J.S. from New London County, Connecticut writes:
Dear Mister Condo,
What can we do? My neighbors are smoking marijuana inside their condo and it’s coming into ours. My wife is pregnant and her doctors have expressed concern. We’ve spoken to them many times, complained to the condo association and have been told there’s nothing we can do.
Mister Condo replies:
J.S., I am sorry that you, your wife, and even your unborn child are being subjected to second-hand smoke of any kind, especially marijuana. Speaking to the neighbors is quite useless, as you have seen. The condo association is right that there is nothing that YOU can do but there is plenty that THEY can do. I am not an attorney and offer no legal advice in this column. You do need to speak with an attorney immediately to inquire about a lawsuit against your association for failure to enforce the nuisance clause of your governing documents. Additionally, I have written a great deal about condominiums going entirely smoke-free. This would ban smoking of all substances within the condominium. You can read more about it here: https://askmistercondo.com/conversion-to-smoke-free-condo-is-possible/. Don’t wait another day! If your Board isn’t responding to your polite request to intervene and enforce the governance documents, a lawsuit is your next step. Good luck!
I share the same plight, only its meth or crack or some other God awful stuff. The fumes & chemicals are now coming thru the ventilation system & the condo board will do nothing. Its disgusting. I too am thinking lawsuit , BUT the problem lies in how do we ‘prove’ an odor? And then we have the expense. Its a shame so many boards could care less about their residents or communities.
D., I am sorry for your problems. If you suspect illegal activities, perhaps a phone call to the police is in order? I would think they would appreciate the tip. Good luck!