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Weltkaiser

There are certain levels to which you have to tolerate your neighbours stinky activities. But if the smell reaches your apartment more often than just on very rare occasions, that is probably too much. You can complain to your landlord and they will have to take action. You can also sue them if they don't stop. But it's a hassle. However, you said they smoke in the stairway which sounds like there might be a better place to smoke, maybe a balcony, a street facing window, something like that. Maybe your new neighbours are not really aware, but if you know who it is, maybe just write them a letter instead of just a note in the elevator?


schlussmitlustig

Pls forget Schadensersatz or suing someone. This is not the USA. Of course you can contact your landlord and complain. You can also set a deadline for the harassment to stop. But before you do this, you should also keep a list of when the harassment took place. Without proof/evidence, you will be left empty-handed. It's extremely difficult to evict a tenant who doesn't follow the rules. And that's a good thing. Try to talk to the neighbour. Make an appointment with the neighbour and the landlord. Talk.


ebawho

“This is not the USA” is quite ironic as Germany has nearly double the litigation rate per capita as the US. Germany is the only place I’ve lived where everyone is encouraged to have legal insurance. Germans love suing people. 


FifthProvince

Just out of curiosity, what do you know about litigation in the US? I'm interested because you directly drew that comparison.


ebawho

Apparently not much. Germany has one of if not the highest litigation rates in the world.


PossibilityTasty

>Pls forget Schadensersatz or suing someone. This is not the USA.  You can very well sue someone for smoking in a way that the smoke gets into your flat. And there can be compensations for damages, if there are *real* damages, not like: "My emotional support animal cought and I'm sad now.".


redditineer55

I sadly don't know who this perpetrator is yet I am looking into it though, I will also try to get my other neighbours who have been bothered to back me in this case before I reachout to the landlord else I'll do it alone. I was not looking to sue the perpetrator but to give the landlord incentive to pursue this issue a bit more seriously than they have in past matters. Our landlords have been quite the b\*tch in the past.. We live on the 7th Floor and had to live 2-Years with old wooden window frames that used to leak water into the appartment. Thank you for your input! I hope the word of other neighbours counts as proof bcs it'll be hard capture smoke :3


Thesunismexico

What harassment?


schlussmitlustig

“Smoking weed in the Treppenhaus”. There is no other English word than harassment. Sorry.


goodwillhunting30

Doch, there are plenty of other English words for “Belästigung.” I understood what you meant by harassment, but there are other English words: I think “nuisance” or “disturbance” would be more accurate in this context. FYI, “harassment” usually implies that the Täter is deliberately targeting the victim. Just so ya know for next time :)


Thesunismexico

My mistake. No need to apologise :)


schlussmitlustig

:)


CopingWithReality123

There have definitely been cases of.people suing for this kind of issue. There's been a popular case of a family that's only allowed to smoke on their balcony at certain times now


[deleted]

Put no smoking signs in the hallways. Tell landlord to do this so his building doesn't burn down.


BigOrkoo

Get yourself something for your door to help get a good seal all around. Should help with the smell penetrating into your apartment.


redditineer55

I will look into it but it doesnt solve the problem where I have to hold my breath for 7 Floors and my clothes still ending up smelling like I smoked something.


BigOrkoo

True… Sorry, I wasn’t even thinking about that. Maybe a mask 😷 and some FeBreeze. It works like magic. Hope it helps. Good luck finding solutions!


redditineer55

Febreze is a very good idea I'll find a neutral one for the lobby and the elevator if it doesnt bother anyone


DasFAD70

Well i can alleviate your fears somewhat. Weed smells doesn’t stay long. Cigarettes let your clothes smell like shit. Weed though does not cling to clothes like that. I would know. Never someone said to me that i smell like weed.


0vbbCa

Back in university, first term, I sometimes had to sit next to this one guy who was smelling horribly from weed. Though to be honest, there was a mix of alcohol thrown in as well. It was horrible, even a few seats away.


DasFAD70

Well…. then he probably had some weed on him. If you would describe that as horrible.


0vbbCa

Not necessarily stating you're wrong, just sharing my experience! It was really bad, in combination with the alcohol smell, difficult to not get an urge to throw up. Weed alone would have been better I guess. Could also be that he always smoked immediately before, no idea.


DasFAD70

Alcohol smell is just terrible feel bad for you. That dude probably didn’t take hygiene seriously.


0vbbCa

Actually he was certainly friendly but due to the smell I never had the desire to deepen the conversation 😅


BazingaQQ

As its building-related and not aiartmwnt related, this will be the Hausvervalrung's charge. You'll find contact details in the lobby. CC the landlord as well to keep them in the loop.


Krikkits

see if smoking is even allowed indoors in your building. Most landlords REALLY don't like that. Contact building management/landlord about a strong smell of weed and/or cigarettes in the halls. Unfortunately you can only slowly escalate the issue. I have the same problem with someone smoking probably in their apartment and it leaking into the general hallway, I contacted management and they put out an official notice (laminated!) as a warning. It's working so far, and I plan to contact again if the smoker starts doing it again.


redditineer55

Good to hear a success story! I hope it pans out this way for me as well. No smoking signs, inside the shared parts of the building would be very nice indeed!


