Weed Smoker in Rental

Davesnave

csgohan4 wrote: »

you can give anonymous tips to police about weed growing

Don't they already know how to do it?

TheGardener

Having experienced - courtesy of a neighbour - how strong and lingering the smell of 'skunk' is (there is a clue in the name...) I have a great deal of sympathy with the OP. It's significantly worse than regular cigarette smoke and does cling - I had comments from colleagues at work about the smell on my coat in the cloakroom! Its not a pleasant smell - its a stench - and TBH I'm not convinced you can hermetically seal a house to keep it out although the comments about the positive pressure ventilation are interesting.
Unless you have experience of just how strong and invasive the smell is, it is difficult to convey. I likened it to living next door to an abattoir during warm weather - it really is that stomach churning and pervasive. Of course the users are immune to the smell.

System

greendoor665 wrote: »

Saturating your whole house with noxious fumes? Come on OP, you're being a bit dramatic here.

They're not. My son ended up living next to a druggie, my mother in law lives above one. You can most certainly smell weed.

I can only guess that if you don't think you can you must use it yourself and are nose deaf just the same as those who smoke are to how they, their clothes and their houses stink of cigs.

trevormax

greendoor665 wrote: »

Saturating your whole house with noxious fumes? Come on OP, you're being a bit dramatic here.
The fumes may not be noxious, but having lived through this personally, I can tell you that it is very unpleasant. Having your house smell of weed, having your clothes and furniture stink of it constantly all day and night is disgusting and made me feel light headed at times. The smell reminds me of stale sweat and is not something I want to smell for a second, let alone hours on end.

The police will not be interested in someone smoking weed on their own home. You have no ability to stop them by contacting the police or any other government body.
You are partially correct here. the police are too over-stretched dealing with other stuff to be interested in stopping someone from smoking weed in their own home. They do not have the power to enter the house for that, but it may be the case that the occupant is cultivating cannabis. If the police receive enough intel about it, they may apply for a warrant to enter and search the house. This takes a long time to get though, and needs a lot of intel from various different sources usually.

The part I disagree with is that they have no way to stop this by contacting police or other agencies. The Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 gives the police and other agencies the power to do something about it.

The landlord is not liable for anything. They might be interested in the fact the tenant is making their house smell though, so if you can find out who the landlord is you might have some joy contacting them. The landlord might have a word or decide to evict.
The landlord will care if the council/police serve an injunction upon them closing the house for 3 to 6 months, which the ASB, Crime and Policing Act allows. Also, the LL will not want the local council contacting them about their tenants anti-social behaviour.

It wouldn't be any different if they were chain smoking normal cigarettes really.
I don't smoke cigarettes personally. My sister, who lives with me, does. While the smell is not nice, it is not as strong as the smell of weed, and can more easily be hidden with air fresheners.

This is all assuming the OP does not wish to speak to the neighbour about it in person, or feels unable to speak to the neighbour. The Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 is likely to be very helpful for you here. It will not be a quick fix however, and will need a fair bit of work on your part.
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/12

This act brought in to effect a requirement for government agencies to act when there is an ASB issue affecting peoples homes and quality of life. There is a certain procedure these agencies are required to follow and document when a "Community Trigger" is reached. This trigger is basically a number of ASB issues being reported in a period of time. For most, it is three incidents in three months, but some areas are 6 months.

Once three incidents have been reported, you as the victim can request in writing details of what actions have been taken, and you can make an application for a Case Review. This must be done by all relevant agencies (in your case, the police, council ASB team, and possibly council environmental health). They then need to publish what arrangements and actions they intend to do to tackle these issues, including a single point of contact for the victim to speak to, along with them informing the victim of what they intend to do. At this point, you will then better know what is going to happen next and what you need to do. The most extreme cases can result in the council or police closing down the house and kicking out any occupants for a period of time following a court injuction being issued.

