View Full Version : Help from the Brain Trust of PS.com please
I live in a non-smoking building, about 2 years ago they decided no more smoking after one of the tenants fell asleep with a lit cig...created a lot of damage but luckily no one was hurt.
There is a formal addendum to the lease specifically stating NO smoking inside of the apartments, however tenants are free to smoke outside of their doors.
So, lately 1 of 2 tenants in my building has been smoking in their bathroom because I can smell it in mine. The way the building is built toward the front of the apartment there is a block of storage closets, at the back (where the bathroom/bedrooms are) it's all open from 1st to 2nd floor in between apartments (Yeah I can hear the guy next door so I know it's wide open) housing the pipes etc. I know it's not the guy next door smoking, it's coming up from the 1st floor from one of two apartments.
I hate to be a Nazi anti-smoker, but I quit almost 3 years ago and absolutely cannot stand the smell of it. I have complained EVERY time I've smelled it, and they sent out a letter to the "possible offending tenants" reminding everyone that there is NO smoking per the lease, and I received a copy.
I didn't smell smoke for 5 days. Yesterday morning at 5am there it is. Soooo I call again. The guy calls me today and is all sorry but basically states unless they catch the person they can't do anything, they don't know which tenant it is etc. Ok, I can understand that, but that is an excuse and not an action to resolve the problem.
I pay my rent (on time thankyouverymuch) and I do NOT want to smell smoke in my apartment.
How can I "help" them see the light and figure out how to get one of these jerks that is smoking to stop? One time I called it was 6:45pm and suggested they go knock on the doors of the offending parties...didn't happen. Lazy bastard, who lives in the same building, said oh we'll send a letter out. To me, as a renter you only have so many rights and had he gone to check it out that would have been a "caught them in the act" reason to evict or otherwise penalize.
Oh yeah and they offered to move me to another apartment, not an option. I'm not inconveniencing myself because they cannot enforce the terms of the lease.
My lease is up in June, I'm really hoping to move but it may not be possible until 2012.
Ideas/suggestions?
Just kick in one of their Doors, shoot him in the Face.......The others will get the message.
Perfect, your work here is done. :D
Ambush Master
11-11-2010, 18:50
Had a similar problem in an apartment in Dallas.
One question, what are your floors made of?? Is it poured concrete or wood construction??
If it's wood, go downstairs, or better yet get their phone# and tell them that you are going to start cleaning your "Shotgun" and the last time you did, it went off and blew a hell'uva hole in the floor!!! Also, say that every time you smell smoke, you're going to clean it again because the smell of Hoppe's Solvent is all that will get rid of the smell!!:D:munchin
Later
Martin
Who's bathroom light was on?
Good question, I could check it out at night but I usually smell it early morning, yesterday at 05:00...I'm not decent that time of day. :p
Had a similar problem in an apartment in Dallas.
One question, what are your floors made of?? Is it poured concrete or wood construction??
If it's wood, go downstairs, or better yet get their phone# and tell them that you are going to start cleaning your "Shotgun" and the last time you did, it went off and blew a hell'uva hole in the floor!!! Also, say that every time you smell smoke, you're going to clean it again because the smell of Hoppe's Solvent is all that will get rid of the smell!!:D:munchin
Later
Martin
Nice! I have wood floors. Where's my cleaning gear...
Ambush Master
11-11-2010, 19:01
One more question, can you have a Shotgun without it being Registered?? If not, be sure you DON"T have one, or any other firearm around if the Law get's called!!
If we talk you into killing him. This will be the most famous thread in Internet History
Good question, I could check it out at night but I usually smell it early morning, yesterday at 05:00...I'm not decent that time of day. :p
Oh, for goodness sakes it's dark out at five AM. Just slip on the scuffs pull on a jacket and step outside.
As with all planned activities check it out before dark, choose your route, look for obsticles, find the spot that gives you the best view and walk it a couple of times.
I'm willing to bet the window is cracked open. The warm building air moves up as the cool night air slips in the window.
The Reaper
11-11-2010, 21:00
You could crack open a propane cannister near the source of the smoking problem. :D
You know they like to smoke early in the morning, and probably after meals. Could you surveil the apartments from outside and see whose light is on when you smell smoke?
TR
Get a smoke alarm that has a sensitivity adjustment knob. Place it out there using double stick mounting tape near the window and watch them freak out.......
mojaveman
11-11-2010, 21:21
Next time it happens call the fu*&ing fire department and tell them you smell smoke. That will start getting someone's attention. :p:D
Masochist
11-11-2010, 21:59
I had almost the exact same problem a few years back. Adjacent apartments in my building shared ventilation systems, so it was easy to pinpoint who the offender was. After complaining to management a few times, the problem took care of itself. Turns out the guy was dealing drugs out of his place. Two guys busted in one night to rob him, beat him with a golf club (after the tenant beat them with a bar stool) and all three went to the hospital/prison.
Hope your situation rectifies itself as well. :D If it doesn't, I have an old set of clubs I'm not using, in case you're looking to "practice your swing."
Most apartment doors oipen to the inside. Lean an almost full trashcan full of water against the door. Walk away. A couple of incidents coincident with his smoking and he'll get "the hint".
Apartment complexes usually have contracted maintenance who do periodic inspections of the facilities for general maintenance, health, and safety reasons.
A non-smoking maintenance tech should be able to go through the apartments on an announced routine check of their general condition - with a 'head's up' regarding a need to keep an eye out for evidence of anyone in non-compliance with the no smoking clause - and if evidence of recent smoke/smoking is found during the inspection, report it to the management for necessary action.
Richard's $.02
The Reaper
11-12-2010, 12:10
You don't happen to have access to a Claymore mine and a smoke detector, do you?:D
Positive overpressure is a thought as well.
