Neighbor problem - need advice

[mild to medium]

Hi guys.

So I moved into this Condo last month, and its a step up for me in living situation. So I've been kind of looking forward to it. I only smoke cigars on the Balcony, and not even a full one a day, or a full sized one at that. Maybe 3 puffs at a time.

The Balcony is a long balcony, shared, with the next door neighbors unit having half of it. A metal and tinted glass divider separates the two for privacy issues.

1. The first few days I move in, I'm out smoking on the balconey. Shortly after, a lady from next door starts saying something in their language, sniffs the air, communicates something to the other tenants inside the apartment and closes the door.
The next day I find a cigarette stub on my side of the balcony. Now I nor they smoke cigarettes so do the math..

2. Coming home some days later, I find a rolled up ball of white paper (atm receipt) by my door. Slightly unusual cos there's no litter elsewhere, and nobodys moving. I also note the tenants to peek out of there door in the morning to see who's moved in when I left for work (not very polite, but thats fine).

3. Today I come home, theres a long white styrofoam packing piece (looks like a cigar lets say) left by my door with no litter. These guys had just come back from being away for a few days, and I had a puff earlier today while pit stopping by here for a smoke and change of clothes.
Interesting timing.

4. I just go back from a late night (11:30pm) puff, they leave their bedroom sliding door slightly open, and the lady (dont know which one) starts forced coughs after a few minutes of me smoking. Its not hot by the way today, in fact cold, and they never leave their door open, not that its my concern (just mentioning it so you get the picture). Keep in mind, I dont smoke *into* the balcony, I know smoke wafts, and I try to blow it away.

Right now I don't know what to do exactly, and would like your advice. Thinking about going to the Condo manager but how do you tell a tale like this to them and things not just turn out for the worse. What would you do?
Thanks.

[tmanqz]

Have a big ass herf. Party like crazy, while you can.

Condo people are pain in the ass! There old stupid and have nothing better to do.You cant reason those OLD fools. There next stage in life is death, so there goanna force thier rules on you like it or not.

Soon your goanna get a letter from some BS condo association saying your in violation of article stroke -666 BLahBLAHBLAH you must stop immediatly or pay the wrath!!!
And if there isnt a rule against smoking stogies, there will be by the end of the month.

Get a lawyer, read your condo "I signed my life away contract" and get ready for a fight.
Trust me, been down this road before, sell your condo to some gangsta's,crackheads, or any scum of the earth and get the hell out of there.
I wish I could tell you to talk to your neibhor and work it out, didnt work for me, but maybe it work for you. Good luck brother.

[smelvis]

Follow the above advice and read the association agreement, also get a tall fan plug it in blowing away from the pests and hope for the best. associations suck!

Good Luck.

[Delsana]

Actually, a lot of young people (or at least wealthy or successful young people) have condos, or penthouses, and so I can't really agree with only old people inhabiting them, however I can say that while I generally am against this... it may be the only way.

You need to become friends with them, or at least a lot of the others so they think twice about what they do, and at your disposal are comradeship inducing cigars.

Do the math... (might work)

Otherwise, best of luck, I'll give it some prayer.

[uncballzer]

I say just ignore the hell outta them and smoke more often. Tell then they shoulda not harassed you for only taking 3 puffs, but now they gotta take 3 cigars' worth!

If that don't work, there's a ton of lists around here with snappy comebacks that'd shut em up.

[Cigary]

I have a condo in San Diego and was forced to deal with the exact same thing you are. First thing I did was check the HOA rules and made sure that I was within my rights to smoke on my balcony. The neighbors were cigarette smokers so its not like they were going to say I didn't have my rights to have a cigar. Everytime I had my cigar I would hear the coughs and the door slamming routine. After a couple of days of that I went over and knocked on the door and asked them if there was a problem with my cigars. The old lady told me she didn't like the smell and I told her that I didn't like the smell of cigarettes either so what was the answer? She tried to tell me that I should give up on cigars and I said that wasn't going to happen and suggested that we give each other some space and I'd let them smoke their during certain hours if they would let me do the same. She didn't like that idea so I told her that if she couldn't compromise there wasn't anything else I could do and that I was going to smoke my cigars anytime I wanted to and if I saw any of their cigarette butts on my balcony I was going to be bringing bout 12 of my biggest cigar buddies and we'd be playing poker and smoking cigars every weekend from 8 pm until about 5 am. Did not have any issues with them again.

PS,,,I thought the fan idea was a good one and that might help when talking with your neighbors.

[fuente~fuente]

Fan sounds like a good idea to me as well.

Good luck by the way.

[eyesack]

Bring your neighbors a pie! Kill em with niceness!

[Walking Stick]

Originally Posted by mild to medium

Hi guys.

So I moved into this Condo last month, and its a step up for me in living situation. So I've been kind of looking forward to it. I only smoke cigars on the Balcony, and not even a full one a day, or a full sized one at that. Maybe 3 puffs at a time.