As people have said, get your local councillor involved and on your side. Get your local PCSO involved too and ask them to submit intel reports when it does smell. If they have been in the job for a bit, they are also likely to be able to tell if it is being smoked or grown, as there is a subtle difference in the smell. Go to your local PACT meetings (your PCSO will have full details) and bring up this issue there. In the PACT meeting, they may then make it a requirement for the PCSO/Councillor to have done something by the next meeting.

Make regular complaints to the council ASB team and council Private Sector Housing team (may have a different name) whenever you smell it. Try to find out the landlord contact details, and contact them every time it smells. If the LL does nothing about it, tell the council this too. Keep a record of contact made to all of the above.

Finally, something you should consider before doing this is the fact that if you own your house and ever intend to sell in future, an ASB complaint to police about your neighbour will likely need to be included when selling the house so that the buyer is aware of it. That may make it harder for you to sell. You should consider what would be preferable, the ASB info being passed to a seller, or the house stinking of weed when people come to view your house.

In my case, I chose to knock on the neighbours door and ask him politely but firmly to please stop smoking weed as the smell was a problem. Thankfully, he was understanding and the issue stopped overnight.

marc3

gomer wrote: »

Contact the landlord. Local authorities will challenge their tenants regarding smoking weed in their property if they get complaints as it is stated in the tenancy agreement that it is a breach of your tenancy to allow drugs to be used in your home & private landlords should also take a similar approach, although sadly a lot don't.

I am a landlord and have the 'opposite problem.

(not trying to hijack OP's original question/thread but any answers below may also benefit OP )

I have a very good middle aged tenant who appears to like the odd joint.(i have it on heresay)
the tenancy is in a modern block of 4 .
whilst i am liberal and don't give a hoot-particularly when its a good tenant -i have to be a responsible landlord ',and it appears that my tenants occasional habit (if heresay is correct )does not go down well with another couple of tenants who have complained to the mangmnt company about the smell (never smelt it myself-but not there much of the time so i have to respect what i am being advised

as the OP points out -technically it remains illegal-and like most, the tenancy agreement -specifically forbids it ( as landlord so does my own lease ).
Whilst i would like to 'live and let live' ,i do need to do something about it ,in the face of complaints from other people in the building I have delicately raised the matter before (can't harass tenant )-but problem appears not to have gone away, and i have to respect the other tenants who have complained, and also protect my own lease,without hacking off a good tenant.

any advice on how best to approach this now and next time around if not resolved would be most appreciated

anselld

marc3 wrote: »

I am a landlord and have the 'opposite problem.

(not trying to hijack OP's original question/thread but any answers below may also benefit OP )

I have a very good middle aged tenant who appears to like the odd joint.(i have it on heresay)
the tenancy is in a modern block of 4 .
whilst i am liberal and don't give a hoot-particularly when its a good tenant -i have to be a responsible landlord ',and it appears that my tenants occasional habit (if heresay is correct )does not go down well with another couple of tenants who have complained to the mangmnt company about the smell (never smelt it myself-but not there much of the time so i have to respect what i am being advised

as the OP points out -technically it remains illegal-and like most, the tenancy agreement -specifically forbids it ( as landlord so does my own lease ).
Whilst i would like to 'live and let live' ,i do need to do something about it ,in the face of complaints from other people in the building I have delicately raised the matter before (can't harass tenant )-but problem appears not to have gone away, and i have to respect the other tenants who have complained, and also protect my own lease,without hacking off a good tenant.

any advice on how best to approach this now and next time around if not resolved would be most appreciated

Advise him that he is placing your Lease at risk and therefore, if the complaints continue, you will have no choice other than to end his tenancy.

TheGardener

marc3 wrote: »

...I have delicately raised the matter before (can't harass tenant )-but problem appears not to have gone away,

How can telling a tenant not to do drugs in your property in any way be classed as 'harassment'

Stuff 'delicate' - Tell them (politely and unambiguously)any illegal activity is likely to get him evicted.
Is there a clause in your tenancy agreement about illegal or ASB behaviour? If not then make sure there is next time.