Invasive Cooking Smell from Neighbouring Flat

hans

Hi,
In the last few weeks, a strong smell of cooking has been entering directly one of the bedrooms in my flat from the neighbouring flat, both Victorian conversions in the same house. I am the owner (leaseholder) and have been living here for over a year now.

The block management company informed me that as the issue does not involve any communal area, then it is for me to resolve together with the owner of the other flat, who is a landlord living somewhere else.

First of all, does anyone have any ideas about how to identify the exact entry point of the airflow from next door?

Secondly, what are my legal rights in this matter if the landlord is uncooperative? I am waiting to receive his contact details at the moment, but planning to write a friendly email...

I have a lodger in this bedroom and she is understandingly getting a little upset! Any advice much appreciated.

londonTiger

what does it smell like, local or foreign food?

Is it dried fish by any chance? That's a delicacy from certain south asian countries and reeks awfully bad when cooking..

hans

Nope, nothing so adventurous! Just regular cooking... the couple living next door are English and Australian.

omen666

I was thiking the same as you, the smell of Ackee cooking is just plain wrong, smell it all the time in London

tomitma

There is nothing that you can do, other than fitting anti smell windows, blocking off every hole in your flat, IE post box, plug holes, air vents, smells have lingered in peoples houses from cooking for centuries, and as far as I know there is no law against it..

I am glad I don't live next door to you.

iamcornholio

Entry points are usually wall corners, or where joists are built into the walls

Your rights are to allege statutory nuisance against the landlord/management company or the neighbour and complain to the local council. If the councils environmental health officers agree, then they should serve an abatement notice giving them 21 days to rectify the cause

If smells are getting through, then there is most likely a route for smoke and flame too, so a potential fire risk

Disbeliever

I am suffering from bad cooking smells from next door house. Barnet Council say they will not investigate cooking smell nusiance. My Household legal expense insurers solicitors say I have to get an expert report (Which they will not pay for) before going to Court when they will proceed with the case if they think I have more than a 51 % chance of winning. The next door tenants landlord says I should take her to Court. The problem is to find an environmental smell expert to make the report , any ideas will be welcome. Thanks.

LMCD

My neighbour often seems to be cooking the odd horse or badger - honestly the smell honks so bad I would shudder to think what it tastes like!!

gmgmgm

If it's only recent, then perhaps a civil conversation with the neighbour would explain what's changed.

Presumably you've already had a conversation with the neighbour before researching legal rights?

missile

Perhaps something as simple as cleaning/replacing the extractor filter would solve the issue. If neighbour does not have one, maybe you could offer to pay for installation of an extractor. It could work out much cheaper than going to court.

Suzy_M

The filter is the most likely but it might even be something as simple as your neighbour cooking with the windows closed in the cold weather.