EDIT- This was supposed to go in "Complaints corner". Could the mod gods move it please? Completely my fault!

I live on 5th floor and the guy who lives on 4th floor smokes his head off in his balcony. What this does is fill my whole flat with smell of smoke even if my window is slightly open. This person avoids eye contact with everyone as I think they do some dodgy stuff as well :-) Sniff sniff smoke smoke :-)
They make noises at odd times as well which doesn't bother me as I do the same. I work to non CH time so I roll my chair at 3-4am regulary.

I have installed special net doors so I can enjoy the night breeze without insects coming in but this smoke thing is really messing my quality of life. So basically this guy smokes in the balcony to keep his flat smelling nice but in the process stinks up my flat. Technically he is not really doing anything wrong as he is just having a fag in his balcony.

Talking to him is not an option as he is very strange type of person I guess I will have to just put up with it. Would be nice if he smoked in his toilet where there are exhaust fans! Just venting

Other than murder the guy late one night, there is little you can do.

This a common and very annyoing problem. Even asking if the occupants below are non-smokers before moving doesn't guarantee that two months later new tennants move who do. This happened to us some years back.

It's particularly nasty as they are avoiding stinking out their flat, but do it to yours...

options in no particular order of merit nor practicality:

• move
• open windows not near the balcony
• talk to smoking person

by the way your rolling at 4am ain't going to make things better

I expect your neighbour may point you the drafts thread in his defense

Clean your balcony with petrol when he's smoking. Will it drain onto his balcony?

Probably not practical, but nice to daydream about...

I could make sure that the petrol drains

Arghhh!! the dreaded "draft" card. I am sure he will play it as he is Swiss

Lob I think I will just stick with the status quo for now.Btw he makes 1000 times more noise than me but based on how the building agency acts I am sure his word will count for more. It's best not to start anything. I will stick with flicking the odd dead wasp that falls into my balcony :-)

You could try burning some insence on your own balcony or near the door. He might get the idea that your smell is invading his space, maybe his is invading yours. Besides, the smell would be more pleasant for you that way

That being said, when I smoked, I only smoked on the balcony as a courtesy to my non-smoking husband.

Same thing happened to me in the previous apartment.
I went to the rental company, I telephoned the police, I went to the gemeindehaus (village office), nothing works.
It is totally legal, he can smoke all he wants, anytime he wants. Smoke is not outlawed.

I moved to this apartment.

Hope this helps you, as I try to provide you a VALUABLE message.


HAT

Then again, the smoker might like the smell of the incense and smoke more just to get a whiff of it. hum.....

Hi! I have the same problem,

We have new neighbours down our appartment, 2 ladies, one very sick, she doesn't go outside of her flat. They do smoke on their balcony, and the smoke is coming right in my balcony and windows and of course inside the house. It's the same as if they were smoking in my house. YARK!!!!

So I went to them on sunday to explain the situation, I was very nice, smilling, cute, calm, etc. I'm pregnant, and I have my house who smell very bad because of their smoke. I am concern of my health as a pregnant woman and of the baby who will born. I don't want to live in the smoke. They told me they don't want to smoke in the house because of the smell. Something I do understand but it is ME who have the smell in my house.

We finally came to a deal, they could smoke in the kitchen under the ventilation. BUT all the week, the smoke came to my flat again. I send tonight my husband to talk to them in german, to be sure to understand each other. They stick on the fact they can't stop smoking, it's impossible, and they refuse to smoke in their house because of the smell and they can't stop smoking, etc... I don't care if they smoke, they can smoke 3 packs a day, I don't give a damn s**t, I just don't want to smoke with them!

I want to be able to open my windows, and go on my balcony. I can be reasonnable, and compromise, but it seems impossible from their side. The sick lady is the worst one, she is very defensive and fight against everything. I really respect their rights to smoke, but I ask to have the right to not have smoke in my house. What I will do this summer? Go inside everytime they will come out to grill one? Keep my windows close? I really want to find a solution, and sadly, the law is on their side, I can't do anything if they want to be a pain instead to try to have good relationship with their neighbours...

