Cigarette smoke from adjacent flat

dhil1on

Hi,
I live at the end of the corridor of flats, one of which is my door and adjacent the neighbors.

The trouble I am having is that cigarrete/odour is escaping from the flat next door and entering my flat and can be smelt in my hallway and also into the bedroom if that particular door is left open.
I have spoken to the concierge and they have told me that they cannot do anything as you are allowed to smoke in your own flat.

Only problem is I suffer from asthma and have done so since I was a kid and I need to know what can be done?
I don't want to create a rift with the neighbor next door so is this a problem with the doors of my flat and the flat next door allowing odour/fumes or a draft to escape? Or is there nothing that can be done?

Any help will be great.

Thank you

1984ReturnsForReal_2

Unless he is smoking in the corridor there is nothing you can do except open your window & put draught excluder around your doors

Inactive

dhil1on wrote: »

Hi,

Or is there nothing that can be done?

Move to a property that doesn't have shared amenities.;)

wacko911

Install a postive air differential system in relation to the corridor so air will only go out of your flat and not in.

keystone

Don't assume its coming down the common parts - under their front door and then under yours. If it was it would be smelt in the common parts and then the managing agent could/should do something about it.

If its coming out of their window and in through yours theres not much you can do apart from keep it shut.

If you have suspended floors it could well be coming in that way - underneath the party wall between the two of you.

Talk to your neighbour politely and say that you know you can't (and shouldn't) stop them smoking in their own flat that it IS coming in and it IS causing you distress. Work together on the problem - find the holes and seal 'em up on BOTH sides. Check ceiling voids (if any) as well.

Cheers

maninthestreet

1984ReturnsForReal wrote: »

Unless he is smoking in the corridor there is nothing you can do except open your window & put draught excluder around your doors

Incorrect - his smoking is preventing other residents quiet enjoyment of their own flats.

botanical

dhil1on wrote: »

Hi,
I live at the end of the corridor of flats, one of which is my door and adjacent the neighbors.

The trouble I am having is that cigarrete/odour is escaping from the flat next door and entering my flat and can be smelt in my hallway and also into the bedroom if that particular door is left open.
I have spoken to the concierge and they have told me that they cannot do anything as you are allowed to smoke in your own flat.

Only problem is I suffer from asthma and have done so since I was a kid and I need to know what can be done?
I don't want to create a rift with the neighbor next door so is this a problem with the doors of my flat and the flat next door allowing odour/fumes or a draft to escape? Or is there nothing that can be done?

Any help will be great.

Thank you

How can I put this delicately? How can you be certain that the smell is not causing you anxiety because of its associations, rather than any actual smoke? Surely smoke would be pretty 'diluted' by the time it came to you.
How strong is it, actually? Does it make you cough etc?
As an asthmatic myself, getting upset doesn't help me. Apolgies for any clumsiness on my part.

SandC

I would have to agree with the above, a cigarette odour is different from smoke getting into your flat and whilst I'm sure it isn't nice, it shouldn't cause any problems with your breathing.

All you can do is have as much ventilation as you can, use draught excluders under the doors etc.

I often wonder actually when I smoked whether it affected next door in any way - you can be quite selfish about it when you live alone, so I do understand why it's bothering you - just that it's not really going to affect asthma.

1984ReturnsForReal_2

maninthestreet wrote: »

Incorrect - his smoking is preventing other residents quiet enjoyment of their own flats.

Rather than just bluntly correct me & run why don't you stick around for a bit & fill the OP in as exactly what he can do?

If you can, that is.

birkee

maninthestreet wrote: »

Incorrect - his smoking is preventing other residents quiet enjoyment of their own flats.

And their cooking smells? Their TV volume? Their kids noise?
Seems targetting smokers is in fashion again.

jennyfive

SandC wrote: »

I would have to agree with the above, a cigarette odour is different from smoke getting into your flat and whilst I'm sure it isn't nice, it shouldn't cause any problems with your breathing.

All you can do is have as much ventilation as you can, use draught excluders under the doors etc.

I often wonder actually when I smoked whether it affected next door in any way - you can be quite selfish about it when you live alone, so I do understand why it's bothering you - just that it's not really going to affect asthma.

Unless either of you are doctors (and even if you are), I think you need to consider that smoke isn't going to affect every asthmatic the same way.

My mum's got really bad asthma, hospitalised for most of her youth, and if she were the OP this would be a big enough problem to force her to move elsewhere. It's not caused by emotion for her, she's been going to many doctors about her asthma since infancy (she's in her 60s now), it's never been said to be a trigger.

While it is true that for some asthmatics, emotion is a trigger, for others it’s not… some people with allergies to nuts and seeds can have them triggered by a tiny amount of the substance, the same can apply to other triggers (speaking from personal experience too, as I also have asthma).