Neighbours wood burner

The_Economist

I have a wood burner fitted with a flexible liner and have not had a problem with fumes thank goodness. They say that with a wood burner you should not get any fumes coming from it. Next door could have a hole in there chimney liner and the fumes are leeching into the chimney. Hence the problem of fumes. If it is an old mid terrece the chimney is probably pointed with lime which over time drys out and cracks and can become porus as far as i know.

Survivor

The economist..yes i read about old properties and the lime.
This is an old property (prob circa 1930)

SplanK

not sure if you have one already - but I would buy yourself a carbon monoxide detector - IMHO these should be like firealarms and everybody should have one fitted! Dont get the ones that change colour - you want one which sounds an alarm in the event that the levels get dangerous!

paddy's_mum

It seems to me that the neighbour is taking a very light-hearted and almost carefree attitude to this problem. Is she really so thick that she can't work out that if her stove fumes cause death in the house next door, nobody is going to be handing her a bouquet and saying well done?!

If the OP has alerted the neighbour to the problem several weeks ago, and nothing concrete whatever has been done, then I would consider it high time that the neighbour was made to care.

I would be writing a letter detailing the original complaint, the neighbour's verbal response and subequent lack of action. Send it by recorded delivery and warn the neighbour that you will be taking further action in light of her disregard of the danger. I'd be pointing out that it appears she broke the law in regard to the quality/certification of the installation and that it is unreasonable to expect me to suffer as a consequence.

I don't believe the OP can just leave the situation as it is and sit back to wait for disaster. Start making waves. Write to your local council and complain. Seek advice from your local fire brigade. Speak to Environmental Health/Health and Safety. You've tried the polite approach and been effectively ignored.

Now is the right time for this. There might be a problem in not saying anything loud enough, soon enough. If you delay and get no action in the next few weeks, the fire will be out for the summer and you will have to wait till next winter to have anything to show to back up your complaint. You need to start making a noise now.

It must be better to have cross words with your neighbour than wake up dead in bed one morning! Given her casual disregard of the seriousness of the problem, I also hope that your neighbour is keeping up to date with paying the premiums for her public liability insurance ... although almost certainly her failure to act upon your complaint will render her insurance null and void should a claim ever be made.

Stupid woman - makes you wonder if she knows how to come in out of the rain!

maypole

We've just heard news today of a fire yesterday, coming from the chimney of a house in the next street to ours, with a wood burning stove, the people were in and unaware of the fire in the chimney until the firebrigade were at their door:eek: someone had seen the flames from a distance and reported it.

I will be waiting to here what had caused that and report back here, could have been alot worse though.

Good advice from the previous poster too, I agree, if you think there is a danger of fire, the fire brigade will come out and check for you. Prevention is better than cure in that case.

Survivor

great idea from those that suggested i contact the council :j
They've been really on the ball and have made a lot of contact,. by both phone and email.
This is a transcript of there last email, in bold....


I am writing in response to your email regarding the smoke and odour from your neighbour’s wood burner. Strictly speaking if the chimney was lined then you should not be experiencing the problems so there must be a defect somewhere. The only problem is if it is a shared chimney structure then you will also be liable for the up keep. However, it is the use of the wood burner that is causing the problem and we may be able to get involved under legislation that deals with statutory nuisance. If the problem is solely caused by the use of the wood burner then we can serve a notice formally requiring that the owner takes the necessary action to prevent a problem occurring in your property.

Like I mentioned the only downside is that if the chimney is lined but there is a effect on the structure that is part of your property you may unfortunately be partially responsible for the repair.

If you would like an officer to visit then please forward your address and we will arrange to do so.



I'll contact them tomorrow and see what happens from there.
Thanks again for all your invaluable help:D

Fire_Fox

If you are worried about your relationship with your neighbour, then you might get your landlord involved? He is responsible for your heath/ safety in his property, and for maintenance of the building.

oilit

Fire_Fox wrote: »

If you are worried about your relationship with your neighbour, then you might get your landlord involved? He is responsible for your heath/ safety in his property, and for maintenance of the building.

actually, your landlord should be involved and taking the lead, you cannot instruct/incur costs or aggrevate his or her neighbours without his or her intervention. That way you also keep your relationship with your neighbour.

dirtyflannel

get straight on to your landlord this is not your problem cashwise but healthwise i am just having a new gas fire fitted from the council after three years as our old fire was condemned by contractors putting central heating in the fire wasnt the problem it was the flue and today the guy knocking the opening in told me it was blocked and all the fumes must have been coming back into the room were lucky were not dead we used to come in about 5pm and be knackered by 6.30 pm when we sat in the room lucky they didnt find up dead

maypole

oilit wrote: »

actually, your landlord should be involved and taking the lead, you cannot instruct/incur costs or aggrevate his or her neighbours without his or her intervention. That way you also keep your relationship with your neighbour.

I didn't realise you were a tenant in the property. This is absolutely the responsibility of the landlord to sort this with the neighbour, you should not be liable for any costs.