Wwyd

[ValleyGal]

We live in a townhouse complex where there are quite a few children - their playground is only steps away from our door. The doors are organized into pairs, and each pair is in a little nook. Our patios are separated only by the sidewalk that goes into our nook. Until now, we've had great neighbours that we share a nook with. Now, though, we have a new neighbour. He smokes a lot in the nook as well as out on his patio. He smokes cigarettes as well as pot. He left his door open one day and the stench came out into the nook as well.

I am an ex-smoker, and it's been long enough that I am the worst of ex-smokers... I totally HATE the smell and I HATE that this guy is stinking up our nook. The worst part is that when it starts getting hot out, we will want to keep our front and patio doors open, but if he is out there smoking his stuff, I'm not going to want to open the doors and it will get like an oven in here because we get the late afternoon/early evening sun.

I get it that he has a right to go outside and smoke. But we also have a right to live in a smoke-free home, and this right is violated if we want to open our doors.

What would you do if someone like this moved in? Until now, I don't think anyone living here has smoked anything except the people upstairs maybe one cigarette in the evening, which was tolerable because it didn't waft into our house.

 

[mkgal1]

I don't know the extent of the smoking ban laws in your area.....but here there's a distance (usually equivalent to 3 meters) that a smoker has to be from public buildings and condominiums. I wonder if you could check into that.....and if your neighbor isn't following that, maybe you can complain to the management and suggest they put a general reminder out to all the condo tenants (so it's not specifically aimed at your neighbor). It would be in their best interest as well----because they'd possibly be losing tenants because of it.

 

[tall73]

We live in a townhouse complex where there are quite a few children - their playground is only steps away from our door. The doors are organized into pairs, and each pair is in a little nook. Our patios are separated only by the sidewalk that goes into our nook. Until now, we've had great neighbours that we share a nook with. Now, though, we have a new neighbour. He smokes a lot in the nook as well as out on his patio. He smokes cigarettes as well as pot. He left his door open one day and the stench came out into the nook as well.

I am an ex-smoker, and it's been long enough that I am the worst of ex-smokers... I totally HATE the smell and I HATE that this guy is stinking up our nook. The worst part is that when it starts getting hot out, we will want to keep our front and patio doors open, but if he is out there smoking his stuff, I'm not going to want to open the doors and it will get like an oven in here because we get the late afternoon/early evening sun.

I get it that he has a right to go outside and smoke. But we also have a right to live in a smoke-free home, and this right is violated if we want to open our doors.

What would you do if someone like this moved in? Until now, I don't think anyone living here has smoked anything except the people upstairs maybe one cigarette in the evening, which was tolerable because it didn't waft into our house.

This is sounding quite familiar. We live in a townhome. We share a two door area with the neighbor. Apparently the complex has issues and everytime they smoke even in their home the smell gets over to our place.

My wife and I don't like it. On the other hand we just ignore it. No need to get upset with the neighbors. Perhaps that is not the best solution, but that is what we have done so far, and you asked what you would do!

 

[Krissy Cakes]

I kinda have that problem but its with noisy neighbors. Anyway. I called the cops. I found out they were drunk. But I talked to them any they said its they get loud again at night just to come over and talk to them. So I would talk to them and tell them you don't like what the smell and that maybe they can do it somewhere else? And if they don't listen I would take to your landlords. AND if they don't do anything call the cops.

Hope that helps.

Praying for you.

 

[Inkachu]

Definitely check on smoking laws in your area.

Is it legal to smoke pot where you live? If not, next time you smell it, call the cops. If nothing else, it might encourage him to smoke it more discreetly.

Another idea is to put fans in windows that aren't near the smoking area, and have them blowing INto your house, with fans blowing OUT near the smoking area, to keep fresh air moving through. Not ideal, I know.

I used to live in a pretty nasty apartment complex, and there were all kinds of "interesting" smells in the hallways. I would mostly just keep my doors and windows shut and try to ignore my neighbors

 

[DZoolander]

I dunno - that's a hard one.

I think I'd ask him nicely to take into consideration that there are people living there that don't smoke - and tell him that you're not a smoking nazi where you'll start badgering him if there's even the slightest wiff of smoke in the air. But - please don't smoke on your patio just a few feet away from my patio and make my life miserable.

If that doesn't work - and he's just a jerk - then start mulling over other options.

 

[LinkH]

You know who it is, so you could try to get to know him, be friendly, and then tell him about the problem, smelling cigarette smoke and other types of smoke you don't in the house. Maybe he could smoke out the upstairs window or something like that.

I've got a similar problem, but several floors up in a high rise apartment. Usually it happens in late morning, but sometimes someone downstairs will smoke and the smoke will rise into our apartment. At least, we get the smell. I hate cigarette and cigar smoke. I don't know who it is so I don't know who to talk to it about. We don't have A/C, so we need our windows.

There is also a guy who smells like pot and stinks up the elevator, but I don't think he actually smokes in there.

