Chimney & Fireplace

Should I worry about neighbours wood burner smoke in our loft?

Anonymous user 03/03/2024 - 3.14 PM

We live in an old terrace style/semi in very rural area. Two months ago our adjoining neighbour fitted a log burner to the side wall of their back extention/conservatory and their chimney juts out, right up to our boundry fence separating our houses. The chimney in their conservatory is 2mts from our adjoining semi wall, so 2mts from our house and is (4 sections/ lifts high) the cowl is eye level as I stand looking out of our back bedroom window and visibly spoiling the view out of the window. Every time they light it, there is a very strong smell of smoke upstairs in the 3 back rooms ( 1 bathroom, 2 small childrens bedrooms ). I don't always see smoke in the room but think it is hazy compared to the other bedroom at the front of our house. They tell me that their outlet is within regulations, 2.2mts horzontally from our opening bedroom window and that external smoke coming in from that distance outside wouldn't be dangerous anyway so it is not their problem and up to me to keep the smell of smoke out. I've blocked up all our air vents in windows at back of house which has helped a little but we've discovered their smoke is also coming in through our loft vents running along the guttering and visibly filling our loft with smoke. Do I need to replace the vented eves and block them up? Is it possible to make our old loft air tight to stop the smoke filling our loft or am I worried over nothing as their smoke is not setting off our smoke alarm?