Strange petrol smell in my property

DrDeejUK

I have to admit this is a bit of a strange one. Since Friday there has been a strange smell of petrol done by my stairs in my flat. I rent from a social landlord. I rang them up yesterday to report the smell. They weren't very much help. However they got me to call gas emergency helpline and a nice chap came out to inform me it wasn't gas. He even went round to my neighbors to check whether he could smell it there. Nothing. So I'm stuck with the smell of petrol now in my flat. Problem is I have respiratory health issues and this isn't helping me much. One thing worth noting (may not be relevant) when I came back on Boxing Day the whole street smelt of petrol but since has dissipated. I didn't get this smell until last Friday. What can I do? I'm stumped. 

p00hsticks

Did the chap agree that he too could smell petrol ?
Do you only smell it in that particular place ?

I can't remember the details, but I think there is some medical condition where one of the symptoms is thinking you can smell petrol, so if you are smelling it all the time but no-one else can that might be something to consider....   

Brie

I heard that some people with the latest covid strain reported metallic smells and tastes which had no foundation.  Maybe it's that.  But then the chap would have said he couldn't smell anything unless he too was suffering from this.  

Alternative - someone using a petrol chainsaw or similar outside your property?  

twopenny

Yes, see if no one else can smell it. Perhaps ask about when the street smelled of it too.

Or it maybe that your condition intensifies smells

Only two things I can think of is when a plastic kettle gets old the plastic smells a bit chemically when it's heated  until it cools and that lingers.

Something to do with the carpet like the composition of that or the underlay, scotchguard spray on it some come with

DrDeejUK

p00hsticks said:

Did the chap agree that he too could smell petrol ?
Do you only smell it in that particular place ?

I can't remember the details, but I think there is some medical condition where one of the symptoms is thinking you can smell petrol, so if you are smelling it all the time but no-one else can that might be something to consider....   

I can't remember the details, but I think there is some medical condition where one of the symptoms is thinking you can smell petrol, so if you are smelling it all the time but no-one else can that might be something to consider....   

The gas man could smell the petrol too.  He actually insisted it was petrol smell In my property but not next door. I've heard of that medical condition too.

Lorian

By your stairs? Top or bottom? Is there a sink anywhere nearby? Electric distribution board?

greyteam1959

Some idiot disposing of petrol down a drain & the fumes getting into your property??

sgun

Brie said:

I heard that some people with the latest covid strain reported metallic smells and tastes which had no foundation.  Maybe it's that.  But then the chap would have said he couldn't smell anything unless he too was suffering from this.  

Alternative - someone using a petrol chainsaw or similar outside your property?  

I smelt strong petrol smells in the house 2 days before COVID symptoms started, definitely no petrol present so this is a thing. But since the gas man could smell it too it probably isn't that.

DrDeejUK

greyteam1959 said:

Some idiot disposing of petrol down a drain & the fumes getting into your property??

That's what I was thinking. Wondering who I would call about that? 

DrDeejUK

Lorian said:

By your stairs? Top or bottom? Is there a sink anywhere nearby? Electric distribution board?

Middle of the stairs. Down the bottom is the fuse box and stopcock but no smell coming from them.

FreeBear

DrDeejUK said:

greyteam1959 said:

Some idiot disposing of petrol down a drain & the fumes getting into your property??

That's what I was thinking. Wondering who I would call about that? 

Your local water company wouldn't be too happy about it, nor would the Environment Agency.