# Neighbor food smells coming through vents and water



## stick\shift (Mar 23, 2015)

Sorry, the only realistic solution I see is for you to move and I know you've already looked into that.


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## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

i heard south Pacific also.


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## huesmann (Aug 18, 2011)

Try Indian, i.e. South Asian.

Anyhoo, talk to the landlord? Try sealing up everything you can, including outlet and switch boxes. Do some googling on additional residential sealing.


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## quatsch (Feb 4, 2021)

Your state's housing authority may side with you against your landlord
but then he could "constructively evict" you by periodically turning off your power or water. 

You can't take photos of the smell but you could get witness statements in writing.

The other tenants may be hanging back waiting for someone to take the lead. 
If you take the lead, they'll watch. 
If you win, they'll say they always knew you'd win.

Read your contract. He may be in "material breach of contract."


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## Chris616 (Dec 31, 2019)

Ellemac said:


> Believe it or not the smell is also in my bathtub and toilet water. When I first turn on the tub a blast of onion spice type smell comes out and when you lift the toilet lid you can smell the same odor.


It is not possible for odors from your upstairs neighbour’s apartment to penetrate the sealed pipes in the water supply system to your apartment.


Ellemac said:


> On the advice of a plumber I leave my tub water at a trickle 24 hours a day for 3 months now and that stops the smell in the bathroom water. If I forget to leave it trickling after a shower the whole room will vaguely have the smell by the next day.


Other than wasting a bunch of water, the only thing that this is doing is ensuring that the trap under the tub stays filled with water, preventing odors from entering the room from the plumbing system. In an unused tub/shower it would normally takes weeks/months for that water to evaporate, so if the trap water is disappearing that quickly there is a plumbing problem that needs to be fixed.


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## Half-fast eddie (Sep 19, 2020)

Something doesn’t make sense, does it chris616. Since the tub shares the drain pipe with the toilet, why are the cooking odors coming through the tub but the poo odors are not?


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## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

@Ellemac sorry to hear.

Welcome and nice to meet you, circumstances notwithstanding.

You're not alone, if that's any comfort.

First, where are you? I can see you're in the U.S., but what city and state? That might matter, as noted below.

Your problem is most similar to someone who has a problem with second hand smoke; (a) it's a perfectly legal activity; (b) done in the cook's own home; (c) because of this, getting third parties to bring pressure to bear on the offender is hard or impossible (usually).

The best remedy is to seal up your place as much as possible, and get an AC unit that creates "positive pressure" in your unit to push the odor out. Sounds like you've made an effort, but you might want to consider a professional. (Hate to say it.) 

I'm with @Chris616 insofar as I doubt seriously that the odor is getting into the water. I think it just seems that way, please no disrespect intended.

It sounds like your unit is directly below the offender's place, or very close. 

You can also file a "nuisance complaint" with a court, but that is an action of total, last resort; you're likely better off moving instead. A huge exception is if you're in a rent control area and you'll lose your benefits under that if you move. Courts vary in their approach to this type of thing; even people complaining about tobacco or cannabis can have an uphill battle. That said, knowing where you are can focus research and thought.

A better strategy might be try to see if management of your place will pay to defray the cost of sealing your unit.

This isn't a simple thing, and I hope we can help you.


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## Domo (Nov 9, 2018)

Absolutely there will be a "nuisance" statement in everyone's contract. However, step 1 is to contact your building super, 2 then landlord, 3 then building owner, 4 then housing department and then 5 board of health. Each contact must CC the prior receipients so that #5 will have five documents with facts and notarized affidavits. Make sure you state your case clearly and without emotional or subjective phrases (I'm soooo upset... the smell is "bad"). You can include WRITTEN notarized affidavits from witnesses to verify the when/where/how of the odors. Their statements could include; watery eyes, repeated sneezing, general malaise, etc.

You should also, gently and without malice, include your neighbor in the discussions and correspondence. You should maintain the stance that the neighbor has the right to prepare food for her family however the particular spice mixtures should remain in that unit and not interfere with food preparation or enjoyment of habitation in adjoining units. Blame the building and A/C not the chef.

Lastly, was that neighbor there when you moved in? Or did they move in and then changed the living conditions you had come to enjoy when you purchased/rented.

Good luck - Is there another unit in the same building that might be available?


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## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

While you can hope for collective action, using the framework @Domo suggests, often the collective, or a portion of it, refuses to act. 

This type of thing isn't easy to remedy.


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## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

Domo said:


> Good luck - Is there another unit in the same building that might be available?


good idea.


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## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

Fix'n it said:


> good idea.


Maybe not, considering the prevalence of the odor.


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## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

@Ellemac 

As you already know, and I didn't mention, walls and floors in apartments and houses, particularly recently built ones, tend to be very permeable. They're full of holes; for electrical, ductwork, etc.

Some people here have experience with that type of thing; I recall a friend of mine who had the electrical outlets, cuts around doors and windows, etc., taped and sealed to deal with second-hand smoke from her immediate duplex neighbor. The point being, it's not just the obvious openings but the less obvious ones that are a problem too, sometimes even worse. That can be a lot of sealing, particularly if your unit has a long common wall or floor with your neighbor's.


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## SpentPenny (Dec 15, 2020)

I am really curious as to just how you believe your water supply is picking up an odor from another apartment? I just do not believe that is remotely possible.


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## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

i thought the same thing


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## Ellemac (Aug 2, 2021)

SpentPenny said:


> I am really curious as to just how you believe your water supply is picking up an odor from another apartment? I just do not believe that is remotely possible.


Well I had called a plumber who is highly regarded in this area and what they told me is there is likely a crack in the main water pipe that goes down this side of the building. Alternatively there could be a problem with a vent or even a clog in the main pipe, either the good water or the sewage water pipe. I'm on the bottom floor so everything from the third floor down goes through the pipes behind my walls. The second thing they asked me is if I had sewer flies by my kitchen sink and I said yes I do but I thought they were fruit flies but I have no fruit so I'll go with your sewer fly idea. They explained that Mexican food often has a lot of grease and those heavy spices and by her putting things down the drain it's probably lining the pipes with that grease and smell and a crack in any of the pipes could allow me to smell it. I know it's weird I really do trust me but I swear to you when I first turn the tub water on a blast of onion spice type smell comes out. When you lift the toilet lid as you approach the seated position the closer you get to the water the smell wafts right up. Leaving the water at a trickle I guess is the same principle as not letting the P-trap dry out and get sewer gases, which I also have in the bathroom sink. I don't know, I just know I am doing it and it's working and if I forget to do it the smell comes right back. I told the rental office what the plumber said thinking they might be happy to have a starting point to figuring out this smell problem but instead they got irate saying how dare they say we might have cracked pipes have they been here have they walked the property have they examined the pipe how dare they. I was kind of shocked at this response. This plumber knows this property so he knows what he's talking about and they just don't want to hear that they may have a major repair on their hands.


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## Half-fast eddie (Sep 19, 2020)

Ellemac said:


> . They explained that Mexican food often has a lot of grease and those heavy spices and by her putting things down the drain it's probably lining the pipes with that grease and smell and a crack in any of the pipes could allow me to smell it.


I’m throwing the BS flag on that. And add a touch of diversity issues.


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## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

Ellemac said:


> Well I had called a plumber who is highly regarded in this area and what they told me is there is likely a crack in the main water pipe that goes down this side of the building. Alternatively there could be a problem with a vent or even a clog in the main pipe, either the good water or the sewage water pipe. I'm on the bottom floor so everything from the third floor down goes through the pipes behind my walls. The second thing they asked me is if I had sewer flies by my kitchen sink and I said yes I do but I thought they were fruit flies but I have no fruit so I'll go with your sewer fly idea. They explained that Mexican food often has a lot of grease and those heavy spices and by her putting things down the drain it's probably lining the pipes with that grease and smell and a crack in any of the pipes could allow me to smell it. I know it's weird I really do trust me but I swear to you when I first turn the tub water on a blast of onion spice type smell comes out. When you lift the toilet lid as you approach the seated position the closer you get to the water the smell wafts right up. Leaving the water at a trickle I guess is the same principle as not letting the P-trap dry out and get sewer gases, which I also have in the bathroom sink. I don't know, I just know I am doing it and it's working and if I forget to do it the smell comes right back. I told the rental office what the plumber said thinking they might be happy to have a starting point to figuring out this smell problem but instead they got irate saying how dare they say we might have cracked pipes have they been here have they walked the property have they examined the pipe how dare they. I was kind of shocked at this response. This plumber knows this property so he knows what he's talking about and they just don't want to hear that they may have a major repair on their hands.


How soon does your lease expire?

It might appear the sooner the better. How dare they!


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## Ellemac (Aug 2, 2021)

Chris616 said:


> It is not possible for odors from your upstairs neighbour’s apartment to penetrate the sealed pipes in the water supply system to your apartment.
> 
> Other than wasting a bunch of water, the only thing that this is doing is ensuring that the trap under the tub stays filled with water, preventing odors from entering the room from the plumbing system. In an unused tub/shower it would normally takes weeks/months for that water to evaporate, so if the trap water is disappearing that quickly there is a plumbing problem that needs to be fixed.


I swear to you it's happening. I responded to someone else below if you care to read that but basically a plumber told me there may be a crack in the main water pipe, a broken or stuck vent or even a clog, any of which could cause me to be getting the smells. I wouldn't believe it either if it wasn't actually happening to me.


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## Ellemac (Aug 2, 2021)

Half-fast eddie said:


> I’m throwing the BS flag on that. And add a touch of diversity issues.


I don't think that's fair. Explain why I have sewer flies around my kitchen sink when I haven't cooked in literally over a year. No food goes down my drain. Something is wrong with the plumbing somewhere somehow. The cooking smell is especially strong in the cabinet below the kitchen sink. As I mentioned already I would not want to smell chocolate chip cookies baking every night so it has nothing to do with diversity. In fact I'd say this apartment complex is at least 90% Hispanic so there is a bit of reverse diversity going on which is really neither here nor there. I want my home to smell like my home and to stop feeling nauseous from her food that stinks up an entire apartment building and she did it again tonight.