TR
Red Flag 1
11-12-2010, 13:43
If the apartments are rental units, the owners will protect their bottom line by keeping all units occupied for as long as possible. They'll throw letters at the problem to make it look good, and the problem will ebb and flow unabatted. I understand the sensitivity to cigarette smoke odor, I can smell it in city traffic if the person in the car ahead of me lights one up.
A thought I had was to put a small fan inside the bathroom vent duct blowing into the duct, and let it just run. This can push the odor from away from you and towards others that share the duct; good white noise generator as well. Then just think of other aromas you could share with other apartment dwellers/duct sharers:cool:.
After that, Claymore smoke detector works for me.
RF 1
You don't happen to have access to a Claymore mine and a smoke detector, do you?:D
TR
Do you need diagrams for the setup?:D
Gypsy,
I feel for you...as a smoker, no less!!! Seriously, I had a roomate last year who just did not understand that we were not allowed to smoke in the apt.
She just did not give a rats ass that the smoke from her bedroom, came in to mine as well, and I finally had to bust her for it by calling the proper channels while it was taking place. :eek:
It is unfair to break "the rules," IMHO. Hope it all works out well for you!:)
Holly
You don't happen to have access to a Claymore mine and a smoke detector, do you?:D
Positive overpressure is a thought as well.
TR
I probably can get one. :cool:
Do you need diagrams for the setup?:D
Yes please.
The response have all been great, thanks much. :D All of the units are rentals, it's a large building with 32 apartments.... It's an old building, so my "vent" is the bathroom window, when it's not cold I don't smell the smoke as strongly. Doesn't negate the fact the person is breaking the lease.
I agree that any non-smoker can enter an apartment and tell if the renter is smoking inside. They just did an inspection for a leak (which I think is a coverup to enter the apartments...hopefully figured it out.)
Fact of the matter is while I detest the smell of it, I'm more afraid the jackass who's smoking will fall asleep and start a fire. Happened two years ago at the opposite end of my building.
So...I decided to write a letter and set the tone.
Next time I smell it, I do intend to recon. It's just down the stairs and around the corner of the building...the lights from the apt building next door make the area lit up like a landing zone so it's not an issue.
November 12, 2010
To the Management at xxx Apartments:
Thank you for your call of November 11 to discuss the problem with tenant(s) breaking the lease agreement and smoking inside the apartment(s). While I can understand that unless caught in the act it is challenging at best to address the subject with the particular tenant(s) in question, I do feel something more needs to be done. I have a heart condition, and I do not appreciate being forced to inhale second hand smoke fumes when I enter my bathroom because tenant(s) has/have decided it is okay to smoke within the confines of the apartment(s).
I think we can agree the offenders are narrowed down to tenants in apartments 1, 2 and 10. I say this because the smell of smoke is VERY strong in my bathroom, to the point I can sometimes smell it in my kitchen. I have seen the tenants of apartments 1 and 2 outside smoking many times, however I have never seen the tenant in apartment 10 so I cannot state he/she smokes.
In order to keep record of these illegal violations of the lease agreement at xxx Apartments, I intend to report every instance of the smell of smoke in my apartment and will follow up weekly with a formal letter documenting these offenses and my calls reporting such offenses.
11/3/2010 at 6:43 PM I call xxx on his cell to report the smell of smoke in my apartment, and actually requested for him to knock on doors as this would prove without a doubt who was smoking since the smell of smoke lingers in the air. He stated a letter would be sent instead. Unfortunate as that was one time the tenant(s) could have been caught “red handed” breaking their lease. (to the reader, xxx lives 6 doors down and is the onsite manager)
11/5/2010 3:29 PM the “office of the building” calls (no name was left). A message was left on my voice mail to state a letter has gone out to tenants suspected of smoking and a copy will be provided to me.
11/10/2010 5:00 PM I report that I again smelled smoke in my apartment at 5:00 AM this day.
11/11/2010 9:20 AM the “office of the building” calls to apologize and state unless “there are 2 eye witnesses” to confirm a tenant is smoking there is nothing that can be done, as you are unsure as to who the offending tenant(s) is/are. Understandable, but that is not the solution I am looking for considering the fact that the offending tenant(s) is/are breaking the lease. The offer to move my belongings into another apartment is rejected by myself as it will only inconvenience ME and is not a guarantee that yet another tenant won’t be smoking. Frankly, when I walk past apartment 15 if the window is open you can smell smoke fumes very strongly.
November 11 9:30 PM I call to report I again smelled smoke at 7:30 PM and 9:30 PM on this evening.
Again, while challenging at best to figure out who is breaking their lease and smoking inside of their apartment, my thought on the matter is that since we put a man on the moon we can pretty much do anything. I will appreciate and invite further communication to solve this continuing and most irritating problem which will continue to affect my health and is therefore unacceptable especially considering it is in legal violation of the leasing agreement put forth by xxx Apartments.
Thank you for your attention to this matter,
Get a smoke alarm that has a sensitivity adjustment knob. Place it out there using double stick mounting tape near the window and watch them freak out.......
I knew I liked you. :D
Next time it happens call the fu*&ing fire department and tell them you smell smoke. That will start getting someone's attention. :p:D
Oh hell yes. I hate to waste the fire department's resources, but if this isn't resolved soon...
Originally Posted by mojaveman
Next time it happens call the fu*&ing fire department and tell them you smell smoke. That will start getting someone's attention.
No, please don't wast their time.
mojaveman
11-13-2010, 18:38
No, please don't wast their time.
I forgot the pink font for sarcasm.
I personally didn't think you were offering a serious solution. ;)