I moved into an apartment complex, and absolutely LOVE my large, vintage apartment.... with the exception of one thing. The older woman who lives below me who is never seen without a cigarette and doesn't leave her home (except... I would suppose... to get cigarettes and necessities). The apartments do allow smoking on the property. I've lived there for several months now, and the smoke seems to be seeping into my apartment. If I don't have my air purifier on high during the day and my windows open at least a little bit, the smoke smell is overwhelming when I come home from work. I'm not a smoker and don't know what to do as this apartment is perfect for my daughter and me and the school she goes to is amazing. I just moved in, and really do not want to move my daughter again (she does great with change, but enough is enough!). What can I do to keep my apartment a healthy living environment for my daughter and I? Has anyone dealt with a situation like this where they moved into a great place only to have it ruined by a neighbors smoking habits?
Thanks everyone! What great suggestions! I will talk to my manager soon and give her your suggestions, so we can live in a smoke-free environment. I really appreciate your help!
You said they allow smoking on the property but do they actually allow smoking in the apartments? If not, talk to the landlord/property manager. If they do allow it, talk to them anyway and ask if they would separate the ventilation systems.
I'm an apartment manager and have had to face this before. Right now in my county there are no rules about smoking in your home, you cant smoke outside except for in a designated area. I had a tenant try to fight this very hard and even went to court and she still lost..... SO, I can only suggest that you talk to your manager and get the special insulation that goes into all of the switch plates and plug sockets. Ask your Manager if there are any other "shared" vents in the home that smoke is seeping through. Also ask the management to insulate her switch plates and plug sockets too.
As far as it seeping through walls and floor that is pretty much been proven to be so slight that it would not be noticeable. If your neighbor has her windows open at the same time you do some of the smoke could be travelling up to your windows maybe... but rest assured in the cold weather the smoke wont get that far soon. If your neighbor is keeping everything shut tight it is most likely coming throught the plates and they are a very easy fix and you can probably do it yourself. Just ask at the hardware store and they will let you know what they have and maybe even tell you a few more things you can do.
Have you talked to the neighbor lady? The smoking neighbor that we had that was affecting the non smoker also put an air filter in his apartment as well. There was no smoke after that and both tenants are happy.
A friend of mine had the same problem. Do the switch plates and plug sockets like Grandma T suggested. Also check where your plumbing goes into the wall (under the sinks in bathroom and kitchen) Once my friend sealed off the area around the pipes in her bathroom, the smoke smell stopped coming in.
Good luck!
I think Grandma T and the other suggestion about insulating the pipe work under the kitchen and bathroom sinks will solve your problem.... I've done that before myself.
If you are actually seeing streams of "smoke" in the room in the sunlight then you know there is a greater problem.
Also, if a smoker lived in your unit before you did, even if it's been freshly painted and carpeted you can still "smell" the cigarette smell that has attached to the cabinets. Do a good scowering of all woodwork in your home and that might help too. You can open one of your windows and put a small fan facing "out" and it removes remnant smoke as well... I do that when my smoke alarm goes off when I'm burning dinner ;)
Hi Mama,
I know exactly what you're talking about! I lived in a great place, execpt for the smokers downstairs years ago. I gontacted the apartment managers, and they blocked my bathroom vents and it helped.
If your property doesn't allow smoking on site, it's perfectly okay for you to complain.
Good Luck
R. Magby
Looks like you'll have to use the air purifier on high and the windows open at least a little bit......
I had this same problem in my current apartment. We have had quite a few different smoking neighbors (we have lived her for about 4 years) that have come and gone, but I talked to my management when smoke first started coming in my unit and they were awesome about it. The maintanence team re-applied the sealants around all my pipes and it worked wonders! Now the only time I have an issue with it is if my windows are open and my downstairs neighbor is smoking on their balcony. But that is part of community living.
If smoke is entering your unit with the windows and doors closed, something is wrong with the seals/insulation or another aspect of the home and it is the complex's resonsibility to fix it.
Good Luck!!
No real advice, just that I have been there. My last rental the neighbors that shared my wall smoked outside all the time and the wind blew just so and it would get into my place (no AC up here in alaska so you open your windows). I tried asking them to pick the front or back but they got snotty with me, I tried talking to the rental company and they just said no smoking inside, outside they cant do anything about it.
Now Im in a different rental, diff company and the neighborhood is packed together tightly, someoen smokes and it gets in my "area" which means Im getting second hand smoke. Even had people show up at my door with them LIT.
Hope things get better for you!! The smell is definatly over powering!
have you tried talking to management? is the smoke coming into your apartment from inside her apartment? or is she smoking outside and the smoke is coming in? if she smokes outside..maybe the manager can ask her to smoke somewhere else on the property..or maybe they can transfer one of yall to a different apartment in the complex?
We are surrounded by the smell of "funny" cigarettes. Pot, in other words. There's nothing to be done about it if people have a prescription to smoke it. My neighbors are really nice and I don't mind too much except I was really worried because we drug test at work. I'm not in close enough proximity to have to worry, but it kind of shocked me at first. I just close the windows when I start smelling it.
I think Grandma T had some really great advice.
I hope you can get it worked out so everyone can be happy.
Best wishes!
Why don't you give a written complaint to your apartment manager. They can ask the woman to smoke off the property. If it is in your lease that you signed that their is no smoking on the property, then she can get a lease violation from the manager.
I am an apartment manager in CA and here we do not put up with smoke if it is bothering other tenants. Our tenants are welcome to smoke in the parking lot, which I don't think is too much to ask.
In SF their is a law about the distance one can smoke from a business, do you have any laws like that there?
You have the right to live a healthy lifestyle without your neighbor's lifestyle getting in the way. Talk to your apartment manager about the issue, invite them in to smell the problem. Explain that it's just not healthy for you. You have just as many rights as the woman who smokes.
If talking to the management doesn't work, call (in Portland and elsewhere) The Fair Housing Council of Oregon 1-800-877-0246
Do as Grandma T suggested also consider purchased another air purifier and leave it on all day..
To me it would be worth it, I abhor smoking even the tiniest whiff.. .