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## Ellemac (Aug 2, 2021)

Domo said:


> Absolutely there will be a "nuisance" statement in everyone's contract. However, step 1 is to contact your building super, 2 then landlord, 3 then building owner, 4 then housing department and then 5 board of health. Each contact must CC the prior receipients so that #5 will have five documents with facts and notarized affidavits. Make sure you state your case clearly and without emotional or subjective phrases (I'm soooo upset... the smell is "bad"). You can include WRITTEN notarized affidavits from witnesses to verify the when/where/how of the odors. Their statements could include; watery eyes, repeated sneezing, general malaise, etc.
> 
> You should also, gently and without malice, include your neighbor in the discussions and correspondence. You should maintain the stance that the neighbor has the right to prepare food for her family however the particular spice mixtures should remain in that unit and not interfere with food preparation or enjoyment of habitation in adjoining units. Blame the building and A/C not the chef.
> 
> ...


If management does not take action very soon my next step will be to file a complaint with the County Rental Licensing Bureau and they will send an investigator out. There's plenty of other things going on here like all the air conditioners leak and my furnace filter is constantly wet and then it molds. Right now I'm dealing with my umpteenth sinus and ear infection since I've lived here. Instead of fixing them they attached PVC pipe to the condensate line and hung them over the balconies so both of the floors above me drip in front of my patio to the point that I have a tiny swimming pool in the grass in front of my patio and it's eroding the bottom of the brick building. 

I asked if I could move to another building and the manager told me she is not moving one more person because the last man that she moved was as miserable in the second apartment as the first. I'm not sure if it would help because I don't know if the problem is only in this building or everywhere but this apartment complex has a very high Hispanic population so they cook what they cook so it may happen in another building. I came to this apartment building five times at different times of the day to see if there were any freaky smells and never once did I smell a thing...until I moved in.


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## Ellemac (Aug 2, 2021)

DoomsDave said:


> How soon does your lease expire?
> 
> It might appear the sooner the better. How dare they!


Actually three of us in this building never did turn in our signed leases this year (because we all want to leave) which they just left at our doors and never said another word so I guess technically I'm on month-to-month. As soon as I can find something I'm gone, but it's not looking to good at the moment. I'm now looking in other counties.


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## chandler48 (Jun 5, 2017)

Keep water run in your tub and sinks. A stopped up vent could cause the traps to be sucked dry when the system is looking for air. I am surprised that your plumber didn't think of that.


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## Ellemac (Aug 2, 2021)

DoomsDave said:


> @Ellemac sorry to hear.
> 
> Welcome and nice to meet you, circumstances notwithstanding.
> 
> ...


Thank you, nice to meet you too. I'm in Howard County Maryland. 

You're correct that I am directly below her and our apartments have the exact same layout. That's why the cabinet above my stove reeks because it's directly below her stove. 

Believe me I'd be more than happy to pay whatever it cost to create permanent positive pressure in here but I'm not allowed to make any physical changes. I even called a few companies to inquire if there was anything I could do that wasn't something they had to attach to my furnace or AC and there isn't unfortunately. 

Now about the water, crazy as it sounds I swear to you it's happening. I responded to the water issue a few times if you want to see those responses. A different plumber mentioned that perhaps the smell was getting trapped inside the overflow thing of the tub just from being in the room through the AC vent and when I turn the water on it pushes the smell out, but that does not explain the toilet bowl water smelling like her food. If I don't leave the water trickling the whole room has a vague smell of onion and spices 24/7, with no cooking going on. The sink is in one room and that has sewer gas smell and then you go through another door for the tub and toilet and that's where the food smell is so I really have no clue how this is happening. Clearly there's a plumbing problem and they don't care. A maintenance guy from corporate came here and said we might have to get the engineer out here but that needs manager approval, and when I spoke to the manager she said that guy IS the engineer but was probably passing the buck, knowing there's nothing he can do. That's what I'm up against, the maintenance engineer pretending he's not the maintenance engineer! The smell is very strong in the cabinet below my kitchen sink (which is below her kitchen sink where food remnants would be!) so I've sealed up every nook and cranny under there last night and when she cooked tonight the smell was not in that cabinet. This is miserable.


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## Ellemac (Aug 2, 2021)

chandler48 said:


> Keep water run in your tub and sinks. A stopped up vent could cause the traps to be sucked dry when the system is looking for air. I am surprised that your plumber didn't think of that.


That's one of the options the plumber said could be the problem so that's why I keep the water trickling in my bathtub. However management still won't do anything about it. Maybe I haven't complained loud enough yet, I don't know.


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## Half-fast eddie (Sep 19, 2020)

Ellemac said:


> I don't think that's fair.


Whats not fair is to say Mexican (& Hispanic) people cook greasy food that causes drain problems.


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## SpentPenny (Dec 15, 2020)

Sorry but the whole thread is BS. A cracked water supply pipe is under pressure - no "odors" can get in, water would be streaming out. A vent pipe is not mixed with a supply pipe or else you are drinking pressurized sewage. You simply do not understand how water supply works. No shame in that at all, but please stop getting frustrated with folks who do understand it.


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## Ellemac (Aug 2, 2021)

SpentPenny said:


> Sorry but the whole thread is BS. A cracked water supply pipe is under pressure - no "odors" can get in, water would be streaming out. A vent pipe is not mixed with a supply pipe or else you are drinking pressurized sewage. You simply do not understand how water supply works. No shame in that at all, but please stop getting frustrated with folks who do understand it.


Sorry you feel that way and I'm glad you're not the one who has to live with it. I don't need to understand water supply to know that there is a problem here. The plumber fully understood what I was talking about and if you lived nearby I'd be happy to invite you over to enjoy the scent yourself. I'm not frustrated with anyone. I'm explaining the fact that this is really happening, it's not my imagination or a lack of understanding about water supply. The water smells like her food, full stop. Not the whole time running, just when you first turn on the tub/shower. Kitchen water does not smell. Toilet smell is continuous. There's also a crack inside my toilet and water stays below that level so does that play into it? IDK I think it's crazy too. Honestly that's the least of my concerns since running the water stops it. Bigger issue is it's stinking up my apartment through AC vents and any other crack or crevice it can find.


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## Ellemac (Aug 2, 2021)

Half-fast eddie said:


> Whats not fair is to say Mexican (& Hispanic) people cook greasy food that causes drain problems.


I'm sorry but it's the truth. Have you ever eaten Mexican food? There is a lot of grease involved, the same as many other types of food, but not everyone uses such strong spices. It's the onions and cumin that are the culprits here. The plumber was associating the heavy spices clinging to the grease. There is another Hispanic family in my building and they constantly fry things which you can also smell to a much lesser degree in the hallway so I won't be convinced a lot of grease isn't involved. A lot of ethnic foods use strong spices so this is not singling anyone out other than to explain the type of smell. I love pizza, including the grease, but I would not want to live above a pizza place because that would be a sickening smell to me in my home nonstop. I was talking with someone who is half Mexican and when I told him one of the dishes she mentioned cooking, he said omg when my father would cook that I would leave the house for the day because it smells so bad. I was nauseated for 24 hours after smelling that cook all day. My home still reeked the next morning. This is not okay.


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## huesmann (Aug 18, 2011)

Ellemac said:


> Sorry you feel that way and I'm glad you're not the one who has to live with it. I don't need to understand water supply to know that there is a problem here. The plumber fully understood what I was talking about and if you lived nearby I'd be happy to invite you over to enjoy the scent yourself. I'm not frustrated with anyone. I'm explaining the fact that this is really happening, it's not my imagination or a lack of understanding about water supply. The water smells like her food, full stop. Not the whole time running, just when you first turn on the tub/shower. Kitchen water does not smell. *Toilet smell is continuous.* There's also a crack inside my toilet and water stays below that level so does that play into it? IDK I think it's crazy too. Honestly that's the least of my concerns since running the water stops it. Bigger issue is it's stinking up my apartment through AC vents and any other crack or crevice it can find.


Sorry, your plumber is a moron if he thinks it's water supply pipes. Or you just misunderstood or had a miscommunication when he was explaining to you.

Toilet smell != cooking smell

You may have multiple issues here.

Does the building share an HVAC system, or does each unit have a separate system?


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## Half-fast eddie (Sep 19, 2020)

Ellemac said:


> I'm sorry but it's the truth. Have you ever eaten Mexican food?


I live in south Texas. The county is 80% hispanic.


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## Ellemac (Aug 2, 2021)

huesmann said:


> Sorry, your plumber is a moron if he thinks it's water supply pipes. Or you just misunderstood or had a miscommunication when he was explaining to you.
> 
> Toilet smell != cooking smell
> 
> ...


No shared HVAC, we all have our own units outside on our patios or balconies. I agree there are multiple problems here. I have maintenance men trying to convince me it's normal for an AC to leak so much that filters are wet and molding so nothing is OK here. They believe in quick and dirty repairs which aren't really repairs at all, just to shut you up. I also admit I am not well versed in plumbing problems so I don't know anything about the pipes and vents but having a breach somewhere allowing the gases to enter the pipe makes sense because it's literally happening. I know it sounds impossible and crazy but there's no other explanation why leaving water running stops the smell.


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## Ellemac (Aug 2, 2021)

Half-fast eddie said:


> I live in south Texas. The county is 80% hispanic.


Obviously we are not going to agree on this but that's okay. I don't like the smell of that food in my home. In fact I don't want the smell of anyone's food in my home no matter what it is. It makes me nauseous and I can't help that. Maybe there is a smell that make you nauseous I don't know but if there is you wouldn't like it in your home all the time. I've lived in plenty of apartments and condos in my lifetime and have never experienced this so it's not part of normal apartment living. Noises are normal. Smelling your neighbors dinner and knowing when they add certain ingredients, such as they added lime during the last hour of cooking, that is not normal. This is not a vague odor, it's like someone is in my own kitchen cooking this food. Something is very wrong here in this building.


