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Smoking Neighbors...

T

Turkish

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jan 12, 2007
358
0
Just trying to see if anyone might have a solution... I'm thinking I am screwed.

I live in a fourth-floor apartment and enjoy having my windows open this time of year, as most people do.

The problem is, the people downstairs smoke, and they often open the Juliette balcony door and hang out there and smoke - two of them at once.

My issue with this is the smoke sucks right up the sid eof the building right into my house. I can have one window even slightly cracked, be on the other side of the apartment and smell it within seconds. So really, I can't have my windows open - which really sucks!

Any ideas? I can't see that it's against the lease, not sure of county laws....
 
Turkish said:
Just trying to see if anyone might have a solution... I'm thinking I am screwed.

I live in a fourth-floor apartment and enjoy having my windows open this time of year, as most people do.

The problem is, the people downstairs smoke, and they often open the Juliette balcony door and hang out there and smoke - two of them at once.

My issue with this is the smoke sucks right up the sid eof the building right into my house. I can have one window even slightly cracked, be on the other side of the apartment and smell it within seconds. So really, I can't have my windows open - which really sucks!

Any ideas? I can't see that it's against the lease, not sure of county laws....
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There isn't much you can do about it, as I don't think they are violating any laws. You could talk to them about it, but you probably would've done that before posting here if you wanted to.
 
Crank up your Heater or AC, or Fan, so that it just pulls in air from outside. and open your windows, so that air is flowing out instead of in. It kinda defeats the purpose of having open windows, if you want a breeze, but they'll still be open.

Alternatively you can jump around in your house a lot, make a lot of noise, stomping etc. Maybe they'll move.
 
This is a grey area in rental law, so you may or may not have success in dealing with this. Have a look at this article for some background.
 
WildCowboy said:
This is a grey area in rental law, so you may or may not have success in dealing with this. Have a look at this article for some background.
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Thanks, that's very helpful.

Having been a smoker, I'd personally be pissed if someone asked me not to smoke on my balcony, so I am a litle reluctant to do anything about it with them personally.

It's just an open door with a gate across it, not a real balcony, BTW.

Just frustrated that they can't smoke INSIDE their place.
 
princealfie said:
I would pour water on them and see what happens.
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Well, I opened the juliette balcony tonight and looked down at them for the first time - they didn't see me, but I slammed the door. Maybe I made a point.

I suppose it's just ths suckyness of living in this type of arrangment. Guess I know to ask about smoking covenenats when I start looking at condos next year.
 
Turkish said:
Well, I opened the juliette balcony tonight and looked down at them for the first time - they didn't see me, but I slammed the door. Maybe I made a point.

I suppose it's just ths suckyness of living in this type of arrangment. Guess I know to ask about smoking covenenats when I start looking at condos next year.
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Move to Utah, we hardly have any smoking here.
 
Making a point of slamming your window when they start smoking might help.

Also, if you get one of those window fans that you can mount in your window, mount it in a window on the other side of your apartment, you could set it to blow inwards and airflow would go out the windows near the smokers.
 
OutThere said:
Making a point of slamming your window when they start smoking might help.

Also, if you get one of those window fans that you can mount in your window, mount it in a window on the other side of your apartment, you could set it to blow inwards and airflow would go out the windows near the smokers.
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Yeah, I really don't want to mount any fans in the window. A little too ghetto for my taste.

If it really gets on my nerves, I'll just jot a little note to them asking them to smoke inside. They'll probably think I'm an ass (I would have when I was a smoker), but I shouldn't have to pay nearly 2K a month in rent and deal with people smoking up my place.

Definitely time to buy a place of my own.
 
Slip "how to quit smoking" pamphlets under their and everyone elses door.
I got three of my six neighbours to quit smoking because of them. OK so it took 3 months of weekly handouts but they got the message.

Alot of rental places here have no smoking in building rules and juliette balconies count as being inside. In my place you cant smoke within 15 feet of building.


