Neighbor dispute has become nasty and intolerable

Nathaniel_Essex

Thank you (I guess) for all the responses. I know it may seem a little ridiculous but I guess it's hard to get the extent of the problem across on a forum. When people in my area are burning vegetation or cooking a barbecue, there are both good and bad smells. This particular family, the smell is not pleasant for anybody but them and it's constant. Judging by the stockpile of oil barrels in their garden, it's like they are cooking on a commercial scale.

I am a fan of Asian food but this smell in simply rancid, like they are cooking rotten roadkill meat or something. It's just constantly in the air and I LITERALLY. can't enjoy or even tolerate being in my own garden.

SuzieSue

Nathaniel_Essex wrote: »

it's like they are cooking on a commercial scale.

I wonder if they are? If they are it is not fair on the neighbours and the council should do something about it.

I do feel sorry for you and I can understand how the smell of certain foods (from all around the world) have a lingering smell. Unfortunately, unless you can prove they are doing it on a commercial scale, I don't think there is much you can do except move, although, it will be difficult to sell your house unless the person buying it also cooks the same sort of food.

Redacted

That latest description sounds like fish sauce - used in SE Asian food. I remember from Thailand and Vietnam, the smell just hangs in the air, smelling like an open sewer (probably some of that as well!) so I can imagine what you mean. But as others have said, I don't think there is anything you can do. They're not actually doing anything wrong.

jackomdj

We live next to an Asian family and we can often smell their cooking wafting over the fence. If we are really lucky they will knock on the door with a plate of bhajis or samosas!:)

Edited to add: funniest moment was when we had sat on a sunny afternoon smelling their dinner cooking, we decided to order an Indian. At the same time the delivery man came down our path our neighbours son arrived with a huge bag of goodies.

bearcat16

I worked at a house once that had a curry-making next door neighbor. The smell was absolutely overpowering! Seriously horrible. I would not have believed it had I not experienced it for myself.

I was chatting to the householder at the house I was working at, asked how she managed to tolerate living next to it. She said don't talk too loud or you'll get the whole family coming out screaming abuse and calling you racist.

It turns out they were preparing food for a relative's take-away. The council eventually forced the landlord to evict them, but only because a local councillor lived nearby and was affected by the stench.

Sicard

I knew an Indian family who moved because of the bland cooking smells coming from their English neighbours.

[Deleted User]

Am I the only one who would hate living next to strong curry smells.

Unless you have experienced it you really cannot understand how it permeates everywhere, its not like cooking an english meal where the smell goes quickly , it never goes , its always around because its so strong. English people cook a meal or zap something in the microwave but cooking is a large part of family and entertaining in Indian culture and so something is always being cooked.

As for horse manure, it doesnt smell.

rach_k

I do sympathise. My husband likes to (try to) cook food like his mum makes. The finished product usually smells okay, as you'd expect Pakistani food to smell, but the journey to the end result is often horrible - I find it acrid, disgusting even, like somebody who has been doing heavy manual work for a decade without ever washing! I have to open all of the windows and clean like mad for a day after he's cooked. I would feel sorry for the neighbours (terraces) but one side smells of mushy peas all the time and the other smokes 24/7 in the garden so I don't care anymore.

OP, there's probably not much you can do but if they are cooking for very long periods of time, I'd see if you can find out why and see what can be done if they're breaking any rules. They may cook for extended family but it would be unusual if the stinkiest stage of cooking was all day every day - it's not like they'll be needing fresh cooked food 10 times a day, unless they're up to something extra.

professor~yaffle

Sicard wrote: »

I knew an Indian family who moved because of the bland cooking smells coming from their English neighbours.

Boom, boom!

bearcat16 wrote: »

I worked at a house once that had a curry-making next door neighbor. The smell was absolutely overpowering! Seriously horrible. I would not have believed it had I not experienced it for myself.

I was chatting to the householder at the house I was working at, asked how she managed to tolerate living next to it. She said don't talk too loud or you'll get the whole family coming out screaming abuse and calling you racist.

This ^^ is the problem, I suspect. Now, I don't mind the smell of curry once in a while, but I would not tolerate strong curry smells 24/7 . It's going to get into your washing, into your clothes, your curtains, everywhere.

OP see if they're running a business from there. It sounds likely that they are, and you might then be able to take some action.

lika_86

BBH123 wrote: »

English people cook a meal or zap something in the microwave but cooking is a large part of family and entertaining in Indian culture and so something is always being cooked.

Of course the fact that they are Asian does not mean that they are not English.