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## huesmann (Aug 18, 2011)

When does your lease expire?


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## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

@Ellemac I hate to say this, but I'm with @huesmann (and the strongly noted suggestion) and strongly suggest moving. It appears that the apartment property is one long hassle after another and it's not right for you. I realize you'd rather not move, but I don't really see an alternative here. Too many problems. There's no point in sticking around, you're just going to be miserable.

Here's a link on how to break a lease in Maryland. It's from nolo.com, which is a good source for basic legal advice for basic problems like you have. It's written by lawyers, for non-lawyers to use. 

Tenant's Right to Break a Rental Lease in Maryland | Nolo

In particular, I note the following:

*The Rental Unit Is Unsafe or Violates Maryland Health or Safety Codes*
_If your landlord does not provide habitable housing under local and state housing codes, a court would probably conclude that you have been "constructively evicted;" this means that the landlord, by supplying unlivable housing, has for all practical purposes "evicted" you, so you have no further responsibility for the rent. Maryland law (Md. Code Ann. [Real Prop.] § § 8-211, 8-211.1) sets specific requirements for the procedures you must follow before moving out because of a major repair problem. The problem must be truly serious, such as the lack of heat or other essential service._

You might want to contact legal aid, though be warned that can be a big pain as they're often swamped. I don't know to what extent your situation qualifies under the provisions of the underlined text.


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## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

Ellemac said:


> Actually three of us in this building never did turn in our signed leases this year (because we all want to leave) which they just left at our doors and never said another word so I guess technically I'm on month-to-month. As soon as I can find something I'm gone, but it's not looking to good at the moment. I'm now looking in other counties.


ummmm.


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## huesmann (Aug 18, 2011)

Just because the OP says she's on a MTM lease doesn't mean the landlord agrees!


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## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

an unsigned contract, that they don't have, is enforceable ? i'm thinking not


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## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

huesmann said:


> Just because the OP says she's on a MTM lease doesn't mean the landlord agrees!


Generally, residential leases are much to the advantage of the landlord, if for no other reason than the lessee is liable for all the rent, even if they move, unless the lease is broken. So, I would expect the landlord to claim a lease. The mere fact that the land lord didn't get the signed leases might or might not make any difference.


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## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

Fix'n it said:


> an unsigned contract, that they don't have, is enforceable ? i'm thinking not


You might be wrong. If she acts under its provisions, she might be held to have agreed to it.

But, there's a lot we don't know here. 

It will be great if the OP can move without breaking the lease, and without being liable for rent to the end of the term.


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## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

yes, i could be wrong. lots of variables.


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## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

Fix'n it said:


> yes, i could be wrong. lots of variables.


You actually touch on an interesting topic in itself, which is contracts that can be inferred from conduct, even when there's no writing.

Oh yeah, it happens.


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## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

the law, a strange beast.


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## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

Fix'n it said:


> the law, a strange beast.


A mutant monster at times.


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## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

Ellemac said:


> I came to this apartment building five times at different times of the day to see if there were any freaky smells and never once did I smell a thing...until I moved in.


It sounds like you have an over-sensitivity to smells. I've gone to areas to listen for noise but never for smells, even though I'm sensitive to smells. You did this prior to moving in, so you know it's a problem.

Btw, air purifiers suck air in.

Do some research on a super sense of smell.


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## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

Ellemac said:


> If management does not take action very soon my next step will be to file a complaint with the County Rental Licensing Bureau and they will send an investigator out. There's plenty of other things going on here like all the air conditioners leak and my furnace filter is constantly wet and then it molds. Right now I'm dealing with my umpteenth sinus and ear infection since I've lived here. Instead of fixing them they attached PVC pipe to the condensate line and hung them over the balconies so both of the floors above me drip in front of my patio to the point that I have a tiny swimming pool in the grass in front of my patio and it's eroding the bottom of the brick building.
> 
> I asked if I could move to another building and the manager told me she is not moving one more person because the last man that she moved was as miserable in the second apartment as the first. I'm not sure if it would help because I don't know if the problem is only in this building or everywhere but this apartment complex has a very high Hispanic population so they cook what they cook so it may happen in another building. I came to this apartment building five times at different times of the day to see if there were any freaky smells and never once did I smell a thing...until I moved in.





Nik333 said:


> It sounds like you have an over-sensitivity to smells. I've gone to areas to listen for noise but never for smells, even though I'm sensitive to smells. You did this prior to moving in, so you know it's a problem.
> 
> Btw, air purifiers suck air in.
> 
> Do some research on a super sense of smell.


Hmm. Sounds like a lot more questions have arisen. How old is the building? Is it, and/or the complex it's in, of "cheap" construction? Sometimes remodeling doesn't hide that as well as people think. Indicators include obvious attempts to shoehorn as many units into a limited space as possible, or that way-too-utilitarian "WWII Projects" look, or, even worse, that "urban renewal" from the 1950s and 1960s look.

Even if one is oversensitive to odors, some odors, including food, can be very powerful. Once I made a curry and overdid it more than a bit on the onion and garlic, put it in the fridge after it was cooked, whoo-ee, it smelled up the house. The next day, the odor lingered; gadzooks, that smells more like a skunk. On examination, that was the source. Though the food was put away, a skunk had been killed outside the back door (I think by a young, inexperienced coyote) and sprayed.

Hope you can fix your problem, Ellemac. Do let us know what happens.


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## Half-fast eddie (Sep 19, 2020)

She said she is in Howard county Md. A DC suburb. I would not live in Howard county for free.


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## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

DoomsDave said:


> Even if one is oversensitive to odors, some odors, including food, can be very powerful. Once I made a curry and overdid it more than a bit on the onion and garlic, put it in the fridge after it was cooked, whoo-ee, it smelled up the house. The next day, the odor lingered; gadzooks, that smells more like a skunk. On examination, that was the source. Though the food was put away, a skunk had been killed outside the back door (I think by a young, inexperienced coyote) and sprayed.


Um, a reflection on your cooking? 🤣🤣🤣


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## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

Nik333 said:


> Um, a reflection on your cooking? 🤣🤣🤣


Tasted good!


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## huesmann (Aug 18, 2011)

Half-fast eddie said:


> She said she is in Howard county Md. A DC suburb. I would not live in Howard county for free.


Actually, HOCO is as much—if not more—a _Baltimore_ 'burb.


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## PaulDay (Oct 28, 2020)

Ellemac said:


> Obviously we are not going to agree on this but that's okay. I don't like the smell of that food in my home. In fact I don't want the smell of anyone's food in my home no matter what it is. It makes me nauseous and I can't help that. Maybe there is a smell that make you nauseous I don't know but if there is you wouldn't like it in your home all the time. I've lived in plenty of apartments and condos in my lifetime and have never experienced this so it's not part of normal apartment living. Noises are normal. Smelling your neighbors dinner and knowing when they add certain ingredients, such as they added lime during the last hour of cooking, that is not normal. This is not a vague odor, it's like someone is in my own kitchen cooking this food. Something is very wrong here in this building.


You may be having a reaction to one of the spices used. Cilantro is a spice that about 10% or so of the population have a problem with. It smells and tastes like a sweet soap to them. The straight smell of it will instantly turn your stomach if you're of that 10% or so.

Myself, anytime I've been around a SA (South American) dish that has cilantro in it, I instantly get nauseous and have to leave the room until the smell clears. I have a brother that's the same way, but not my two sisters and other brother. From reading, I'm told it's in the genes.

Other then that, I believe the smell in the bathroom is from a venting issue, local to that area only. If the venting pipe is plugged above the height of the trap, any local draining water will suck the water out the the bathtub trap, letting odors in. That's why leaving the water running prevents the smell.

Good luck.

Have a good day.

PS. Call an independent plumber and see if they can run a snake from the roof, down the vent pipe for your bathroom. That might solve the smell issue in the bathroom.


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## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

Half-fast eddie said:


> She said she is in Howard county Md. A DC suburb. I would not live in Howard county for free.





huesmann said:


> Actually, HOCO is as much—if not more—a _Baltimore_ 'burb.


A part of the East Coast Conurbation, though I suppose it's got a break by Atlantic City.

A sea of end to end cities, and high rents. (Just like So-Cal.) There's no good deals for rentals or purchase to speak of anywhere. I suspect that the OP was enticed by lower than usual rents, and, after investigation, didn't find anything amiss. 

I've been there and done that. It's hard to know a new 'hood from a quick look, or even a deeper one, without living there first.


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## PaulDay (Oct 28, 2020)

Ellemac said:


> 6. I'm still smelling it in the vicinity of the stove which has a microwave above it with a recirculating fan so I climbed on a chair and realized the microwave and the cabinet above it totally reek so I put a small air purifier in that cabinet that has an ionizer on it to use when she cooks. I'm in full MacGyver mode now.


Usually in these type of stacked apartment setups, there's a common kitchen stove venting system above the stove, which would have a one way vent. Allowing air to go out when the stove vent is on, but not come back in when off.

It's possible that during the apartment's life the original hood vent, that was vented to the outside, was removed and replaced with the microwave, leaving the original vent open and allowing odors in when she's cooking upstairs. You would need to remove the microwave to verify this.

You're also probably smelling it stronger under the sink because there's going to be more openings in the structure at that point for all the common piping going up thru that area. Remove any pipe flanges and spray non-expanding foam around the openings and replace the pipe flanges.

Just a heads up on creating a sealed environment. You can't keep the odors out, you have to keep them in and vent them out properly. In other words, you can seal your apartment all you want, but until her apartment is sealed and vented properly, her cooking odors will still get thru and bother you. To properly seal her apartment, all baseboard and window trims need to be removed and those spaces foam sealed, along with any other wall penetration like light switches and outlets, also a proper venting system that causes a negative pressure in her apartment when on.

Again, good luck.

Have a good day.


