractor in that position for 15 years (years before current neighbour moved in).

We are getting a new kitchen and asked neighbour a while ago if we could have access as the extractor may need to move about 30cm. He said fine, all good.

Saw him today and suddenly he asked what the extractor was for and he is concerned about cooking smells. He has apparently never noticed the external flaps open so assumed our current one didn’t work (it did although probably wasn’t great). I told him it did work and told him i didn’t expect it to be much different to now. The reality is though that tech has moved on and I assume the new extractor will be better than the old one.

So the question is, can he actually object to potential cooking smells? There is a chance the builder may not need to move the extraction point but it is still possible he may get smells if it is more effective.

My gut tells me he can’t legitimately complain about it as it has been there for years even though it’s being replaced. But I also don’t want to fall out with him, although have no other option of where to extract in reality.

It’s a 70s housing estate if that makes any difference, we are not in any special or remote area.

Any thoughts would be welcome. Thank you!

Thanks @Collaborate. That is rather bizarre but it is as it is.

As I said previously we don't want to get into any disputes with the neighbour and I'm sure we will come to an amicable agreement with them.

I'm sure in the building regs it is 300mm or 500mm from an openable window or supply air grill. 3m is loads of space and as for sitting in the garden and smelling cooking, you will get that just from neighbors having their kitchen windows open.

We had this - only reverse - the neighbours extractor coming into our garden. Original neighbour didn't do much cooking so it didn't bother us at first but then we got a new neighbour who was a bit of a foodie and cooked constantly. As a vegetarian I couldn't bear the smell of meat cooking two or three times a day, especially when our own windows were open in the summer. It was also really unpleasant sitting out there having morning coffee and then being overcome by fishy / meaty wafts.
When we found out that they were planning on getting a new kitchen we asked politely if they would relocate it - and they did.

@TizerorFizz

It’s not very neighbourly though is it? Would you want to sit in your garden, or on your patio with your neighbour’s cooker extraction vent nearby? I would get a recirculating “extractor” out of courtesy or vent out to my own garden.

If I had this extracting onto my patio, I would be very tempted to cover it up! Be kind and don’t extract over them.

Well then you'd be prosecuted! Especially if there's a covenant

Can you not vent into the ceiling void, across the room and out into your garden?