Neighbour's chimney/fireplace causing me issues

caper7

Hi,

Bit of background:

I live in a semi detached house, privately owned.
My neighbours, also private owners, built a new big wood fired barbecue last winter. In the summer they lit it most days. Their two teenage kids spent pretty much every evening outside with many of their friends smoking till 2/3 am.
We are talking at least 10 people all puffing away right under my bedroom meaning I couldn't open the windows on sweltering August nights.
Twice they lit bonfires at midnight till 3am. Again I couldn't open windows.
Now, they aren't terrible kids, they weren't that noisy, for me it's all the smoke that was the issue.
I have no right to tell people not to smoke or barbecue on their own property, but the summer was hideous for me, so I was so grateful for autumn/winter!

Unfortunately, they then started having bonfires/firepits, but not further down the garden but right on the patio next to my kitchen.
Unfortunately my kitchen windows are not in good condition and the room was unusable due to the smell of burning.
At that point I had a quiet, polite word about the smoke, but they seemed uninterested, and 3 days later lit another fire.
At this point, for the first time in my life I complained to the council.
3 fires in 9 days, so the enforcement team came out. Not sure what they said to them, but the fire was put out.

The problem now is that they have started using their fireplace, they had it swept before xmas (I heard it, initially thinking the noise was the house crumbling).
I don't think they've used the fireplace before, or if they have then something in their set up has changed.
Again I can smell burning in my kitchen.

I fully appreciate they have a right to have a fireplace and it is perhaps my problem that my windows are in bad condition.
However, I have never had a working fireplace, and neither have any of my neighbours to my knowledge. I am surprised that there should be that much smell in the air outside to enter the rubbish windows in the first place.
I can't help but wonder if their set up is correct or if they are maybe burning the wrong fuel.
London is a smoke free zone, you cannot burn wood on an open fireplace. You're supposed to use a smokeless fuel.
I contacted the council to query, not complain, whether that level of smell was normal.
The enforcement team wrote me a lettter telling me to have a quiet word with them and reiterating the permitted fuels. The pollution team said they could maybe send them a letter about which fuels were permitted.
I was hesitant as the neighbours may be doing nothing wrong.

However, 2 days ago I noticed the carpet was black at each corner of the chimney breast in my dinning room which is the equivalent of their sitting room where they use the fireplace.
The carpet is pale and old, and I know they get dark around the edges, but nowhere else in the room is it black.
I'm pretty sure it wasn't like that before.

Surely this changes things, it can't be my responsibility to strip back the wallpaper/plaster and repoint brickwork or whatever, surely it's their duty to not impact on the interior of my house?

As these are privately owned houses are there any council departments that could help?

I probably should now actually try to talk to them again, but if they just don't care I don't want to end up having to resort to lawyers. And could I even prove it's their fault.

What rights do I have? The windows are my problem no doubt, but surely not the carpet issue.

What could be the reason for the carpet issue, what repairs might they be able to do.

I am so frustrated, they can't seem to go a day without burning something, and I was so shocked at their response when I very tentatively approached them about the bonfires, and having then reported them to the council, I doubt I'll get a warm reception if I approach them again.

I live alone, and am very bad at confrontations, they know I suffer from depression and have no family.
I only say this, because people often think they can fob me off, they see the vulnerability, which is why I need as much info as possible, if I'm to speak to them.

Sorry the post is so long!

Any advice on how to proceed or who to contact would be gratefully received.

Mojisola

For your own safety, I hope you have carbon monoxide alarms in the rooms affected by their chimney.

caper7

I don't. Might buy one.

Art_Deco

caper7 wrote: »

Hi,

Bit of background:

I live in a semi detached house, privately owned.
My neighbours, also private owners, built a new big wood fired barbecue last winter. In the summer they lit it most days. Their two teenage kids spent pretty much every evening outside with many of their friends smoking till 2/3 am.
We are talking at least 10 people all puffing away right under my bedroom meaning I couldn't open the windows on sweltering August nights.
Twice they lit bonfires at midnight till 3am. Again I couldn't open windows.
Now, they aren't terrible kids, they weren't that noisy, for me it's all the smoke that was the issue.
I have no right to tell people not to smoke or barbecue on their own property, but the summer was hideous for me, so I was so grateful for autumn/winter!

Unfortunately, they then started having bonfires/firepits, but not further down the garden but right on the patio next to my kitchen.
Unfortunately my kitchen windows are not in good condition and the room was unusable due to the smell of burning.
At that point I had a quiet, polite word about the smoke, but they seemed uninterested, and 3 days later lit another fire.
At this point, for the first time in my life I complained to the council.
3 fires in 9 days, so the enforcement team came out. Not sure what they said to them, but the fire was put out.

The problem now is that they have started using their fireplace, they had it swept before xmas (I heard it, initially thinking the noise was the house crumbling).
I don't think they've used the fireplace before, or if they have then something in their set up has changed.
Again I can smell burning in my kitchen.

I fully appreciate they have a right to have a fireplace and it is perhaps my problem that my windows are in bad condition.
However, I have never had a working fireplace, and neither have any of my neighbours to my knowledge. I am surprised that there should be that much smell in the air outside to enter the rubbish windows in the first place.
I can't help but wonder if their set up is correct or if they are maybe burning the wrong fuel.
London is a smoke free zone, you cannot burn wood on an open fireplace. You're supposed to use a smokeless fuel.
I contacted the council to query, not complain, whether that level of smell was normal.
The enforcement team wrote me a lettter telling me to have a quiet word with them and reiterating the permitted fuels. The pollution team said they could maybe send them a letter about which fuels were permitted.
I was hesitant as the neighbours may be doing nothing wrong.