So it's make me very angry and frustrated because I can't do anything about it. They ruins my quality of life in my house...

I'm always the one who's doing the good thing, who's respecting the others, and compromise, etc... But it doesn't turn around, on my side....

It will sound childish, but I have to take this out of my chest. Any suggestion?

My mother in law told me to not worry, when the baby will be there, they will suffer with the cries, screams, etc... But it will not make me feel good since I will have to deal with it myself.

I was thinking to walk around the house with my shoes in wood... they make a looooooot of noise...

Make a point by hanging a desk fan over the balcony so it blows back at them. From time to time leave freshly crushed garlic on the grille of the fan so it blows that over them as they smoke...

Just turn up the music real loud and add some bass (only do this between 8:00-12.00 and 14:00-20:00 on weekdays). If they complain, cut a deal.

peter

Take up playing the Trumpet? Or if you already play trumpet, take up Clarinet? Set up a drum set and practice that?

I was going to say that

Or have something very stinky on your balcony to deter them from wanting to use it.

Or buy a 'einfamilie haus' that will keep the neigbours at a safe distance, smoking or not.

edit: Like the ideas for making noise, stick a system out on the baclony directed towards them. tell them music is good for the baby

I don't know what the answer to this is. I am a smoker and I smoke on our balcony so our daughter doesn't have to breathe it. I know it cheeses the woman two floors up off but, as we only have one balcony there is no choice. We did have a deal that I wouldn't smoke between 6.30 and 7am, but she started getting a bit arsey with me so all deals are off.

I am sure that you are entitled to ask for a reduction in rent due to nuisance caused. However it doesnt stop the smell. A nice alternative is to buy humidifiers for your apartments and there are special oils that you can put in them... really nice I know you can buy them in the UK inexpensive however I am not sure about switzerland?

I know Candles help in burning the cigarette smell away, though your flat may look like a temple by the time that is effective. I also do not like smoke and even find it annoying when walking to the tram in the morning when someone who walks in front of me pollutes the air.

You could try the fan think mentioned below, or install a very sensitive smoke detector on your balcony that starts chanting loudly "Emphesema is my friend..." anytime it goes off. You could also train a Parrot to do the same....

Are there any regulations on using BBQs/grills on your balcony, i.e. they are usually not allowed because the smoke (if using coals) would disturb your upstairs neighbours? If so, surely the same should apply to smoking on balconies?

I sympathise with you because that would annoy me endlessly.

Do you have any window not facing the balcony? if so leave that window open and place an exhaust fan towards the balcony . it may not be that effective but at least you'll get some fresh air in the mix.

Thanks guys! I had a very good laugh...

It really annoyed me, I didn't sleep last night, I was thinking of a way I can make them suffering... ( It keep me sane to think about those things before someone wants to groan at me)

Of course I can't do most of the stuff, It's just for the pleasure to ventilate ( ha ha) the situation...

I was thinking of the BBQ, but it will be annoying to the upstairs couple and they are very sweet...

I was thinking to drop some olive oil on their balcony... Or, I like that one, everytime they go out to smoke, I should go out too, hang on the balcony and spray some potpourri bathroom spray at them....

I really do love that one.... Ptchhhhhhhhhh! Hi Neighbours!!!! Ptchhhhhhhh!

Zug bound: To be smoker doesn't have to match with pain in the arse.... So why they are like that, if we are very nice to them and be very polite... I did smoke before, and I was always aware of other people around me... I knew it was bad for me, I didn't want to be bad for others!!! And never I did smoke in presence of kids and pregnant woman!

Now re-read my post and tell me, as a smoker opinion ( I mean YOU, so you can help me instead), why you (as them) should be nasty with a couple who comes to you (again as them) with open mind and volonty to find a solution good for everybody?