Stinkin Neighbours - What would you do?

[tnarg999]

We live on a quiet estate, 20 years old. About 3 houses away there is a run of bungalows that have been around a lot longer, 60's probably. One of them has mountains of rubbish in the garden and in most of the rooms from the number of carrier bags you can see blocking up the windows.
I think these individuals do some sort of house clearance or something..

The problem we have is we live due West of them, in the prevailing wind direction, and these "neighbours" insist on burning up there chimney some really horrid stuff. I can only assume it is broken up wardrobes made of melamine or something because the smell that comes across to the estate is awful. It is so bad you can hardly ever have a window open To make things worse they don't have a chimney pot as the whole place is really run down. You would have thought the chimney fire they had last summer, complete with a big red appliance and ladder would have made them think... but no..

We have spoken to enviro health, but they said their is no law to stop them burning what they like - great. We don't live in a smokeless zone either. The Missus suffers from chemical sensitivity, so you can imagine she isn't pleased.

What would other forum members do?

(p.s the bungalow name is Lanscove....we call it Landfill...)

 

[Bilioustrumpstaine]

I know this sounds really obvious but have you spoken to them about the problem.

I would get your Mrs to go down the GP and play on the smell/fumes making her ill and then get back on to the Council. If they won't do anything then start being a nuisance, ask them to put in writing to you that it is OK to produce "poisonous gas" from their premises, tell them that you think they are disposing of furniture by burning it at home thus avoiding paying for its disposal at the local tip.

The squeaky wheel gets oiled first, so just be a big fat pain in the bum to the council until they do something cos I bet there is some legislation that they are breaking.

 

[jefoss]

ring the local newspaper, they might be interested, then the counclil have to look into it properly

 

[noseall]

...also, look into ways of having the missus desensitized (to chemicals).

it certainly proves useful to hay-fever sufferers.

 

[Alison556]

We have spoken to enviro health, but they said their is no law to stop them burning what they like - great.

That's not much of an answer! There must be some kind of laws regarding what can be burned because some materials give off toxic fumes. I'd go back to Environmental Health and tell them that whatever materials they are burning are making your wife unwell and you would expect them to do something because it surely cannot be acceptable to burn suspect materials in a residential area.

The next step I would take would be to approach my local Councillor/MP and tell them that your wife's health is being affected and the Council appear to be unwilling or unable to do anything to help.

 

[gcol]

Hoy a brick through their window and have done - it's the only language people like this understand.

 

[JohnD]

... it's the only language people like this understand.

in which case you can expect them to reply in their own language

 

[tnarg999]

Thanks all for the advice.

The obvious thing to do is approach them. However, when one of cats went missing a while back I did go around there asking if they'd seen him. Put it this way, if you've seen the film "Wrong Turn" you'll know why I have avoided going to complain about their burning.

I think I'll try again with the council. If that doesn't work we could always move! (once I've re-built the shower room of course....)

Cheers

 

[joe-90]

If you make an official complaint you'll have to declare it when you sell the house - puts a lot of people off buying. Either sort it yourself or move.

 

[Bilioustrumpstaine]

I haven't seen "Wrong Turn" but I get where you are coming from.

Just keep on at the council, be a thorn in their side. If you are a disruption to your councils day they won't like it and will take action to get rid of you (and your complaint)

What do your neighbours think about this bunch of scussers, can you get more people involved in your complaint.

 

[oilman]

You only need one other complainant. When the council have two people complaining, they have the ammunition they need, in that they then have recieved "complaints", not just "a complaint".

 

[megawatt]

Don't make a formal complaint if you are planning on moving any time soon as it must be disclosed to the buyer and will put them off.

MW

 

[tim west]

I think joe already said that a few posts up mega

 

[megawatt]

Just noticed that ... I must make an effort to read Joe's posts