I think city ordinances should respect the non-smoker in these cases. If smokers complain that anywhere they go, they bother people, that's on them. If they want to give themselves cancer, that's their business, but people need clean air, and that is more important than their addiction. Let them drive 30 minutes out of town if they have to smoke. People should be free to open windows in their own home without having to worry about their babies or grandmas with emphysema breathing tobacco or marijuana smoke.

I didn't know who to talk to because I didn't know who was smoking, but I have talked to building management and they sent out or posted a letter asking people not to let smoke out of their apartments. I didn't say anything to them about the pot from the guy who works for the post office who has the body piercings, but someone else has complained and posted that others have noticed the smell of illegal substances. But he could have permission to smoke for medical purposes for all we know.

 

[LinkH]

In the future, if you could find something like this device in the video that plays loud and spills over into the neighbors apartment, that might do the trick. If he opens up his doors to smoke, you could open yours to play loud music with loud base that covers up the sound of the device.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S74cbKA1VO4

It would be cool if they designed it in such a way to put out your neighbors cigarettes, provided your apartment complex doesn't have any gas stoves.

 

[HannahT]

Why not ask nicely for him to smoke in the front yard? If you explain your a x smoker he should be able to respect that.

 

[ValleyGal]

In the future, if you could find something like this device in the video that plays loud and spills over into the neighbors apartment, that might do the trick. If he opens up his doors to smoke, you could open yours to play loud music with loud base that covers up the sound of the device.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S74cbKA1VO4

It would be cool if they designed it in such a way to put out your neighbors cigarettes, provided your apartment complex doesn't have any gas stoves.

LOL. In the meantime I could buy a drone and attach a remote-controlled fire extinguisher. .... and then we can start a new reality tv show called "Neighbour wars." lol... oh, I wish I could!

 

[ValleyGal]

oh, phooey! What's wrong with the CF page to get soooo looonggg?

Anyway, we are both on the ground floor, and neither of us have an upstairs. There are people upstairs from each of us, but our units only occupy one floor. The "front yard" is actually just in front of our bedrooms, and the walkway goes right in front of our patio, so even that would not prevent it coming in, unfortunately.

I think I'm going to have to figure out a way to talk to him. Maybe he can give us warning by 15 min so we can close our windows and door, and then he can let us know when he's done, maybe. Hopefully he is reasonable.

 

[sdmsanjose]

Why not ask nicely for him to smoke in the front yard? If you explain your a x smoker he should be able to respect that.

I like Hanna’s idea.

I would like to add that if you want to sweeten the pie then tell him that you will buy him a nice lawn chair so he can be comfortable in the front yard while he smokes. That may cost you $20-$30 but it is always better to be on the good side of your neighbor.

My neighbor had an old chain link fence in his back yard. My back yard garage is about 10 feet from his fence and I have a hard time getting my truck out. I offered to give him$200 to move it back another 8 feet and told him my son would help him move it. He moved it back and thanked me then lowered the price on his truck for sale by $500 because my grandson wanted to buy it. I am happy as a clam and my grandson is crazy about his truck that he bought!

Hope your ordeal works out for you.

 

[Ana the Ist]

We live in a townhouse complex where there are quite a few children - their playground is only steps away from our door. The doors are organized into pairs, and each pair is in a little nook. Our patios are separated only by the sidewalk that goes into our nook. Until now, we've had great neighbours that we share a nook with. Now, though, we have a new neighbour. He smokes a lot in the nook as well as out on his patio. He smokes cigarettes as well as pot. He left his door open one day and the stench came out into the nook as well.

I am an ex-smoker, and it's been long enough that I am the worst of ex-smokers... I totally HATE the smell and I HATE that this guy is stinking up our nook. The worst part is that when it starts getting hot out, we will want to keep our front and patio doors open, but if he is out there smoking his stuff, I'm not going to want to open the doors and it will get like an oven in here because we get the late afternoon/early evening sun.

I get it that he has a right to go outside and smoke. But we also have a right to live in a smoke-free home, and this right is violated if we want to open our doors.

What would you do if someone like this moved in? Until now, I don't think anyone living here has smoked anything except the people upstairs maybe one cigarette in the evening, which was tolerable because it didn't waft into our house.

Is there a backyard he can smoke in? If not perhaps notifying you that he's having a smoke so you can close the doors would work. Perhaps he can smoke in his garage to keep the smell away.

I would refrain from reporting him to the police anytime soon. From what you described, there isn't going to be a whole lot they can do, and I don't see them staking out his house so they can bust a casual pot smoker....

However, you do have an advantage in regards to his pot smoking. You could talk to him about the cigarette smoke and try to work something out on that front...and while you're doing it, casually mention that "you've heard other residents complaining about the smell of marijuana in the area and they seemed determined to find out who the cause of it is"....it's a lie, but it's useful in a couple ways.

If he believes you, he may become cautious enough to keep from smoking outside, for fear of being caught. If he doesn't believe you, he'll probably think that you know it's him and without his cooperation regarding the cigarette smoke (because you brought this up at the same time)... you may be inclined to tip off the police or homeowners association about him. You won't actually have to threaten him with any legal action... or tell him you know it's him. He should get the clue and he's gonna be more inclined to keep you happy so he can continue his behavior.