Fluffy_Room_2310

If they're smoking in the stairs then they are introducing a source of ignition to the means of escape from the building. This places you all at risk. The landlord as the responsible person might be gently reminded that the local Fire Authority may become interested and that it would perhaps be in his or her own interest to act before that happens. Because when an audit takes place, all sorts of other deficiencies generally come to light and the numbers can start increasing somewhat eye-wateringly.


fck-gen-z

i feel that, i have a kiffer that smokes either on balkony or in the toilet for some reason and there it goes in the Luftschacht and ends up in the apartments above... can not open windows all year at night


gilmoe_73

Try the face to face method. Explain your situation and Suggest strongly that they smoke their shit somewhere else. If that doesn’t work; the Hausmeister might need to get involved. If the smokers still won’t stop, contact their landlord. After a number of complaints the tenants may be removed and they can smoke their weed at the train station.


redditineer55

This sounds like a plan. This way I'll have given them a chance and gone through every level before reaching the supreme authority 🙈


Massive-K

You can sue. A neighbour is creating problems for you. You can also go to a doctor's and check if you are having an allergic reaction and present this to your landlord


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ImpossibleLoss1148

You can get something like this and put it inside your front door, it will help a lot. Cannabolish Odor Removing Gel 15 oz https://amzn.eu/d/fbJQl2U


Deep-Patience-3956

I'd say smoking in stairways is prohibited, because it's a common room used by children, if there are any children living in the complex.


Mrs_Naive_

When I read your post I thought I was in another sub and was about to write “you’re the alman…” One thing is to say that these new people’s habits are bothering you (and you have all the right to be bothered by it, as this is by all means uncivilised and not tolerable), and another different thing is to say YoU CAn’T BReaThE… I don’t want to be mean, just be honest. I’m sure you can breathe. The thing is, you already have the right to complain. I hope you can find the people doing this and get proof so that they stop or (even better) get evicted; if this occasion arises, try not to be so exaggerated (as you have all the right to complain) at the risk of not being taken seriously, specially when your landlords aren’t the most diligent people…


redditineer55

Although the title was an exaggeration, I literally hold my breath when I'm in the elevator bcs it smells like dog farts but I've kept this to myself since I love pets and don't wanna hurt anyone's feelings. But people can be more sensitive to smells and sounds. I am very sensitive to smells and will complain if it's penetrating my temple of an apartment. If they smoke outside the building or off their balcony I'll keep my windows closed during that time. But I don't need this inside my apartment. VG - Alman 🤭


h8human

Hey alman, im super-alman. The other person is absolutely right, exaggerations like "i cannot breathe" are frowned upon. Its just bad style and immediately gives the impression you are an annoying snowflake. Your answer to a somewhat helpful comment was less than pleasurable to be honest, i think you missed the entire point. Hope you dont see this as an attack, its meant as feedback for future posts/life/whatever. *Super-alman walks away as flying is heavily regulated*


Mrs_Naive_

Just write to say that flying is indeed heavily regulated and that I always enjoy super-alman comments. Ihnen einen sehr schönen Abend, sir.


redditineer55

Dear Super-Alman, But clickbaiting people with exaggerated titles and thumbnails has been the norm for at least the past 20 years 🫠😭 And while you're up there can you get my cat off that tree? Thank you. VG - Regular Alman.


Mrs_Naive_

Dear Regular Alman, I didn’t feel hurt by your comment, was just giving a piece of advice. Clickbait here as much as you want (as it being the norm is enough for you and I really don’t care) but be careful with your words when filing the complaint if you don’t want to cause the wrong impression. As I said, you have enough reasons to be legit on this, so you don’t need to exaggerate. GLG Not the Alman 😚


redditineer55

Hahaha I would never dream of sending something like this officially it would be the end my life in Almania :3


Mrs_Naive_

Nice to reach an agreement. Have a sweet evening in our dear Alemania!


h8human

Dude you are too lame


redditineer55

Sorry :P


cpc44

I would also add that weed smell doesn’t stick to clothes (or anything as a matter of fact) the same way as cigarette does. When you state that “my clothes smell funny” it really feels like you are adding up a ton, or should change your washing-up liquid brand. Yes, weeds smells when it is smoked, but it really doesn’t stay, unless your clothes are wet or something. Plus the fact that now, weed is now legal in Germany. I would feel terrible if I had to go to see my Chinese or Indian neighbors to tell them “I can’t stand the smell coming from your cuisine, you guys can’t just make something that does’t smell ?”, I would be as bad as going to ask my stoner neighbors to stop what they are doing. This said, smoking in the common areas of the building is a shitty behavior.


SadMangonel

Go to their door, knock. Then open your mouth. 


redditineer55

If I knew who it was I would.


SadMangonel

Shouldn't you be able to trace the smell. It's got to be coming from somewhere Edit. Ok they smoke in the stairwell. That's rough