Shop workers below my flat are smoking & setting off smoke alarms & making life hell

[jocular]

So, I have lived in my current property for nearly a year.

Everything has been okay after a bit of a rough start. But this past week; the shop below me has someone new working there and they have taken up smoking indoors in the backroom.
The room they are smoking in is directly below where my boiler room is and it is setting off my smoke alarm that is just outside of the boiler room. Every hour from 7am to 10pm I am having to get up and reset it and waft towels infront of it to get it to stop. I am working from home, the alarm is also driving my neighbour nextdoor insane and they are hammering on my walls and have been playing music everynight as "revenge" I guess, they were quiet untill all of this started.

I went down and spoke to the shop about it yesterday they apologised and said they would stop, but this morning at 7am I was once again woken by my smoke alarm they are still doing it and just spraying perfume or airfreshener after doing it, it still stinks, my food in my cupboards that is on a joining wall also stinks. It is making me sick.

I am an ex smoker myself haven't smoked for nearly 2 years though, I am not a prude but I have my limits. The smell is sticking to everything and I can't get rid of it!! I could take the batteries out of the smoke alarm but why should I put myself at risk because they can't be arsed to go outside!!!!!

I have spent all day today stuffing every gap I can find with plastic bags and cardboard in vain. I can smell it still. When I was down on the floor filling the holes the floor smelt like an ashtray.

I also had an electrcian that my landlord sent around 3 days ago, he asked if I smoke in he flat so I guess he could smell it too.

So not only does it make me sick, I am worried that I will be blamed for the smoke smell and lose my deposit or worse and be eveicted I don't know what to do!

Please can someone tell me what I can do to stop this?

[pebblepebble]

Smoking at work in enclosed places was banned years ago. You could ask them nicely again and say if it doesn't stop this time you will report them to HSE. And put a note into your neighbours telling them why and what you are doing about it.

[jocular]

Smoking at work in enclosed places was banned years ago. You could ask them nicely again and say if it doesn't stop this time you will report them to HSE. And put a note into your neighbours telling them why and what you are doing about it.

You're a genius! I never even thought about that it is a work place! I will go down there soon.

[Neelix]

I’m very surprised that cigarette smoke is setting off a smoke alarm ......


and please do not remove the batteries from the alarm

[jocular]

I’m very surprised that cigarette smoke is setting off a smoke alarm ......


and please do not remove the batteries from the alarm

It definitely is. The alarm coincides with the stench and when the shop is closed it doesn't go off so I am 100% sure it is that. If I go in the boiler room it is like someone has stood in that room and lit a cigarette and the smell the drifts around the flat. There's a huge hole in the floor behind the washing machine where all of the plumbing comes in/goes out. There was also some subsidence caused by a major leak before I moved in on that side of the house so the floor is uneven too. Apparently it was deemed safe but I wouldn't stand on it for too long I used to have dreams about the washing machine falling through the floor, I guess that would stop them smoking alright.

[nukecad]

I'm an ex-smoker and I have never known cigarette smoke to set off a fire alarm.

However we have to acknowledge that some modern alarms are much more sensitive than they used to be.
That's because they don't have to cope with cigarette smoke as much and so can be set to react to lower levels of smoke to give a quicker warning.
https://www.kauffmanco.net/blog/will...ger-fire-alarm

You can even buy detectors that are designed to specifically monitor for illicit smoking.
https://www.discountfiresupplies.co....ctor-and-Alarm

[Neelix]

I think the smoke alarm needs to be checked to see if it should be replaced. If it doesn’t have a replace by date on it, it needs replacing. They last about 10 years

[jocular]

I think the smoke alarm needs to be checked to see if it should be replaced. If it doesn’t have a replace by date on it, it needs replacing. They last about 10 years

It was newly installed when I moved in so it is a year old in feb. I will ask the landlord to send someone to come and check it just to make sure but I don't think this is the issue, I also replaced the battery yesterday after posting here just to make sure.

[jocular]

I also went down again to the shop, after pepples suggestion. They again apologised I told them I could be evicted if the landlord thinks it is me and also reminded them that it is illegal to smoke in a work place anyway. The alarm hasn't gone off today, yet. The smell of smoke isn't choking like it has been but I am still catching wifts of smoke. I don't know if I am imagining it at this point. I have doused everything in vinegar this morning after googling how to get rid of it.
I am trying to figure out a way to raise this issue to my landlord, I don't want him to think it is me and I definitely don't want to lose my house, I also know how difficult/impossible it is to get rid of the smell. When I quit I ended up having to trow away alot of clothes because the smell really does get into everything

[Hudson01]

It sounds like a nightmare, i have never smoked and would be really unhappy if my home smelt of fags ........ just as an aside, if the fag smoke gets in that easy i do not hold out much for your survival rate if there were a fire down there....... although you do appear to have a very good smoke detector

[Self sufficient]

Smoking alone isn't necessarily the reason of smoke alarm to set off especially the latest expensive one which most often are installed in offices/newly built buildings. There are number of propellants that can trigger the alarm such as dust, wind, burning kettle or hot water bucket or even large congregation of none-smokers.

[I Like Letting]

Why not discuss the problem with the landlord? It's ultimately their responsibility if there are holes in the floor and your health is at risk They can talk to the shop owner and would not want to risk losing a good tenant.

[Hudson01]

Why not discuss the problem with the landlord? It's ultimately their responsibility if there are holes in the floor and your health is at risk They can talk to the shop owner and would not want to risk losing a good tenant.

Agree, joking aside, you are effectively passive smoking in your own home, which is not acceptable at any time of the day/night. If it continued i would be looking for somewhere else to live, then the LL has lost a good tenant and is taking a risk with someone else.

[MdeB]

It sounds to me that the fire-proofing between the shop and the flat does not meet legal requirements (if cigarette smoke can get in so easily, then so could smoke and flames from a fire in the shop below).

[Hudson01]

I was thinking the same as above....... not keen on fags myself but the fire side is more of a concern.