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## Ellemac (Aug 2, 2021)

DoomsDave said:


> @Ellemac I hate to say this, but I'm with @huesmann (and the strongly noted suggestion) and strongly suggest moving. It appears that the apartment property is one long hassle after another and it's not right for you. I realize you'd rather not move, but I don't really see an alternative here. Too many problems. There's no point in sticking around, you're just going to be miserable.
> 
> Here's a link on how to break a lease in Maryland. It's from nolo.com, which is a good source for basic legal advice for basic problems like you have. It's written by lawyers, for non-lawyers to use.
> 
> ...


Thank you, I appreciate your thoughts and I totally agree. In fact just today I discovered that the ceiling of my linen closet is soft and it happens to be on the other side of the wall from the room with the hot water heater to the building. Me and my neighbor upstairs have both heard dripping sounds behind the wall in that vicinity. I've already had my dining room wall, which is next to the AC room on the patio, break open from the leaking AC's getting the drywall wet and the air register was molded.

There is most definitely a water problem here among other things and they are unwilling to call professionals to properly correct anything. They rely almost solely on the maintenance guys who just know a little about a lot. I suppose this is why I've had endless sinus problems which are now causing ear infections since I've lived here, which has been super fun coupled with the food smell nausea. 

I'm out as soon as I find a new place.


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## Half-fast eddie (Sep 19, 2020)

huesmann said:


> Actually, HOCO is as much—if not more—a _Baltimore_ 'burb.


All the more reason to stay away.


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## udraft (Nov 26, 2019)

Unless this person is running a commercial operation, this has to be a landlord problem. More specifically deficient construction. There could be a common air return or even supply in the building, or just leaks, or some other factor.
The idea that this originated with a water supply pipe was one the crazier things Ive seen in a while.


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## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

go to the Trick Shop or online and get a bottle of "stink bomb" then sprinkle that in their hallway and door. that'l learn em 😂


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## Kaleidoscope_2020 (Jun 13, 2021)

I think your only choice is to move out. You can maybe try putting baking soda around the house and use essential oil to try to cover up the smell, but the truth is I don't think it's not worth the money or trouble. I'd move if I were you since it seems to be going to be a problem that continues to exist.


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## Ellemac (Aug 2, 2021)

Update and a partial solution! 

I called the corporate office and she was not happy to hear of all the things going on here, things other than what I mentioned to you. The manager here refused to move me to another building but the woman at corporate said she will absolutely move me to another building at their expense, but I told her I would like to try to solve the problem because I like my apartment (I have a really nice updated kitchen that most people don't have here and they aren't doing anymore) and honestly this neighborhood is so terrible I might find myself in a worse situation. At least the people upstairs are quiet. They also have none available right now so I don't want to live in limbo. Hopefully I can get out of this neighborhood entirely at some point but right now the prices have skyrocketed and people are staying still because of covid so there are not even any available apartments anywhere near my price range. I can't and wouldn't pay $1800-$2000 for a one bedroom apt. That's nuts!

Anyway they sent one of the head maintenance guys out and he poked around in my patio furnace room and found a furnace filter somewhere in there that was black and wet and nasty and not the size that fits my furnace. I don't know where he found it or why it was there but ever since he threw it out into the grass the nasty sweet mildew smell coming out of my vents that started 2 weeks ago is gone. Then two days later he sent plumbers to finally after 4 years repair the condensate lines on this whole side of the building so the leaking has stopped and her food smells are no longer coming through the vents. Hopefully my furnace filters will no longer get wet and molded. I don't know how this is all connected and I know it sounds weird but this is what's happening. 

Yesterday I took it upon myself to have a guy who has an insulation company come here and check out the kitchen to see if he could figure out exactly where the smell is coming in from. When he pulled my stove out he found even more holes in the wall behind the cabinets where there is about a 4 inch space between cabinet and wall as deep as the countertop so he came back later on with another guy and for $20 he used some kind of gun with a very long spray tube and sprayed the insulation foam around all the edges back there, filled in every single hole and then also put a very thick piece of fire proof insulation inside the lower cabinet which had no side wall, it just was wide open to the side of the stove. I guess luckily she was cooking when the guys came here because they smelled what I was talking about. The smell is still in the cabinet above my microwave over the stove like the remnants from yesterday's cooking so that might still be a problem but we'll see. The lower cabinet where he put the insulation has zero lingering smell which is unusual but a hopeful sign. So far she has not cooked again so we'll see how it goes when she does. I'm a little hesitantly hopeful. I'm currently testing the bathroom water smell by keeping the tub off instead of trickling but I don't think I smell it anymore. 

Please see the glory that is the filthy wet black filter he found...


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## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

thats great ! good for you on some positive progress  . good luck moving forward


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## huesmann (Aug 18, 2011)




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## Kaleidoscope_2020 (Jun 13, 2021)

That filter is really nasty. I guess that’s why your ventilation is smelling like mildew and mold. You really need a new filter and if that’s how nasty the filter in the furnace is, I wonder how bad the water tank and other stuff there is gonna be. Anyways, show more pictures. Hard to tell what’s going on with so little info.


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## Ellemac (Aug 2, 2021)

For those of you who thought I was crazy that I smell it in the water this one's for you. The other day I was trying to untangle my shower curtain hooks and couldn't see what I was doing so I stood on top of the toilet to take care of it. Right above my head was the exhaust fan on the ceiling. While I was up there I heard the lady upstairs turn her kitchen water on and then turn her garbage disposal on and three seconds after the garbage disposal came on the smell that I've been smelling all this time blasted out of the exhaust fan into my face. It was foul. It smelled like new food and rotted food. I called several plumbers and they are all in agreement that there is a venting pipe issue here which would explain why I smell it in the tub water when I first turn it on because the gases are building up because of the bad vent. I feel vindicated that I'm not going crazy. Next step is to get the plumbers in here to put a camera down the vent and see what's going on.


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## Ellemac (Aug 2, 2021)

Kaleidoscope_2020 said:


> That filter is really nasty. I guess that’s why your ventilation is smelling like mildew and mold. You really need a new filter and if that’s how nasty the filter in the furnace is, I wonder how bad the water tank and other stuff there is gonna be. Anyways, show more pictures. Hard to tell what’s going on with so little info.


That filter was not in my furnace, it's not even the right size to fit my furnace. The maintenance guy found it somewhere inside the room on my patio that houses the furnace and AC. But for sure it's nasty I'd love to know why it was in there and where he found it.


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## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

Ellemac said:


> I'd love to know why it was in there and where he found it.


somebody changed it, then just threw it down in there.


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## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

btw. i always believed you.


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## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

@Ellemac thanks for the updates and please keep them coming.


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## Kaleidoscope_2020 (Jun 13, 2021)

Ellemac said:


> That filter was not in my furnace, it's not even the right size to fit my furnace. The maintenance guy found it somewhere inside the room on my patio that houses the furnace and AC. But for sure it's nasty I'd love to know why it was in there and where he found it.


With so little info like this I think you should really move out. It's not worth staying in an apartment where your smelling funny stuff everywhere. How old is the building anyways? It has to be pretty aged for stuff like this to happen again and again. You should bill the landlord for all the stuff your paying to fix the problem if you do manage to stay.


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## Ellemac (Aug 2, 2021)

Kaleidoscope_2020 said:


> With so little info like this I think you should really move out. It's not worth staying in an apartment where your smelling funny stuff everywhere. How old is the building anyways? It has to be pretty aged for stuff like this to happen again and again. You should bill the landlord for all the stuff your paying to fix the problem if you do manage to stay.


I agree and I would love to move out and I've been looking. Problem is prices have gone through the roof for both rentals and purchases and almost no one has vacancies and they have wait lists. An apartment I looked at three years ago that was $1275 for a one bedroom is now $1701. I can't pay those kind of prices. This apartment complex was built sometime in the 70s so it's pretty old but not ancient. Most of this is complete lack of care. The maintenance guys do quick-and-dirty repairs that aren't real repairs. Everyone does the minimal they can do. For example someone that used to live in my apartment apparently had some sort of animal they kept in the bathroom that liked to chew on the door frame. Instead of just replacing a strip of wood they painted right over it. They couldn't even be bothered to spackle and sand it and then paint it so the whole piece of wood is lumpy with teeth marks. Repeat that type of behavior in every aspect you can imagine.


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## Kaleidoscope_2020 (Jun 13, 2021)

How about considering renting a houses basement instead of looking for an apartment? I'm from Canada so I'm not sure how it is in the states where you live. Since your building is in the 70's then everything that is happening in the building is normal. The pipes are failing because it's been around for 50 years, which is the maximum life expectancy of copper pipes assuming they are copper. So there is going to be a lot of issues even if the building is maintained. I can't imagine how the other stuff in the building is going to last. I would start by cleaning up what I could of the place if I were you, like plugging all holes, clearing dust and dirt in vents, grills, ac, furnace filter, etc. Look at the pipes and clear up the p trap if it's easy to do. That sort of thing. As for hole in vent, you should show us pictures of whats going on because were not sure how bad things are from writing. Truth is with all that your doing the easiest way to solve everything is to move out, next is informing Strata Management Manager of the issues, talk to the owner, etc.


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## Ellemac (Aug 2, 2021)

You're absolutely right that things are going to start failing at this point especially without regular maintenance. I've done as much as I think I can. I filled up every hole I can find. Bought box fans to put in the window to suck air in from outside and create positive pressure when the cooking smell gets too overwhelming. That works within minutes to clear the smells but obviously I can't do that year round. I can't really show you a picture of the vent pipe because it's the plumbing vent pipe that's behind the wall. I don't know if there's a hole in it or if it's a clog but something's definitely wrong with it if I can smell food waste through an exhaust fan when my neighbor uses a garbage disposal. That's just bizarre. I sent an email this weekend to both my manager and the corporate office explaining the urgency of getting a plumber here because I'm breathing in the smell of wastewater and it's nasty. I'm currently trying an experiment and have every drain opening covered and the bathroom door closed to see if and when she cooks today does the smell still comes through or at least as badly. I've about had it with her up there though, I'll tell you that much. She had company last night and there was a child running and jumping for five straight hours until 2:40 a.m. She has flooded her kitchen with her washer (her fault) causing my kitchen ceiling to burst open, she overflowed water in the bathroom causing a leak from my bathroom ceiling, she has a sign in her front window that says F ice, she's stinking me out of my home then she lies and says she's not even cooking when you can smell it pouring out of her front door and filling the hallway and now she thinks it's okay to let some kid jump around until the middle of the night. She got a lease violation for housekeeping issues, mistakenly put on my door, luckily I guess so I could see it, she's in breach of her lease by using her balcony as a giant closet, dripping plant water onto my patio, having a Mexican flag as a curtain (lease says white curtains only) on and on. Maybe it's time to work on getting her out of here since she's really the problem, plumbing aside.