The Balcony is a long balcony, shared, with the next door neighbors unit having half of it. A metal and tinted glass divider separates the two for privacy issues.

1. The first few days I move in, I'm out smoking on the balconey. Shortly after, a lady from next door starts saying something in their language, sniffs the air, communicates something to the other tenants inside the apartment and closes the door.
The next day I find a cigarette stub on my side of the balcony. Now I nor they smoke cigarettes so do the math.. Cig butt sucks, doesn't really mean anything.

2. Coming home some days later, I find a rolled up ball of white paper (atm receipt) by my door. Slightly unusual cos there's no litter elsewhere, and nobodys moving. I also note the tenants to peek out of there door in the morning to see who's moved in when I left for work (not very polite, but thats fine). Big assumption.

3. Today I come home, theres a long white styrofoam packing piece (looks like a cigar lets say) left by my door with no litter. These guys had just come back from being away for a few days, and I had a puff earlier today while pit stopping by here for a smoke and change of clothes.
Interesting timing. Not quite as big an assumption.

4. I just go back from a late night (11:30pm) puff, they leave their bedroom sliding door slightly open, and the lady (dont know which one) starts forced coughs after a few minutes of me smoking. Its not hot by the way today, in fact cold, and they never leave their door open, not that its my concern (just mentioning it so you get the picture). Keep in mind, I dont smoke *into* the balcony, I know smoke wafts, and I try to blow it away. Turn on some tunes so you don't have to listen to the coughing.

Right now I don't know what to do exactly, and would like your advice. Thinking about going to the Condo manager but how do you tell a tale like this to them and things not just turn out for the worse. What would you do?
Thanks.

My feeling is, even though they may be reacting immaturely, they deserve an attempt at compromise before running off to the manager. Go and introduce yourself, be very friendly. Many people who act jerky indirectly, say in traffic or on the phone, dealing with people they don't know, can actually be quite pleasant when acquainted face to face. Give it a shot. You've got nothing to lose.

If all else fails, herf away.

[PerpetualNoob]

I bet you can buy live hand grenades on the Internet. One or two should be all you need to use.

[Stench]

Originally Posted by eyesack

Bring your neighbors a pie! Kill em with niceness!

I agree, let them make asses of themselves first!

[mild to medium]

Thank you Bro's for your advice.

I have to say you gave me pause this morning...
I was going to talk to the condo manager today after work (ask what the rules are first, then proceed from there vs. just complain about the litter ..argh but that doesnt make sense without context).

But you have given me pause. Don't think they will eat the pie, but am thinking..

[Delsana]

Originally Posted by mild to medium

Thank you Bro's for your advice.

I have to say you gave me pause this morning...
I was going to talk to the condo manager today after work (ask what the rules are first, then proceed from there vs. just complain about the litter ..argh but that doesnt make sense without context).

But you have given me pause. Don't think they will eat the pie, but am thinking..

I still say you should either invite them over and become friends with them (or take them somewhere) or try to show them why you like cigars and what not (you did state some of them were smokers) as well as of course interacting with the non smokers (if there are any that are giving you trouble as well).

To be truthful however, a non smoker unless actually interested will not smoke a cigar when offered... that requires trust and acceptance of your habit in the first place, and then eventually slight curiosity may come into play if offered politely each time and what not (without forcing it), and if they simply aren't interested there is always inviting them over for poker or some such thing (where cigars are big) or go to a movie or... whatever.

I do wish you luck, and I hope you don't take the confrontational approach, because when I was very sensitive about smoking, that wouldn't work on me at all.


- B.

[Arnie]

Originally Posted by eyesack

Bring your neighbors a pie! Kill em with niceness!

Isaac's got the right idea. Maybe not a pie, but something they might like. Introduce yourself. Treat them with respect. They will eventually come around.
I have a condo that I rent and the nieghbor downstairs always complains when I get a new tenant. So I tell the new tenants to go introduce themselves, show the older neighbor some respect, be friendly. Works like a charm and everyone's happy.
Whatever you do DON'T escalate it with boorish behaviour.

[tx_tuff]

I agree with most, first make sure you are not breaking the rules! Next thing is they have really not complained to you about the smoke, shutting doors, b*tchng to other people inside. Let them, I would not take offense to this at all and would prob get a chuckle out of it. As for the trash and cig butts, yeah I would not put up with that. This is what I did last time I lived in a apartment (which wasn't to long ago). They was some people that lived by me that liked to drink, mostly beer. Well I really don't drink beer and I knew it was them because they tended to spread out while doing so (inside, outside you get the pic). When ever I would come home in find beer bottles or cans by my door or in the grass by my balcony I would pick them up and put them at their front door where they could not be missed. If I was you I would do the same with the cig butts, I would pick them up and throw them back to their side of the balcony. As far as the trash out in front of your door, unless you see them its hard to say ts just them. I would jst complain about that litter to management unless you can catch them doing it. Oh and I would just keep smoking anytime you wanted as long as its not against the rules. Be sure to always pick up your own mess so you don't screw yourself.