Intruding Odours from Hairdressers

[monty0703]

I live above a hairdressers and frequently have strong 'chemical odours' coming into the house especially in the kitchen cupboards. Should the hairdresser , by law, prevent this? Are my health and safety rights being violated?

[chef]

Speak to either your landlord or Enviromental Health Officers. Before their visit have you windows closed so the smell is at it's max. Had same prob, when I lived in converted house [a bodge job]. Downstairs kitchen was directly below my bedroom. Whenever they cooked chips [and only chips] bedroom stank like a chippy full of greasy steam. Couldn't work out why, till we discovered there was an extractor vent above the cooker. They only turned it on when they cooked chips and the air was just vented into the ceiling void! [said it was a bodge!]. Might be worth checking if their extractor fans are just under your windows etc?

[KARL]

As chef says, fumes will find their way upward and, if (as in the majority of UK buildings) the floor structure is wooden, then there is plenty of scope through all manner of gaps, even if (but especially if not) your living space is cooler than the ceiling temperature levels below. If on the other hand the floor structure is a solid slab (concrete, say) then fumes will for all intents and purposes be barred from passing straight up from one storey to the next. Note any patterns (weather, doors/windows open or shut, time of day, etc.) when discussing with authorities or others doing a survey. But before anything else, raise the matter (politely) face to face with the hairdresser who, if he/she is any good at all (and deserves to know before the heavies move in), will want to sort the matter out amicably. He/she will have the option of installing a good ventilation system (fumes will not enhance the shop environment either). If the reaction is unhelpful even after following up in writing then take chef's advice and prepare to apply serious pressure (if you choose). Be warned, suing is likely to be very costly and is not at all guranteed to be successful.