thanks girls.
sorry for the following long post
heres the letter I have drafted for our Council regarding downstairs. What do you think?
Dear ??,
This is in further regard to number 21 Balgownie Way. The smell from their property is getting worse. I don’t know if this is just a coincidence but since the council appointed a contractor to do the cavity wall insulation we now get odours from downstairs coming up through our kitchen units and through the skirting and flooring, this has been going on for sometime now and we have just put up with it.
I have recently found out my fiancée is pregnant and I will no longer put up with this. I want my partner and child to be healthy and not to be inhaling tobacco and cannabis odours. Although smoke is not present the fact we can smell the tobacco and cannabis in our own home suggests we are still inhaling these unhealthy life threatening particles into our lungs and I for obvious reasons do not want this.
Its more evident in our lounge where we spend most of our time and its not at all pleasant. The majority of the time we can smell cigarette smoke in our kitchen units and lounge and then most evenings the pungent smell of cannabis so we constantly have a plug in air freshener on 24/7 which is also not that good for you either but it masks the smell from downstairs.
Due to our front door not being 100% airtight if they open their front door the smell goes into the communal hallway and straight into our hallway inside our flat. Most times we cannot open our windows for fresh air as if their windows are open it pollutes our flat even more.
Surely as the council is their landlord as such it would be with in there best interest to deal with drug users/dealers in their property especially in this case they have a young child living with them. The police have be made aware of the on goings with number 21 for a while now but as we all know police have better things to deal with than anti social neighbours. Maybe the council and police need to combine notes here??
As for our flat I have now sealed the insides of our kitchen units to get them as air tight as possible as its not pleasant getting a plate out the cupboard and being met with the odour of cannabis. As for our lounge that we have not long decorated and the only option I can see there is to lift the carpet and underlay and put a thin layer of wooden panelling and seal any cracks between joints and relay the carpet. Something I cannot afford or have the time to do between working offshore and preparing for the arrival of our first born.
Its so stressful and horrible, we don’t want to be in our own home any more and are stuck as there is no way we can afford to move financially and deal with stress’s involved in moving just now. We will now lose money when selling our property due to these council tenants causing our life hell and will have to declare this to the next owners. Who would want to voluntarily put up with what we have to? Meaning we will most definitely find it difficult or even impossible to sell.
Due to the constant smell and state their flat is in, wallpaper hanging off, ripped etc , from what I have seen through there occasional open front door surely there must be multiple breaches in their tenancy agreement. The main breach being disturbing other neighbours whether with loud music, Vandalizing communal door and illegal drug use and in the presence of a minor.
I know what they do in their flat is their business but when it effects others around them then this is not on. It’s no different to having a dispute regarding loud music. It originates from their flat and affects others. Other than drugs and music being completely different it’s the same principle and is intruding into other peoples lives.
I would like you also to clear a matter up for me regarding smoking in communal hallways. I have had multiple answers and I know different councils interpret laws different or sometimes just to suit them. I speak to people online from all over the country regarding councils and anti social neighbours and amongst us have conflicting reports with how councils interpret laws and go about it.
So is it legal or illegal? Its an enclosed space where members of the public go as well as workers, postmen, delivery drivers etc These workers could refuse to deliver as they should not have to be submitted to this health hazard whilst doing there job.
??, I would appreciate your help so much. We are coming the end of our tethers and are so stressed in our own home, and with my fiancées pregnancy this is stress we don’t need. More so for Laura and the baby.
I have been offshore for the last few weeks so can’t comment regarding the communal door if it is still being abused but up until the day I was going offshore the cannabis smell was still present as normal.
If this is something that has to be taken to our local councillor I have no problems with this.
Thanks for your time and I hope you can help.
Regards
Kev
And the following to our upstairs neighbour. what do you think?
Dear Occupants,
Ever since you have moved into this property most days and nights we have had to put up with constant slamming of your front and internal doors, very loud banging/foots steps in general.
Then other times running up your hallway late at night, screaming on occasions in the early hours and loud talking in the communal hall late at night when other residents are trying to sleep. We have been woken up on numerous occasions due to the bangs produced by yourselves as well as the loud voices during the night passing our door.
We can no longer enjoy time in our own home as this is putting us on edge as well as scaring our pets due to this frequent banging. We have spoken to you, and as you are aware the letting agency have contacted you and if anything the noise is getting worse and more frequent.
In the same way if I was disturbing yourselves I would like to be notified as I would do my up most to reduce any disruptions caused to you as this is the respectful thing to do.
I understand you have the right to go about your day to day business but in an environment where there are multiple residents residing we all need to be that extra bit more considerate by trying to reduce noise etc. for others.
For the 2 years prior to your arrival a group of guys resided in your flat and we never heard any noise from them. I am a big guy and I am able to walk light footed as not to disturb our downstairs neighbours, it doesn’t cost me anything or put me out my way in the slightest to be just that bit considerate towards other residents.
The main reason you are receiving this letter now is because I have just found out my fiancée is pregnant and she needs as much rest and as little stress for her and our baby. We have enough problems in our life at the moment that it would be nice to be able to have a relaxing time in our own home without constant disruptions.
I am sorry if we have upset you in anyway and please feel free to reply or knock on our door to discuss, we wont bite, all I am asking is if you could please make that bit of an effort to reduce noise. Close doors using handles instead of leaving them to slam and just overall less banging in general would be very much appreciated. I don’t want to have any bad feelings due to us living in such close vicinity of each other.
Sorry for the lengthy letter.
Kev
and you dont want to be stressing about your fiancee when you are working away. have the council witnessed the smell? might be worth trying to get them out when smell is strongest. but not sure how easy this is if they anything like my council they are rubbish