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## Kaleidoscope_2020 (Jun 13, 2021)

Well the point is if u can move out to a cheaper place like a homes basement and maybe work on saving more from there since you’ve been telling us that you have money issues. If u can find a cheaper place for rent that’s not an apartment can be worth considering. The amount of problems your having now is going to continue. Owner won’t pay for all that, management need time and might not do everything to resolve the issues that your having since the building is really old. Too many problems their having already I’m guessing. Is there really no other place you can rent out for cheap than the place your living in?


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## Ellemac (Aug 2, 2021)

Kaleidoscope_2020 said:


> Well the point is if u can move out to a cheaper place like a homes basement and maybe work on saving more from there since you’ve been telling us that you have money issues. If u can find a cheaper place for rent that’s not an apartment can be worth considering. The amount of problems your having now is going to continue. Owner won’t pay for all that, management need time and might not do everything to resolve the issues that your having since the building is really old. Too many problems their having already I’m guessing. Is there really no other place you can rent out for cheap than the place your living in?


Believe it or not I live in the cheapest apartment complex in my area and the rent is $1,300. It was on par with several other complexes 3 years ago but all of those others have raised prices since covid because people aren't moving much and availability is at a premium so they jacked up prices to what the market will bear. Basement apartments are a little hard to come by and I have two small dogs so not everyone wants that in a private home but I continue to look anyway. It's not so much that I'm having money problems but I am not willing to pay $1,700 and up for a one bedroom apartment that's maybe 600 some sq. ft. One I called last week wants $2100 for a 3rd floor apt. They're nuts! This isn't NYC! Even the apartment complexes here that are known for their crime, and I mean the places that pizza delivery drivers don't even want to go to because they get robbed so often, that normally I wouldn't even consider moving to, have rents higher than mine now, starting in the upper $1500's but no vacancies. Even where I live there are no vacancies and a one-year waiting list. Housing is very hard to find now, at least around here. My daughter and her boyfriend just bought a townhouse and had to offer 39K over asking price just to get their offer accepted, then it underappraised by 5K so they had to pay that too, plus the roof is bad and needs replacing. Housing is no joke here now. My apartments are managed by a very large corporation so money shouldn't be an issue to fixing things, it's just finding someone who gives a crap, and there's one woman there who does and is helping me and it's not even her area within the corporation. Next step is to file a complaint with the county, the department that issues rental licenses, and have one of their inspectors come out. That's my final move in this chess game but I'll make it if they force me.


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## Ellemac (Aug 2, 2021)

Bit of good news. The head of maintenance from the corporate office showed up at my apartment today and he is scheduling the plumber to camera the pipes because he does believe there is a venting issue. He is also putting in a service ticket to have maintenance go to the upstairs apartment and seal up the hole behind her stove around the gas pipe and any other openings they may find, even though my rental office said they can't do that unless she requests it, and why would she when she doesn't have a problem. We're getting somewhere. The plumber should be here Wednesday possibly Thursday so fingers crossed they find something. Guess you really do have to be the squeaky wheel sometimes. Oh and also move up the ranks and don't take no for an answer especially when you have a rental manager who doesn't give a crap.


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## Kaleidoscope_2020 (Jun 13, 2021)

I think the strata rules allow building maintenance and repairs so they should be able to go upstairs to the apartment and seal up the hole where your neighbour is provided there is a notice. If they refuse then the bill is on them if they fail to let the servicemen in. As for your rental manager/owner, I don't think they are saying the truth on the matter. They have responsibility to the rental client and you can bill them for the stuff that you've paid to get fixed otherwise you can go to court with it if they don't agree though I don't know how that will play out since I'm sure the problems that were addressed were not approved by the owner. Did you get approval from the owner to do maintenance of the rental property like fixing the stuff you talked about? Also isn't your neighbour supposed to pay for the damages she incurred to the property your living in?


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## huesmann (Aug 18, 2011)

What damages did the neighbor cause, vs. building issues?


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## Ellemac (Aug 2, 2021)

I didn't really


Kaleidoscope_2020 said:


> I think the strata rules allow building maintenance and repairs so they should be able to go upstairs to the apartment and seal up the hole where your neighbour is provided there is a notice. If they refuse then the bill is on them if they fail to let the servicemen in. As for your rental manager/owner, I don't think they are saying the truth on the matter. They have responsibility to the rental client and you can bill them for the stuff that you've paid to get fixed otherwise you can go to court with it if they don't agree though I don't know how that will play out since I'm sure the problems that were addressed were not approved by the owner. Did you get approval from the owner to do maintenance of the rental property like fixing the stuff you talked about? Also isn't your neighbour supposed to pay for the damages she incurred to the property your living in?


I didn't do any repairs so to speak other than putting steel wool around the holes in pipes under the sinks because a couple neighbors told me they saw mice, sprayed a little foam insulation behind the cabinet and put removable weather stripping on the edge of my front door. You're right though I would need permission to do anything major which they would not give me. I agree the building manager is not being honest when she says they can't go into this person's apartment and try to solve my problem because she said the neighbor might feel targeted. That's ridiculous. Nobody is targeting her ethnicity. There is a structural problem with her apartment causing an issue in mine and absolutely they should have just sent the maintenance guys in to fix the hole. It took the head engineer of the maintenance department for the huge corporation to say yes, we can absolutely go into her apartment and fill the holes, we just need to give her notice. My manager is just lazy and rude and wants to do as little as possible. I don't believe the neighbor will be responsible for any expenses because she did not cause any damage to the apartment that I know of, it's just the hole behind her stove that the gas pipe goes into and you know the holes are always larger than the pipes everywhere. Heck, she ran her washing machine with the hose disconnected which flooded her kitchen and burst open my kitchen ceiling and I don't believe she even got in trouble for that. This woman has been a real problem for me in numerous ways.


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## Ellemac (Aug 2, 2021)

huesmann said:


> What damages did the neighbor cause, vs. building issues?


None that I know of regarding this current smell issue. She did run her washing machine with the hose disconnected which flooded her kitchen and made my kitchen ceiling burst open when I first moved in. That was quite a repair and I had to have an enormous dryer aiming up at the hole in the ceiling running very loudly for three straight days using my electricity at my expense. This woman has been a thorn in my side and caused me a lot of issues because she's just very careless.


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## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

Ellemac said:


> This woman has been a thorn in my side and caused me a lot of issues because she's just very careless.


that is how many of them are. my MiL's last house, she lived there 50'ish years. regular blue collar neighborhood. one neighbors house was very plain, but kept clean. the other neighbor fixed the house up to be very nice, i'm talking magazine cover nice. the plain house, immigrants moved in and turned it into a small junkyard. the very nice house, they turned it into a slum hole, and that is putting it mildly. and these were houses that they owned, not rented.


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## Kaleidoscope_2020 (Jun 13, 2021)

Well in a sense of the word you can’t tell someone not to cook in their own apartment and whatever damage they do to other apartments they have to pay for it. Just bill them for those. As for holes in walls just make sure the building supervisors does that to their side and yours too just for insurances sake. That way, you don’t have to do anything else to diy the problem and let pros do their jobs.


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## Ellemac (Aug 2, 2021)

Kaleidoscope_2020 said:


> Well in a sense of the word you can’t tell someone not to cook in their own apartment and whatever damage they do to other apartments they have to pay for it. Just bill them for those. As for holes in walls just make sure the building supervisors does that to their side and yours too just for insurances sake. That way, you don’t have to do anything else to diy the problem and let pros do their jobs.


You're right, you can't tell someone what they can and cannot cook but dang this is the strongest smelling food ever and I don't think anyone should cook like this when you're in such close proximity to your neighbors. At least I wouldn't but I'm a considerate person. I worked in restaurants when I was younger and even while they were cooking multiple different kinds of foods I never smelled such a strong smell. Yesterday morning at 11:30 a.m. she started cooking Mexican fish or something and I was dying. She did open her patio door but all that did was fill the entire outside of the building with this smell as well as inside my apartment. Anyway every hole in my apartment has been filled in. The rental office and local maintenance guy said they cannot go into her apartment unless she requests it, but she will never request it because she doesn't have a problem. The engineer/head maintenance guy from corporate said of course we can go in her apartment, we just need to give her notice and he was supposed to put in a ticket to have her kitchen sealed up. The plumbers are coming Monday to camera the pipes. Monday can't come soon enough because the problem is getting so severe in my bathroom that it's almost unusable. It positively reeks of new and rotted onions, cumin and tortillas. It's absolutely disgusting. Now I have a fun new problem. My bathroom exhaust fan grill fell off last week, out of nowhere just fell. I can see that the cut out for the fan is about 1/2" larger than the fan itself. Cool air is coming in through that 1/2" space all the time. When I turn my fan on it pulls air out through my fan and at the same time air is forcefully pushed out through that space. Where is that air coming from? Are the exhaust fan ducts broken now or what? I don't even know anymore. Last night around midnight I smelled fish in the tiny hallway between my kitchen and bathroom but only right there. My breaker box is in this space. Then I remembered oh bad electric outlets and things like that can cause a fishy smell so here I am running around almost 1 in the morning now touching, sniffing, looking at all my light switches and outlets but found nothing wrong. Then remnants of her food smell start coming through my air conditioning vents again along with that sort of sickly sweet mildew smell. Now it's 2 a.m. and I am just beside myself at this point because it seems like there are too many problems here to solve. We'll see what happens after the plumbers come on Monday because maybe that's the source of it all, who knows. I doubt it though because that doesn't connect to the HVAC system. Exhausted!


