HELP! Any Advice Would be Greatly Appreciated!!!!!!!!!!

[DisneyLuver2013]

Hi,
I just wanted to get some advice on what to do about a situation right now. We live in an apartment complex and have lived there for quite some time. We have never had problems with any of our neighbors before (there have many, moving in and out, in and out). About a year ago, we had a family move into an apartment below us. They are constant chain smokers, and will go out on their patio (right below our balcony) and smoke every 15 minutes. My son has severe asthma as a disability and can't be around any cigarette smoke. They know that we don't like the smoke, but they continually do it anyway. Just recently, they called police on us because apparently we were "stomping too hard" in the middle of the afternoon and we were knocking stuff off of their walls and waking them up in the middle of the night. We don't stay up that late. They also told the cop that they have came up numerous times to tell us to keep it down, but they never have.... Turns out, they have reported us to the office numerous times because of our "loud walking". I seriously don't know what to do. What do you guys think of this situation? My son does have severe asthma, so is there any rights that we have? Any advice as to what to do would be great!

 

[Gracie09]

Unless they are violating apartment complex rules or local law by smoking you really have no rights in this situation. You can try the more flies with honey approach and bring some baked goods over and explain the situation calmly and try and start over. They may not totally stop but might cut back.

 

[SueM in MN]

Since this is not Disney related, I am moving it to the general disABILITIES Board.

I agree with the other poster. Unless there are laws or apartment rules about smoking on the balcony, you probably can do very little. At this point, it sounds like it ill continue to be tit for tat - you report or complain about them, they will report you.

Are there other things you can do - like would a Hepa filter help? Could you move one where else in the same complex (no guarantee that some other heavy smoker might not move in). Is there nythíng lose the office could help you with?

 

[bidnow5]

I've had asthma for 30 years and had problems with others smoking not much you can do I never open windows and I have a cloth mask I keep with me for when I am bothered by smoke outside

 

[DisneyLuver2013]

We've never complained about them, because there is a certain expectation of those things with living next to others in apartments. But, what do you think we should do about them calling the cops on us at 3 p.m. in the afternoon for walking too loud / complaining to the land lord?

 

[irishsharon]

do they work night shift? I personally hate conflict so I'm so sorry you have to deal with this.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

We've never complained about them, because there is a certain expectation of those things with living next to others in apartments. But, what do you think we should do about them calling the cops on us at 3 p.m. in the afternoon for walking too loud / complaining to the land lord?

The thing is, they're going to be miserable, no matter what. They've decided that. You're just the unknown people who live above them.

If they cops stop by again, I'd invite the cops in for coffee and say something like "I guess they've never lived on the bottom floor of an apartment before, poor dears and are too scared to talk to us. Some people do like to make themselves unhappy, don't they? I'm so sorry they bothered you again. Not sure what I can do about the fact that they live on the first floor of an apartment. I'm sure we'll see you again, because, hey, we're the poor sh'moes who have to live above them!"

 

[funkychunkymonkey]

The thing is, they're going to be miserable, no matter what. They've decided that. You're just the unknown people who live above them.

If they cops stop by again, I'd invite the cops in for coffee and say something like "I guess they've never lived on the bottom floor of an apartment before, poor dears and are too scared to talk to us. Some people do like to make themselves unhappy, don't they? I'm so sorry they bothered you again. Not sure what I can do about the fact that they live on the first floor of an apartment. I'm sure we'll see you again, because, hey, we're the poor sh'moes who have to live above them!"

just hada pop in and say I love that idea!!

 

[Schmeck]

In our neighborhood, we've been instructed to never confront a neighbor over a disagreement or other possibly confrontational issue. Perhaps that's why they have never come up and knocked on the door to ask you to quiet down.

Can you put some fans on your balcony that direct the air back down to them?

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

I would talk to the landlord.