However, 2 days ago I noticed the carpet was black at each corner of the chimney breast in my dinning room which is the equivalent of their sitting room where they use the fireplace.
The carpet is pale and old, and I know they get dark around the edges, but nowhere else in the room is it black.
I'm pretty sure it wasn't like that before.

Surely this changes things, it can't be my responsibility to strip back the wallpaper/plaster and repoint brickwork or whatever, surely it's their duty to not impact on the interior of my house?

As these are privately owned houses are there any council departments that could help?

I probably should now actually try to talk to them again, but if they just don't care I don't want to end up having to resort to lawyers. And could I even prove it's their fault.

What rights do I have? The windows are my problem no doubt, but surely not the carpet issue.

What could be the reason for the carpet issue, what repairs might they be able to do.

I am so frustrated, they can't seem to go a day without burning something, and I was so shocked at their response when I very tentatively approached them about the bonfires, and having then reported them to the council, I doubt I'll get a warm reception if I approach them again.

I live alone, and am very bad at confrontations, they know I suffer from depression and have no family.
I only say this, because people often think they can fob me off, they see the vulnerability, which is why I need as much info as possible, if I'm to speak to them.

Sorry the post is so long!

Any advice on how to proceed or who to contact would be gratefully received.

This could have been written by me, 2 years ago our neighbours bought a wood? burner thing for outside on their patio, every night come rain or shine they are out there burning stuff, we have to keep all the windows shut as our house smells like we are chain smokers!! they are lovely people but dont seem to realise how bad it is for us, many people on our street have had log burners fitted and the smell is just like pre smokeless fuel days im sure they must be burning anything they can get their hands on with fuel being so expensive, people are desperate.I suppose:(

alumende27

No might. If your neighbour's chimney fumes are leaking into your property, you must get one! Carbon Monoxide poisoning can be fatal. I have Honeywell XC70 co detectors (7 year life). Available on amazon for £25. cheaper ones are available.

I'd also advise talking to the council environmental health and/or building control department about the issue of soot appearing inside your house. A chimney should not be used if it is not safe.

Have you invited them round to see the damage caused? I'm sure they'd be mortified if they knew.

Aylesbury_Duck

You must get an alarm. Get the alarm that shows the reading in digital form. It might prove useful later on should you need to provide evidence of CO transgression into your room.

I've got one of these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fireangel-CO-9D-Digital-Sealed-Monoxide/dp/B00441S9GS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1488976111&sr=8-1&keywords=fireangel+carbon+monoxide+detector

You sound like a very patient and indulgent neighbour, whereas your neighbours don't appear to be very considerate. As you say, it would be good to be able to sort this out amicably because you don't want the cost and hassle of a formal dispute, especially because you'd have to declare it if you ever sell your house. Perhaps you could use the CO detector as an ice-breaker? Go round and see them, tell them what's happening in your house and suggest - for their own safety and yours - that they test for CO in their house. It's a long shot, but it might be worth a try.

caper7

Ok, will buy a co2 detector.
However, is it possible that soot/ smoke is coming through without any carbon monoxide?
What I mean is that their fire might be safe, but maybe poor brickwork is letting dust through?
I'm driving myself nuts and doubting myself as to whether the carpet's been like that for ages....

Aylesbury_Duck

caper7 wrote: »

Ok, will buy a co2 detector.
However, is it possible that soot/ smoke is coming through without any carbon monoxide?
What I mean is that their fire might be safe, but maybe poor brickwork is letting dust through?
I'm driving myself nuts and doubting myself as to whether the carpet's been like that for ages....

I'd recommend a CO (carbon monoxide) detector. A CO2 (carbon dioxide) detector might start to annoy you after a while...:D

Yes, it's possible their fire might be safe, but why take the risk? They don't sound like particularly diligent people so can you be sure what they will burn in their fireplace in future, and how they will burn it? If not, then you can't be sure that the combustion process won't produce CO. Carbon monoxide is colourless and odourless, so you will have no warning without an alarm. It's produced when incomplete combustion occurs, in other words, when there's not enough oxygen present during combustion. If your neighbours haven't had the chimney swept professionally or if they don't have a means for fresh air to enter the room to feed the fire, CO could be produced. Plus, you don't know what they might be burning that gives off other harmful gases. Treated fence wood or any old wood with old paint on it, for example.

caper7

Yes, CO not Co2! Woops.

Aylesbury_Duck

Just don't delay on it, it's too risky. If you can, get a detector today. If you can't and they light a fire tonight, make sure you ventilate your room really well. And go and speak to them as soon as you can. This is potentially too dangerous to prevaricate over.

Mojisola

caper7 wrote: »

However, is it possible that soot/ smoke is coming through without any carbon monoxide?

What I mean is that their fire might be safe, but maybe poor brickwork is letting dust through?

Yes, it's possible but it will be easier for action to be taken if their fire is dangerous as apposed to just being annoying.

However, that takes second place to ensuring your health isn't being damaged. I know of two people who were made very poorly by CO - the levels weren't high enough to kill them (thank goodness) but they had no idea that their chronic health problems were being caused by invisible, odourless carbon monoxide.