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## Kaleidoscope_2020 (Jun 13, 2021)

Ellemac said:


> You're right, you can't tell someone what they can and cannot cook but dang this is the strongest smelling food ever and I don't think anyone should cook like this when you're in such close proximity to your neighbors. At least I wouldn't but I'm a considerate person. I worked in restaurants when I was younger and even while they were cooking multiple different kinds of foods I never smelled such a strong smell. Yesterday morning at 11:30 a.m. she started cooking Mexican fish or something and I was dying. She did open her patio door but all that did was fill the entire outside of the building with this smell as well as inside my apartment. Anyway every hole in my apartment has been filled in. The rental office and local maintenance guy said they cannot go into her apartment unless she requests it, but she will never request it because she doesn't have a problem. The engineer/head maintenance guy from corporate said of course we can go in her apartment, we just need to give her notice and he was supposed to put in a ticket to have her kitchen sealed up. The plumbers are coming Monday to camera the pipes. Monday can't come soon enough because the problem is getting so severe in my bathroom that it's almost unusable. It positively reeks of new and rotted onions, cumin and tortillas. It's absolutely disgusting. Now I have a fun new problem. My bathroom exhaust fan grill fell off last week, out of nowhere just fell. I can see that the cut out for the fan is about 1/2" larger than the fan itself. Cool air is coming in through that 1/2" space all the time. When I turn my fan on it pulls air out through my fan and at the same time air is forcefully pushed out through that space. Where is that air coming from? Are the exhaust fan ducts broken now or what? I don't even know anymore. Last night around midnight I smelled fish in the tiny hallway between my kitchen and bathroom but only right there. My breaker box is in this space. Then I remembered oh bad electric outlets and things like that can cause a fishy smell so here I am running around almost 1 in the morning now touching, sniffing, looking at all my light switches and outlets but found nothing wrong. Then remnants of her food smell start coming through my air conditioning vents again along with that sort of sickly sweet mildew smell. Now it's 2 a.m. and I am just beside myself at this point because it seems like there are too many problems here to solve. We'll see what happens after the plumbers come on Monday because maybe that's the source of it all, who knows. I doubt it though because that doesn't connect to the HVAC system. Exhausted!


Well I’m afraid your going to have to deal with those problems. Already warned you that there is going to be tons of issues. The vent might have mold and mildew your smelling and for all I know it could have asbestos coming out with how old the building is. Not great for health. If you have a friend or family, you might want to consider sleeping over for a few days just to get away from the smell and health problems. In the end there’s something wrong with the pipes and sealing the walls is only temporary fix. Wait for the plumbers to do their jobs and hopefully solve the problems.


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## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

Where are you in general? Sounds like California rents.


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## huesmann (Aug 18, 2011)

Washington DC area. Probably rivals Cali, but neither has anything on Manhattan.


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## Ellemac (Aug 2, 2021)

Nik333 said:


> Where are you in general? Sounds like California rents.


Maryland. Very expensive area too. Housing expenses are 222% higher than the national average according to some chart I saw. You wouldn't think this would be going on. I just happen to live in the one slum I suppose.


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## Ellemac (Aug 2, 2021)

Kaleidoscope_2020 said:


> Well I’m afraid your going to have to deal with those problems. Already warned you that there is going to be tons of issues. The vent might have mold and mildew your smelling and for all I know it could have asbestos coming out with how old the building is. Not great for health. If you have a friend or family, you might want to consider sleeping over for a few days just to get away from the smell and health problems. In the end there’s something wrong with the pipes and sealing the walls is only temporary fix. Wait for the plumbers to do their jobs and hopefully solve the problems.


You are correct. Everything is riding on the plumber Monday. This apartment complex is on four different streets so I walked around the one behind me the other day just to check it out in case I need to transfer buildings. I walked into 8 of them. Only 2 smelled normal and clean. Four of them you are hit with a dumpster type smell as you approach the main entrance, nowhere near a dumpster I might add. One of them smelled so horrific like filth and mildew I don't know how anyone lives there. One of them smelled exactly like my building with the Mexican cooking. So two out of eight were acceptable based only on the hallway and who knows what's going on behind the scenes, but those are not good odds since they'd just stick me in the next available apartment. My building always has a little funk smell which I'm sure is the neighbor cooking smell embedded into the hallway carpet but if they can stop it from being in my place, I can deal until I can get out.


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## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

do you have sentimental or practical reasons for staying in the maryland area ?


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## Ellemac (Aug 2, 2021)

Fix'n it said:


> do you have sentimental or practical reasons for staying in the maryland area ?


Yeah my daughter is here, but she and her boyfriend just bought a house in the next county so I'm very open to surrounding areas.


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## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

Ellemac said:


> Yeah my daughter is here, but she and her boyfriend just bought a house in the next county so I'm very open to surrounding areas.


ok. i can't say what rents are like around there, but you should at least check them out. and you may have to look hard, for example, where we live there is a senior complex, its small, 30 units ? all 1 bedroom. this is in a very safe, well kept neighborhood. all in, bills and all, $700 a month. btw, idk if you are senior or not, that was just an example


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## Ellemac (Aug 2, 2021)

Fix'n it said:


> ok. i can't say what rents are like around there, but you should at least check them out. and you may have to look hard, for example, where we live there is a senior complex, its small, 30 units ? all 1 bedroom. this is in a very safe, well kept neighborhood. all in, bills and all, $700 a month. btw, idk if you are senior or not, that was just an example


I'm not quite a senior but I'm getting close  so that's been on the back burner when I qualify in a few short years. I'm hoping so bad that the plumbers figure this out Monday. A funny finding... I decided to put the plug in both the bathtub and bathroom sink and add a little bit of water so no air could escape and the smell is completely gone. Prior to that I bent down to adjust the little strainer in the tub drain and I realized the food smell was actually inside the faucet but is gone now after plugging it all up. This is just the most bizarre thing ever. I know zero about plumbing but I feel like that bodes well for this definitely being a plumbing problem that they can fix, although it might be a huge job, I have no idea.


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## Ellemac (Aug 2, 2021)

Who's ready for an update because I know I am LOL. The plumbers came yesterday if you want to call them plumbers. Miserable experience. They came to my home with no masks on during a pandemic, very uncool. The main plumber guy had a little buddy with him who just followed him around like a puppy. Main plumber guy positively reeked of cigarette smoke and I mean he left a trail like Pigpen in Charlie Brown. He said I'm not going on the roof. He claims that his roof walking days are over, so one of them goes upstairs and starts running water and flushing toilets and I don't know how that's going to suss out a smell but okay. He cuts a hole over my toilet to expose the pipe and then he cuts another huge hole over my kitchen sink where there are no pipes. I said why are you doing this and he said trying to track down this smell and I said but she's not cooking right now so whatcha gonna smell? You were hired to camera the pipes to check for a venting issue. So then they disappear and suddenly she starts cooking because I can smell the onions and the smell is pouring out the holes they cut open so I run outside to find them and they're gone. They pull up about 5 minutes later and I said hurry come in you can smell it now she's cooking onions, so instead of coming in here they went upstairs into her apartment. He comes back down and says yep she was cooking steak and onions and I smell it in the hallway and I definitely smell it in her apartment but I don't smell it in your apartment. I said yes because you took so long to get in here that she finished cooking, it's on her plate so the smell is no longer drifting through, but if it wasn't smelling in here then explain how I knew it was onions. I asked him if he's got a good sense of smell and he said nah so just great, send the plumber who can't smell to find a smell! So I ask if he can do the peppermint test and he says yeahhhh but that smell gets everywhere. Hello, that's the point of it to find any leaks, if it gets everywhere you have found leaks otherwise no smell will be "everywhere." Smoke test maybe? No. 
Then he goes upstairs to cut a hole in the pipe to put the camera in. I'm sitting here three hours waiting for him to come back and tell me something but that was not to be because they just left without saying a word to me. They told the office they found no problem and I'm gutted, they were my last chance to solve this and they send a plumber from the Elmer Fudd school of plumbing with no sense of smell, so better start packing because I gotta move to who knows where. Around 11 p.m. last night I noticed the pipe in the wall above the toilet where he cut the hole is dripping. The wood in the back of the hole is soaking wet. Did he not patch up his pipe cut properly or was the leak always there, who knows. I wrapped a towel around the pipe to prevent more building damage because it didn't seem major enough for emergency maintenance. I was told the contractors would be here today to fix the holes so I called the rental office first thing when they opened today to say don't send the contractors because the pipe is leaking, you can't seal up the hole yet. The contractor showed up anyway because the receptionist at the rental office sucks. Anyway I sent a video of the dripping to the manager and next thing I know I got a call that the entire head of maintenance for the corporation who manages maintenance for 15 of their properties will be here in 5 minutes. Now we're getting somewhere because he sees so many things wrong and he's read the entire email chain between me and corporate. He said the bathroom exhaust fan is not working right at all because it's blowing air out and in at the same time, he sees a screw from the kitchen cabinets in a water pipe and he said he doesn't want to give me false hope but he has an idea of why this smell is happening but he needs permission to go upstairs so that'll take a day or so. He said this makes no sense because the lady upstairs has only been here a couple months longer than me and this just suddenly starts happening so clearly something's going on. Finally someone gets it and doesn't blow me off. He gave me his email and personal number to contact him if I feel like I'm getting shafted over this in any way. And now I wait for whatever his idea is to be dealt with and put into action. This is too exhausting.


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## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

Ellemac said:


> Who's ready for an update because I know I am LOL.


 i am following and rooting for you


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## huesmann (Aug 18, 2011)

How can the fan be blowing in and out at the same time?


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## Ellemac (Aug 2, 2021)

huesmann said:


> How can the fan be blowing in and out at the same time?


