Help from the Brain Trust of PS.com please

[Gypsy]

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?

[kgoerz]

Just kick in one of their Doors, shoot him in the Face.......The others will get the message.

[Gypsy]

Perfect, your work here is done.

[Ambush Master]

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!!

Later
Martin

[Pete]

Who's bathroom light was on?

[Gypsy]

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.

[Gypsy]

Originally Posted by Ambush Master

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!!

Later
Martin

Nice! I have wood floors. Where's my cleaning gear...

[Ambush Master]

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!!

[kgoerz]

If we talk you into killing him. This will be the most famous thread in Internet History

[Pete]

Originally Posted by Gypsy

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.

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]

You could crack open a propane cannister near the source of the smoking problem.

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

[SF_BHT]

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]

Next time it happens call the fu*&ing fire department and tell them you smell smoke. That will start getting someone's attention.

[Masochist]

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. If it doesn't, I have an old set of clubs I'm not using, in case you're looking to "practice your swing."

[JimP]

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".