Neighbour issue

diystarter7

Rumana03 said:

Maybe you could burn incense sticks and hope that this irritates her enough to move somewhere else and smoke?

All the people saying so what if she smokes...honestly what is that about? Second hand smoke can be just as bad for your health as smoking itself. Why should the OP have to put up with it? 

OP I also hate the smell of smoke. It irritates me so badly and gives me a headache. I think you should try and speak to her again but maybe wait until she is a better mood. And if that doesn't work then go to the council because the smoke is bad for health.

Excellent post, why should we suffer from not just the smells but the dangers? 
At least the Labour party is sayig they will ban it and it is a sensible way forward supported by tens of millions in the UK  but will have to fight the apologists making feeble excuses. There is no excuse to inflict the dangers of secondary smoking on those that dont smoke.

Alderbank

elsien said:

I wonder what enforcement agencies would be forcing their way into people's private property on the grounds they are having a cigarette? 

The enforcement agencies successfully stopped people smoking menthol cigarettes. 'Cool as a mountain stream', they were once very popular.
They did this not by forcing their way into people's houses to catch them smoking menthol cigarettes but by the simpler action of banning the sale or importation of them.

They could do the same for other cigarettes if they were minded to.

Getting_greyer

Could be worse, my neighbour has got a wind chime.

Silvertabby

Getting_greyer said:

Could be worse, my neighbour has got a wind chime.

To me, the incessant 'boing, boing, boing' of kids bouncing on a trampoline is what sets my teeth on edge.  Thankfully, next door seem to have grown out of using theirs.

As for smells, we live in a detached house on the cusp of small town and country  - and when the wind is in the right direction we get a definite whiff of eau de pig farm and other countryside smells.  Doesn't bother us, but sis-in-law is adamant that 'she wouldn't put up with that if she lived here'.  Still not sure what she thinks she would be able to do about it!

Sympathise with OP's problem with cigarette smoke, though, as I hate it as well.  As has already been suggested, is there scope to put, say, a trellis between the two houses?  OP could then grow sweet smelling climbers up it to help block the smoke.

housebuyer143

To the people saying she should just move away from the OPs house while smoking, potentially the gardens are very narrow and this will do very little and also, it's raining so she probably stands at the back door so she didn't get soaked. Not sure where else people expect someone to stand?

I am imagining OP to live in a new build estate where the neighbors windows and literally a meter from the other houses back door. If this is the case, moving in the garden won't help. 

CurlySue2017

Skiddaw1 said:

CurlySue2017 said:

Skiddaw1 said:

CurlySue2017 said:

BungalowBel said:

All I can say is the neighbour surely has a right to smoke a legal substance and cook food  within their own house and garden? 

This thread is hilarious!  I think this is the best response so far.  What has happened to people to make them become so utterly intollerant of anyone around them?  The term "get a life" springs to mind

A little unfair I think. It wouldn't bother me particularly (I used to smoke years ago myself and can cope with other people smoking near me) but I can understand why the OP is driven to distraction by it. Like so many neighbour issues, what one person finds perfectly acceptable another person finds intolerable.

OP, I think if it were me I'd have another try at making friends with the neighbour and seeing if you could reach an agreement. Tea and cake, etc. Be as conciliatory as possible.

OK I agree the last part may have been a little harsh!  But I stand by the rest of it. 

Maybe in my area people are just generally more tolerant of other people (they do say it's friendlier up Norf ) but I don't think anyone local to me would ever dream of asking someone not to smoke on their own property. 

If you can't tolerate the simplest of things that are part of normal every day life (millions smoke and I suspect more than that cook!!) then you need to find a house in the middle of nowhere. 

You can't expect everyone else around you to bow to your every little annoyance

We're up Norf too as it happens and our neighbours are all lovely.

As I say, it wouldn't bother me but again, to be fair, the OP didn't indicate they'd asked the neighbour not to smoke on their own property- only if said neighbour could perhaps move a little further away from OP's door/window when so doing. I don't think I'd have an issue if I was asked to do that (though I agree that cooking smells is a different issue altogether).

Yeah I guess we're lucky because our neighbours are lovely too!  Definitely a Northern thing ha

diystarter7

housebuyer143 said:

To the people saying she should just move away from the OPs house while smoking, potentially the gardens are very narrow and this will do very little and also, it's raining so she probably stands at the back door so she didn't get soaked. Not sure where else people expect someone to stand?

I am imagining OP to live in a new build estate where the neighbors windows and literally a meter from the other houses back door. If this is the case, moving in the garden won't help. 

Hi
This is why I have said 2 times, move to a detached house that was built in the very early 60's or before as often they are on wider roads, much bigger plots and have a lot more space around the houses so will be quite a distance from the other house unless they came up to the fence. I also mentioned older semi det or EoT houses where the kitchens are at opposite ends.
The newer properties are almost built on top of the other but even some older ones have their kitchen next to the other or front doors depends on the layout.


Therefore "moving" will definitely help.

Thanks

diystarter7

Getting_greyer said:

Could be worse, my neighbour has got a wind chime.

We have a church that is pretty close and can see the clock/spehere etc from the front door - the bells can do my head in at times but more often than not 99% of the time I find it relaxing etc especially when there is a wedding there.

We are all different but IMO most are with OP re smoking and possibly not as many re food smell but I totally agree with the OP

IMO, best not to say anyhting

Thanks

JGreenwood

It does seem a bit extreme to move because of this. Plus, so many people smoke, there's no guarantees that in your next place you'd live next to a non smoker.

diystarter7

JGreenwood said:

It does seem a bit extreme to move because of this. Plus, so many people smoke, there's no guarantees that in your next place you'd live next to a non smoker.

Hi
True and possibly unfriendly etc etc but as I've and others have said, especially me, an older detached house etc that have bigger, wider gardens may be a good way forward.

There are no easy solutions and personally, I'd feel like the OP but I would not say anything to next door unless we were good friends/etc and then possibly say something re smoking and the impact on us but would not say anything re food.

Thanks