The fan is sucking air in as it should but the cutout for the fan is about a half inch wider than the fan on one side so the air is blowing out of that space between my ceiling and her floor. The maintenance regional manager said well that shouldn't be happening. You think?


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## Ellemac (Aug 2, 2021)

The plumbers were supposed to come back yesterday, the lady in the office called at 10:30 and said they're on their way about your smell and they never showed up. They showed up this morning though and I tried to discuss the smell and the smart-ass kid wants to argue with me that it has to do with her kitchen vent not being properly vented and I told him they are recirculating vents they don't vent outside we have microwaves over the stove and he argued with me for a solid minute about what kind of vent is in my own home. Then he said we're only here to fix the leak anyway and I said well sorry they told me yesterday you're coming about the smell. After that he decided he would smirk at me and kind of laugh every time he walked past me. So they proceeded to cut a huge section of pipe out because there was indeed a screw from when they updated the kitchen cabinets, before I moved in, that went through the pipe. I guess it was fortuitous that they cut that hole Monday because that leak must have been going on almost 4 years. That would explain the mildew smell behind the walls. They left the bathroom in complete shambles, the floor is soaking wet, my shower curtain is wet, there is debris everywhere. On the plus side, upstairs neighbor was away for 24 hours so I got a smell break. Hoping she was gone for the holiday weekend but no such luck.


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## Kaleidoscope_2020 (Jun 13, 2021)

So in the end is the problem solved or no? Also the toilet looks like a goner with it having cracks like that.


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## huesmann (Aug 18, 2011)

I literally thought the same thing in my head—"your toilet is a goner"—when I saw that pic.

Elemac, are they at least cutting you a break on your rent for this inconvenience?


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## Ellemac (Aug 2, 2021)

Kaleidoscope_2020 said:


> So in the end is the problem solved or no? Also the toilet looks like a goner with it having cracks like that.


No I don't believe the problem is solved. It seems likely to be two different issues. A screw in a water pipe shouldn't be causing me to smell her food coming through everywhere... Maybe that's the reason I smell it when I turn the water on in the tub but who knows at this point. She's been away since Thursday so no cooking which has been wonderful but I can't test out what's happening now. They need to address whatever the reason is that air blows in from the side of my exhaust fan because it seems like her cooking smells are going behind the walls. Believe it or not those lines on the toilet are all remnants of their dirt and filth they left behind and not cracks. There is a hairline crack inside the bowl dead center in the back so I put in a repair ticket for that as well as they need to caulk around the bottom of the toilet as you can see.


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## Ellemac (Aug 2, 2021)

huesmann said:


> I literally thought the same thing in my head—"your toilet is a goner"—when I saw that pic.
> 
> Elemac, are they at least cutting you a break on your rent for this inconvenience?


Nope no break on the rent. What looks like cracks are really lines of dirt and I was going to scrub it all up but they're coming Tuesday to close up the holes so the drywall guys will make a new mess. I agree the toilet may be a goner in other ways because there's a crack inside the bowl and ever since the plumbers were here they must have leaned on the tank and now it wobbles back and forth so I'm just waiting for that to fall off and had to put in yet another service ticket. I'm so done with this nonsense.


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## Ellemac (Aug 2, 2021)

Y'all were right, the toilet was a goner but not because of what looks like cracks at the base but because of what I said that the plumbers leaned on the tank and made it wobble. They tried to tighten it today but the bolt was so rusted that it started leaking from the gasket so I've got a brand spanking new really cheap high efficiency toilet. Never a dull moment.


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## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

tiny steps


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## Ellemac (Aug 2, 2021)

I think I figured out the problem. There has to be broken or leaking ductwork. 

The contractor came Friday and sealed the holes from the plumber and the paint they used was so vile smelling that I had to take my dogs and myself outside because I was getting light-headed. 4 days later I can still smell it in here, especially in the bathroom. 

Monday maintenance went upstairs and sealed/insulated behind her stove. Tuesday she cooked lunch and I smelled it so that did not solve it. 

Tuesday afternoon the contractor went to her apartment to seal the hole from the plumber. After he was there a while my air conditioner turned on and immediately my entire apartment was flooded with that vile paint smell just pouring in from the vents. It was so overwhelming that I had to go outside to breathe for a second then I ran back in and turned my air conditioner off and the smell immediately stopped coming in. 

So does this mean her ducts are the problem? It would seem so except how are her smells getting into my ducts and out my air vents unless mine also have a leak? Or is it my ducts? Above my pay grade to know about ductwork. At midnight I finally turned my AC back on and the paint smell is still coming from the vents. I expect it will smell for days since mine has done the same. Cheaping out with paint so foul smelling that it lasts for days is not acceptable. They've painted here before and this didn't happen. 

Did I mention her grown son who is illegally living there bought a freaking treadmill? Any idea what a treadmill over your head sounds like? 🤬 So done with that family.


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## Kaleidoscope_2020 (Jun 13, 2021)

If I were you I would take some time to live with your friends or family until things are resolved or move out. Breathing in paint is not healthy and is cancerous to health not to mention whatever gas, mold and mildew, etc you are smelling at your place is not making it any better. As for the treadmill, isn’t it illegal to have treadmill at apartment since it causes a disturbance? Can’t you notify strata? As for the vents, you are assuming that somewhere between your apartment and their apartment there’s a link where the smell is coming from. Have you notified the building supervisor of the problem?


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## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

Ellemac said:


> I came to this apartment building five times at different times of the day to see if there were any freaky smells and never once did I smell a thing...until I moved in.





Ellemac said:


> Yesterday morning at 11:30 a.m. she started cooking Mexican fish or something and I was dying. She did open her patio door but all that did was fill the entire outside of the building with this smell as well as inside my apartment.





Ellemac said:


> Did I mention her grown son who is illegally living there bought a freaking treadmill? Any idea what a treadmill over your head sounds like?


I think at this point, they're doing it on purpose. It sounds like a young man to assert what he thinks is his & his mother's rights. I once asked a roving Mariachi band in Mexico not to play so close to our table. What a mistake! The local gentleman next to us, tipped them well to play louder!

You need to think about how management will regard you after all this. Even if they are wrong. You seem to have a sensitivity to smells. You mentioned that you smelled the area before moving in.

I don't know what the answer is, but, you catch more flies with honey than vinegar, as my mother used to say. You don't want to be everyone's enemy.

Have you tried to use fans to push the smells away? I didn't quite understand what you did with the fans. Trying to "create positive pressure" can also actually be just pulling air from elsewhere. I learned how much any fan including that of an air purifier can pull air in, during the wildfires. Have you tried ozone? Athough, it's supposed to be bad for the environment, it does work on smells. There are air-purifiers that create ozone, unless they've been banned.

An older firefighter/appliance repirman recommended that I have the County come in to weatherize. They check for air leaks. I'm not sure why they do the service but they do.

A handyman that lives next door has stopped the smells from coming into my place via outlets. I think it was actually some kind of sound-proofing wall board? it stopped the smells and the sounds. His wife has had a stroke and sometimes will scream & cry at him for long periods.

You could cultivate a taste for skunk, I suppose. I'm not serious.


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## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

I just thought of something. I've been a hospital nurse for a long time and you can get used to awful smells, not that I like them at home. Nurses wear surgical masks or apply Vicks Vapo-Rub to their upper lips. Have you tried sauteeing something you don't mind, like garlic, or cloves/cinnamon, something strong, when the smells start? It can make your nose stop smelling it. Noseblind. Of course, your nose does reset in fresh air. Not a long term solution.


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## Kaleidoscope_2020 (Jun 13, 2021)

At this point maybe you should just boil vinegar to cover the smell for now and kill some germs while your at it. Also helps with the paint.


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## Ellemac (Aug 2, 2021)

Kaleidoscope_2020 said:


> If I were you I would take some time to live with your friends or family until things are resolved or move out. Breathing in paint is not healthy and is cancerous to health not to mention whatever gas, mold and mildew, etc you are smelling at your place is not making it any better. As for the treadmill, isn’t it illegal to have treadmill at apartment since it causes a disturbance? Can’t you notify strata? As for the vents, you are assuming that somewhere between your apartment and their apartment there’s a link where the smell is coming from. Have you notified the building supervisor of the problem?


I called the office today to ask if people on upper floors are allowed to have treadmills and she said yes ma'am. I asked her if she has any idea what a treadmill over your head sounds like and she said yes I do. They care about nothing here. I did indeed email the regional maintenance manager about the paint smell coming through the vents to let him know I really think it's a ventilation issue. We'll see what he says.


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## Ellemac (Aug 2, 2021)

Nik333 said:


> I just thought of something. I've been a hospital nurse for a long time and you can get used to awful smells. Nurses wear surgical masks or apply Vicks Vapo-Rub to their upper lips. Have you tried sauteeing something you don't mind, like garlic, or cloves/cinnamon, something strong, when the smells start? It can make your nose stop smelling it. Noseblind. Of course, your nose does reset in fresh air. Not a long term solution.


Actually I bought a product called Stink Balm that was created by a nurse and you rub it under and around your nose. You should check it out, it comes in a lot of fun scents. It's meant to be worn under a mask and it does work to a degree but you can only wear a mask in your own home for so long. It helps a lot when I have to go to anywhere I know will smell bad. I've tried so many things to cover her food smells and it's honestly weird that nothing works. Not even 2 medical grade air purifiers running at the same time. Other neighbors cook but only her food makes me this sick. I think because those are passing smells that fade but hers come throughout my vents and just linger here. I don't know...


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## Kaleidoscope_2020 (Jun 13, 2021)

I think you should move. I’m sorry to say this but with all the negatives here, I don’t see a point in staying. Why should you lose sleep, deteriorate your health + lifespan (cancer), and continue to deal with this nonsense? Anyways if you still want to continue to live there then it’s your choice. Also you should get your health checked. Just in case.


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## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

Ellemac said:


> . . . it's honestly weird that nothing works. Not even 2 medical grade air purifiers running at the same time.


