Hallway Smells like Weed constantly

cheeselover9

Hi Everyone,

I live in a top floor flat and my hallway constantly smells of weed, it is now seeping into other rooms. I can’t complain to a landlord as I own my flat. 

I have lived here for 8 months and it’s become an issue in the last few months. I have no idea where or who it is coming from. My hallway has no windows, openings or vents only my front door and the doors to my rooms. I did think it was coming from underneath the front door however when I open it I cannot smell it in the landing area. 

I have no issue with how people want to spend their time, however it is becoming extremely unpleasant constantly breathing it in. 

I have spoken to my neighbours on my floor and only one other has also smelt it in their home.

Has anyone been in a similar situation and knows what I can do? Not really keen to start accusing people of drug use but it is really becoming unbearable. 

teachfast

Put a note thru each door politely asking them to stop. No threat needed. It's still illegal. 

AdrianC

Complain to the freeholder and/or management company.

It shouldn't be hard to figure out where it's coming from by effectively triangulating where it's obvious.

[Deleted User]

I used to live in a flat near Reading town centre. There was a CCTV blind spot  near the entrance where people would stand smoking weed on their lunch breaks and after work, so the building very often smelled of weed. My question is, might it be possible the smell is coming from outside, or are you sure it is from another flat? If the latter, I agree with teachfast that it's worth putting a standard note through letter boxes on on a shared noticeboard. 

[Deleted User]

I presume this is someone growing it for personal use, and you dont have all manner of nefarious figures coming and going at all hours?

In which case I'd go and talk to them. Tell them the smell of their 'tomato plants' is permeating your flat, and can they set up extractor fans in their grow cupboard or otherwise relocate their 'tomato plants' to somewhere other than the cupboard under the stairs.

I'm sure they'll be briefly puzzled because they're not growing tomato plants, before realising with relief that it's their marijuanna that stinks, but you haven't yet realised its anything illegal, but now you've smelt it and it's bugging you, they'd better do something about it before you get the opinion of someone who does recognise the smell. 

coffeehound

This subject is posted on these boards several times every year.  I wouldn't have faith in people being considerate (especially in response to a note) or in the success of getting resolution through the LL or authorities.  

In your situation I would just fit a PIV fan and hopefully that would solve it.  Rather than one that takes air from the loftspace, one designed for flats where air is brought in through a wall would probably be better since the smoke might well get into the loft, too.

princeofpounds

Does it smell of weed smoking, or weed growing?

If it's not on your floor, then it's highly likely to be coming from a flat below, if it's not external. So why not sniff around there to get more of an idea?

There is a possibility that it's a damp issue - you can sometimes get that mossy, earthy smell - but I suspect you know what you're smelling.

Anyway, how I would approach it would differ quite a lot between whether it was being grown or smoked in the building.

cheeselover9

Deleted_User said:

I used to live in a flat near Reading town centre. There was a CCTV blind spot  near the entrance where people would stand smoking weed on their lunch breaks and after work, so the building very often smelled of weed. My question is, might it be possible the smell is coming from outside, or are you sure it is from another flat? If the latter, I agree with teachfast that it's worth putting a standard note through letter boxes on on a shared noticeboard. 

Thank you, it’s not from outside as our lobby area is separate to the stairwell and the stairwell does not smell can only assume that it’s someone underneath

coffeehound said:

This subject is posted on these boards several times every year.  I wouldn't have faith in people being considerate (especially in response to a note) or in the success of getting resolution through the LL or authorities.  

In your situation I would just fit a PIV fan and hopefully that would solve it.  Rather than one that takes air from the loftspace, one designed for flats where air is brought in through a wall would probably be better since the smoke might well get into the loft, too.

Thank you, my loft doesn’t smell and having the hatch open is the only thing that clears the smell so I’ll look into this thank you.

thanks for all the other responses, will complain to my managing agent and put a notice up.  There an electrical cupboard next to my front door that I don’t have access to so it may be coming in through there 

HampshireH

It's like that there are gaps between floorboard or around pipes in storage cupboards. That's quite common a way for scent to travel. Why would a cupboard outside your flat make inside smell? 

Isn't it more likely to travel hrough an airing cupboard of something which is mirrored below.

Is it all the time? Are you neighbours below home at the time (do you hear them etc)

There is very little you can do bar ventilate your property or discuss with your neighbour

theartfullodger

Freehold or leasehold?  If leasehold you can complain to your landlord: Even if a shareholder in freeholder.

cheeselover9

HampshireH said:

It's like that there are gaps between floorboard or around pipes in storage cupboards. That's quite common a way for scent to travel. Why would a cupboard outside your flat make inside smell? 

Isn't it more likely to travel hrough an airing cupboard of something which is mirrored below.

Is it all the time? Are you neighbours below home at the time (do you hear them etc)

There is very little you can do bar ventilate your property or discuss with your neighbour

Thanks for the response, I can only smell it in my hallway and not in the airing cupboard which is attached to my bathroom. 

Twice a day it’s really pungent, only when opening the loft can I get rid of the smell, only for it to repeat again in the evening, so will look at a PIV fan as suggested above. 

I never hear my neighbours below and haven’t met them so could be an awkward meet and greet but will need to be addressed with them - thank you for the advise. 

theartfullodger said:

Freehold or leasehold?  If leasehold you can complain to your landlord: Even if a shareholder in freeholder.

theartfullodger said:

Freehold or leasehold?  If leasehold you can complain to your landlord: Even if a shareholder in freeholder.

Thank you it’s a leasehold so will give them a call