Incessant smoke from next door

Could you complain its devaluing your property and the house isnt inline with the design of the street (forgot the correct terms) and dont all house have to be kept to a minimum standard to meet the disign and look of houses in the street as per there planning approval or something like that.

If you have pest control issue due to onother house does the council need to step in?
Like termites, **** roaches, rats, feral animals?

 

Clearly the OP has tried to get the house declared unsound and failed.

The second point (neighbourhood character) only applies when seeking a permit to build or renovate a house.

 

I too was going to suggest buying the property now before Brisbane booms.

 

No, I'm concerned that there could be bodies buried under the mess. Perhaps a few vagrants who looked at the place and went "you beauty!", only to get whacked over the head as they entered through the side window..

I therefore suspect the incessant smoke is to cover "other odours".

 

Agree, it depends if he was on his own or the neighbours land when the photos were taken. Australia has weak privacy laws around photography but pretty sure it is illegal to take pictures or film without permission when on private property. Though probably wouldn't apply unless he was caught in the act and continued when asked not to. Drones and ease of publication on the internet are likely to cause tightening up of the law around this.

Sorry @Whitecat but IMO it is an invasion of privacy, it shows that man's personal space. I certainly wouldn't like someone photographing the inside of my home without my knowledge, especially if it was that messy Another issue is that the man is elderly, vulnerable and it has been publicised that his home is not secure. I know you haven't advertised an address but that doesn't necessarily guarantee anonymity.

JASA

 

" derelict sydney cottage sells for 2.1mill , 200k over reserve to builder who plans to renovate"

 

The inside is shocking

 

Bcc. Council give him a social worker Clean out his junk from time to time and that's it. It's the bane of the street.

 

All photos are from outside

 

He wants to die there he's made it clear He doesn't want to sell to anyone

 

You would think so wouldn't you but this place has been this way for 20 years. I cannot understand why they are so useless on the issue but maybe their hands are tied?

 

@JASA here's another one just for you. Taken from outside. The bathroom is external

 

Looks like my current reno project. Mine has a tree growing out of the loo .

 

I've tried everything I possibly can to get him to have some empathy for my situation. First of all he didn't believe me that smoke from a cigarette could travel to the house next door but I think I finally convinced him that that can happen but now his position is that it's an act of God - not his responsibility. he also thinks that traffic pollution is causing me the problem even though there is basically no cars going down our narrow Street. He just absolutely refuses to accept that this is a problem and cannot understand other people's points of view it's pointless trying to negotiate with him because he just does not want to change any behaviour. Wouldnt a reasonable person agree to shut the front door at night to assist the situation? He says that he won't shut the front door because he hasn't shut it for 30 Years and it is his right to "have fresh air"- he actually said that. So you can see I am not dealing with somebody who is particularily sound of mind although the hospital seems to find that the case. This is a situation where I have been polite and friendly right from the start but he won't change.

 

Actually, choosing to have a door or window open if you want one open is perfectly reasonable.

Perhaps you could just keep your windows and doors closed?

 

I do but it's very restrictive to have to do that. You might imagine that experience. I would like to use my courtyard also. I also have the problem that I cannot find out how the smoke is entering even with the doors and windows shut. I have an old but renovated house.
I think it would be reasonable for him to shut his front door in the evenings and not smoke on his balcony during the evenings. During the day I'm not here Its about considering impact on others.

 

I suggest using the ‘incense test’ to determine the air gaps where the smoke is coming in:

1. Close all your doors and windows exactly as you usually do when trying to keep the smoke out of your house.

3. Then, hold a smoking incense stick in a range of locations near the windows, electrical outlets, doors etc.

4. If air is coming through from outside, the incense smoke will be visibly affected by the draft and you will know that you need to seal that area with foam tape, a draft excluder etc.

You could also get a professional in to do a ‘blower’ test.

 

Guessing he's not going to change his ways but can he vape?

How old is he? By the sounds of things he may not be much of an issue in the near future....

 

FYI, you can skip the step of throwing tomatoes at him... doesn’t work apparently:

Court backs Raffles hotel in beer garden bust-up with neighbour over noise | The West Australian