 It could be in a gaseous form & pass thru all the filters. I had a Mexican woman as a patient once who gave herself a serious asthma attack thru cooking spices, probably chiles in oil without a good vent. It's like pepper-spray. I always try to remember to back away from Jalapeno peppers cooking. I can't imagine Habenero peppers cooking. You should find out where she's from, exactly. There are regional foods. She might not even be Mexican.

"Pepper spray is also, inarguably, an irritant. Capsaicin probably evolved as an antifungal agent, according to 2008 research, Live Science previously reported. But when capsaicin touches a mucous membrane, it triggers pain receptors, creating a burning sensation. In response, the mucous membranes produce mucus and tears in an effort to wash away the irritant. It's this bodily response that makes pepper spray an effective, yet dangerous, method for crowd suppression: People have difficulty breathing and their vision becomes blurred as tear ducts overflow and eyelids swell." Livescience. Actually, that's a good defense for you to management.
I was taught in a Food science course that peppers appeal to people's sense of not sweet, sour, bitter or salty, but* pain*.

I just posted about a serious air-purifier that cleans the air of gases, too, but, it was many hundreds of dollars. You have to allow yourself some air!


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## Ellemac (Aug 2, 2021)

Nik333 said:


> I think at this point, they're doing it on purpose. It sounds like a young man to assert what he thinks is his & his mother's rights. I once asked a roving Mariachi band in Mexico not to play so close to our table. What a mistake! The local gentleman next to us, tipped them well to play louder!
> 
> You need to think about how management will regard you after all this. Even if they are wrong. You seem to have a sensitivity to smells. You mentioned that you smelled the area before moving in.
> 
> ...


Funny because my daughter said the same thing today, that maybe they're doing it on purpose now. I'll remember that tip about the mariachi band if I'm ever in Mexico LOL. Honestly I am starting to feel like a real pain in


Nik333 said:


> I think at this point, they're doing it on purpose. It sounds like a young man to assert what he thinks is his & his mother's rights. I once asked a roving Mariachi band in Mexico not to play so close to our table. What a mistake! The local gentleman next to us, tipped them well to play louder!
> 
> You need to think about how management will regard you after all this. Even if they are wrong. You seem to have a sensitivity to smells. You mentioned that you smelled the area before moving in.
> 
> ...


Funny but my daughter said the same thing today, that maybe they're doing this on purpose now. I'll remember your tip if I ever find myself in Mexico near a mariachi band LOL. 

I'm honestly trying to be as polite as possible but I am starting to feel like quite a pain in the behind to the rental office and the maintenance guys and the regional manager and so on. I also tried to be very polite to my neighbor and one time I simply knocked on her door to ask her if she would please open a window when she cooks until we can get this problem solved and instead of saying yeah sure she called the office to complain that I knocked on her door. I've been very kind to her the past 3 or so years, I've shared herb plants with her, offered to go buy allergy medicine for her and her daughter, comforted her through her TWO episodes of bedbugs...so I don't understand her behavior. 

What I did with the fans was to close all other windows and put two box fans stacked in my dining room window sucking outdoor air inside to create positive pressure and the smells go away within five minutes. That's obviously not a year-round option but just a temporary fix until they can solve whatever is going on. I'm doing it right now to push out the paint smell. 

I have 2 medical grade HEPA 13 air purifiers running 24/7, one has an ozone button, but they don't touch the smell. I even called the companies to ask why and was told since the smell is not on a particle that the filter couldn't trap it, which sounds like bs because the air is still going through the carbon part of the filter which should help with odors. 

You're right that I am very sensitive to smells and the reason I mentioned smelling this in a different building was because this apartment complex has always had a large proportion of Hispanic families so I was trying to make sure I wasn't getting myself into a building that smelled from day one. The first vacant apartment I went to, you could smell this exact smell from outside on the sidewalk and around the entire side of the building. Veto and figured I better really check out the other available apartments thoroughly. Clearly I was wrong. Then again how could I know that a duct would break or whatever happened. There is a family from El Salvador and another from Guatemala in my building and they cook, I smell it in the hallway, do I like the smell...no, but it doesn't make me sick and it's gone quickly whereas the one upstairs enters my home and stays indefinitely. Whatever she's cooking does not make my gag reflex happy. Ah well, it will all end soon enough, one way or the other.


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## Ellemac (Aug 2, 2021)

Nik333 said:


> It could be in a gaseous form & pass thru all the filters. I had a Mexican woman as a patient once who gave herself a serious asthma attack thru cooking spices, probably chiles in oil without a good vent. It's like pepper-spray. I always try to remember to back away from Jalapeno peppers cooking. I can't imagine Habenero peppers cooking. You should find out where she's from, exactly. There are regional foods. She might not even be Mexican.


She's definitely from Mexico. Funny about the peppers and asthma because she's always taking about her and her daughter's allergy problems that won't go away and they can't breathe. I can barely breathe and not even in the same room as the food cooking. 

Where did you post about the air cleaner? I'm up for almost any solution at this point.


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## Ellemac (Aug 2, 2021)

Kaleidoscope_2020 said:


> I think you should move. I’m sorry to say this but with all the negatives here, I don’t see a point in staying. Why should you lose sleep, deteriorate your health + lifespan (cancer), and continue to deal with this nonsense? Anyways if you still want to continue to live there then it’s your choice. Also you should get your health checked. Just in case.


I agree and I did call the rental office today to tell them to put me on the wait list to transfer apartments in case they simply can't solve this problem. I'm sick of it, literally and figuratively. The 11 days she was gone and I felt like my normal healthy self again made me know I can't continue with this nonsense. Nothing available until November or December right now though.


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## Ellemac (Aug 2, 2021)

I forgot to show you this. These were the AC vents in my living room that the contractor took down last week. I made him give them to me because I think I need to have them tested for mold or whatever. This is disgusting.


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## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

I bet it's why your neighbor has allergies.

Here's the cleaner. It doesn't do gases but does do smaller particles. 









IQAir | First in Air Quality


Explore air quality in your city and around the world. Air quality data, collaboration tools, and technology solutions – powered by IQAir.




www.iqair.com





Come to thnk of it this air sharing is a real risk for COVID.


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## huesmann (Aug 18, 2011)

Nik333 said:


> I think at this point, they're doing it on purpose.


People gotta eat.


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## Ellemac (Aug 2, 2021)

Nik333 said:


> Come to thnk of it this air sharing is a real risk for COVID.


Believe me I've thought and worried about that and brought it up several times to people involved. If I'm smelling her food am I getting her air...nah. Always blown off. After yesterday's paint bomb through the vents there's no doubt to me. Luckily they're vaccinated upstairs, I guess.


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## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

It's Airborne like smoke. Tell them they're wrong.


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## Ellemac (Aug 2, 2021)

huesmann said:


> People gotta eat.


Yeahhhhh but she's recently started full on cooking for lunch now too. She knows there's a problem with smell transfer, she knows it's making me sick, she knows they're trying to figure it out, so let's cook more. What's wrong with a sandwich? 

Yep people gotta eat including me but I can't because of her nausea inducing smells. Can't imagine being as miserable a human being as her to have such little compassion. If it were reversed and a neighbor basically begged me to open a window when I cooked I most definitely would do it, not refuse and cook even more. I would be the one contacting maintenance to seal up my apartment so it doesn't make my neighbor sick. But I'm decent.


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## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

often foreigners have contempt for Americans.


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## Ellemac (Aug 2, 2021)

Fix'n it said:


> often foreigners have contempt for Americans.


Very true. She doesn't even like the people here from other South American countries, always snarky comments about those kids being troublemakers and people mistake them for being Mexican. Sigh.


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## Ellemac (Aug 2, 2021)

Well they finally believe me that it's coming through the ductwork. I think the paint bomb of smell yesterday was the clincher. The paint smell is still coming through vents today and I imagine for days to come. I may go to a hotel for a bit to get a break and protect me and my tiny pups from the fumes. I have a killer headache and it's 90 degrees today so no AC is uncool...😉 

He's talking about one last idea to seal the ducts with minimal cutting into walls or ceilings so I think he's looking at Aeroseal or similar. He said he's never requested that for anyone before and the entire company has never done this for anyone before so he needs a few days to get it set up. I'm staying on the list to move because I don't trust anything but we'll see. I feel good that at least this man values me enough to go through this when they could easily put a new tenant in here who may not have one complaint, though I don't know who would be okay with this. 

I talked to the HVAC guy that I used to install an AC and furnace in my old condo and he thinks there's a problem with my return air duct. I've also got a company coming out Monday to do a free estimate with an infrared camera or something to look at the ducts for disconnections vs leaks. Onward.


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## Kaleidoscope_2020 (Jun 13, 2021)

Well if I were you I would try going at it with a different approach. Maybe try talking to her and give her a suggestion that the spice might be causing her daughters allergy problems. A hint will do. She won’t care about you but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t care for her daughter. Who knows, she might just stop for a few days and see. Might just give you some air to breathe at least for a few days.

As for the grills, it’s disgusting. I hope u can clean that up and maybe the inside a bit if possible since it’s beneficial to u I think if it’s not like greased with tar like substance. Maybe try krud kutter. Helps degrease a lot and maybe u can clean it up with that. Also try to clean up whatever needs to be worked on at the apartment if I were u. Place needs a lot of maintenance work for it to be habitable.


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## Ellemac (Aug 2, 2021)

PaulDay said:


> It's possible that during the apartment's life the original hood vent, that was vented to the outside, was removed and replaced with the microwave, leaving the original vent open and allowing odors in when she's cooking upstairs. You would need to remove the microwave to verify this


This! I was reading through the thread and saw your comment again. An HVAC company just said the same exact thing this week. Would make perfect sense since the cabinet above the microwave gets the brunt of the smell and I've always found it odd that the smell "settles" inside the openings on the top edge of microwave but it settles nowhere else. Now I believe it's coming from the openings, not settling there. The cabinet above the microwave would likely need to be removed also to verify because the old duct was inside the old upper cabinet going into the ceiling. Talked to a neighbor today who still has the old kitchen with regular range hood and exhaust fan to confirm setup. This will be quite a job!


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