smoke ingress into our flat from flat above

[moggie 939]

We live in a sheltered housing flat and are elderly. Thereis one flat above and it seems that our bathroom fan vent goes up to the roof, but that the flat above's fan vents into the same shaft - hence we are getting tobacco smoke smells in our bathroom when the tenant upstairs smokes in their bathroom.

Is there any redress for this?Can the Housing Trust (ex council)be made to put in separate flues for each flat?

Thanks

Moggie

[Panic Button]

Perhaps the Citizens Advice Bureau could advise.

As the law is spposed to protect us from passive smoking, I would have thought you had a good case.

I sympathise, the smell is disgusting to a non smoker isn't it?

[moggie 939]

Thanks Panic.... They don't want to know at CAB

[KARL]

Regrettably, as vile as I generally find tobacco smoke, I doubt if you can get anyone to apply pressure beyond what you yourself can generate on the housing trust whose property it is. Unfortunately, housing quality in the UK is frequently not good enough to prevent the experience you have had - we live in a Victorian building where there are 60cm (two feet or so) of stone, soil and general rubble making the wall between our bedroom and that of next door. We occasionally smell the neighbour's cigarettes in our bedroom. This problem has thus been going on for at least 130 years - not that that is much consolation to you. There is no legal requirement of anyone to stop it continuing, else more or less all housing stock in the UK (apart from completely detached dwellings) would be due for an appropriate overhaul. I suggest you petition the trust and get statements from all other residents in your complex who have the same complaint. As you describe it, this is a soluble problem: install a fan near the top/terminal of the conduit and run it continuously to ensure no back-flow can occur.

[moggie 939]

Thanks Karl

Will keep e3veryone informed of the outcome

Moggie