One thing I did last summer was to put these huge lab grade carbon filters on the open windows, the air coming through them was filtered from the dust and smoke. Looked stupid but it worked.
 
leave a small smelly slimy compost on your balcony.
i believe in the talion law- eye for an eye baby! ;)
 
Just ask nicely, I smoke and don't like bothering anyone either. Just be nice and try to work something out. I hope when I quit the smell doesn't bother me that much.

Pamphlet Guy: I really despise condescending asses who think they are saving people. We all do what we want, don't think anyone takes you seriously. I also tell the Mormons/Jahova's Witnesses/Hari Krishnas, whatever they want to hear to get them to go away. Nazi anti-smokers are on the same level. It is just a reason for them to feel that they are better than you, just like any other cult. They just want to "save" you.

I know alot of people here shun actually going out and talking to someone about something that bothers them. It is better than playing "I'm angry at you for something" games. They might not get it and just think you're an ass. Remember, they are paying that much to live there too. You don't want to start an apartment cold war.
 
I'd just go and ask them really nicely, as in "could you guys do me the biggest massive hugest favour", if they could just yell out when the're going to have a smoke so you can close your windows for a few minutes while they smoke. Blame your partner or someone else for being a smoking nazi who poor you (sympathy vote) have to listen to their whinging. They won't want to be yelling out their window all the time because it'll piss off all the other neighbours and hopefully they will just smoke inside. This way you're not actually asking them to stop smoking on their balcony.

shu82 said:
I hope when I quit the smell doesn't bother me that much.
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It will.
 
Eh, they're smoking outside. What more can you really, honestly ask of them?!

I agree with The Mad Kiwi, see if they'll do you the favor of a "heads up" when they'll be smoking out there so you could close the door/ window.

And otherwise? I'd point a fan outwards; since the fan would draw air from within your apartment and out-- you'd still get air flow, but while minimizing smoke exposure. :)
 
The Mad Kiwi said:
I'd just go and ask them really nicely, as in "could you guys do me the biggest massive hugest favour", if they could just yell out when the're going to have a smoke so you can close your windows for a few minutes while they smoke. Blame your partner or someone else for being a smoking nazi who poor you (sympathy vote) have to listen to their whinging. They won't want to be yelling out their window all the time because it'll piss off all the other neighbours and hopefully they will just smoke inside. This way you're not actually asking them to stop smoking on their balcony.



It will.
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Well that is bad news:(

I don't have anyone close who does that to me or my girlfriend, it is always a stranger. Just unsolicited advice really irks me.

Also, whenever I want to say something that I know the person wont like, I always start off with: "I don't want to sound like an ass but.........." At least they will give you the benefit of the doubt because of your open, honest candor.
 
shu82 said:
Pamphlet Guy: I really despise condescending asses who think they are saving people. We all do what we want, don't think anyone takes you seriously. I also tell the Mormons/Jahova's Witnesses/Hari Krishnas, whatever they want to hear to get them to go away. Nazi anti-smokers are on the same level. It is just a reason for them to feel that they are better than you, just like any other cult. They just want to "save" you.
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umm there is a huge difference between religious pamphlets and health pamphets. Smoking affects people other than the smoker which is why so many places are now banning smoking at certain public venues.
Pamphlets are a dicreet way of letting people know that their habit is bothering you, kind off like offering a tic tac to the person with bad breath, you dont go up to them and say "hey buddy your breath reeks like a Calcutta street"...

Under my hometown by-laws people smoking on a juliette balcony are in fact smoking indoors and could be evicted if the landlord has a no smoking clause in the contract which alot now do.

So in fact the OP might have a legal right to tell these people to stop smoking if the laws support it.
 
Cassie said:
Now THAT'S how you handle the situation like a responsible adult!:rolleyes:
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Beats setting a bag of fresh manure out on the patio.

Slightly worse if you lived below them, since a bag of burning manure while they were smoking would be nasty.

Which leaves a breast of chicken left in a bowl of milk. Just don't spill the old living juice on anything you want to keep.
 
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