I'm Frustrated.....

This has been an ongoing issue for about two years now. Our neighbor (I won't say where he is from, because I don't want this to turn into a racial issue) has a serious problem with taking care of himself. He stinks. He stinks like spicy, rotten Indian food (no, he is not from India.)This is most likely due to him not showering on a regular basis, and not washing his clothes or bedding on a regular basis. He probably doesn't even clean his place much. I've never seen him take garbage out.

Last summer, it got to the point where if I was entering the building at the same time as him, I would take the stairs up 9 floors, so I wouldn't have to ride the elevator with him. He is just so fucking stinky, it makes me sick. Especially in the summer, when it gets stinkin (no pun intended) hot here.

Mostly we smell him in the hallway. The hallway fucking reeks. It is like the stinkiest cab you have ever been in, X 1000. I think this may be partially a culture issue, because he comes from a culture where parents don't teach their children basic life skills, like how to do laundry and take care of yourself on a regular basis.

Anyway, I have a pretty sensitive smell, and have been able to smell him on and off in our bedroom. My husband never did notice the smell in our bedroom, until a few months ago, when it started to get really bad. The way the apartments are laid out, our unit and his unit are on the front of the building, and there is only a wall separating our bedrooms, and the smell has started seeping through.

Another part of the problem - the neighbor is a really nice guy. He is very friendly and kind, and I enjoy chatting with him when he doesn't stink. Because he is so kind, this makes the problem an extra sensitive issue, because the last thing I would want is for his feelings to get hurt.

My husband and I talked to the landlord a few weeks ago, and advised him of the situation. We made it very clear that we didn't want the neighbors feelings to get hurt, but that something needed to be done. The landlord said he'd look into it, but I am assuming he never did, because the hallway is still stinking. (Fortunately, I haven't been able to smell him in the bedroom in quite sometime. This could be because I have been very adamant about keeping the windows open wide to ensure good airflow).

Fast forward to this week. The smell is again very very bad. My husband and I got home from the gym on Monday night and the hallway was fucking wretchedly smelly. I decided then and there that I HAD to take matters into my own hands and write the neighbor a note. Summer is coming, and this problem is only going to get worse.

I proceeded to write the neighbor a VERY kind note. I don't remember exactly what it said, but it more or less went something like this:

"Please know that this note is written and sent from the utmost kindest place, and is not meant to be hurtful. There has been a very strong and fowl odor coming from your apartment, and it is recommended that to prevent this from happening and to prevent embarrassment on your part, showering and washing your clothes/sheets on a regular basis, as well as airing out your place often, is necessary. Again, this note is coming from a place of kindness and concern, and is in no way meant to be hurtful or mean"

I folded the note and taped it to his door, and after that, THE SMELL WENT AWAY FOR SEVERAL DAYS. It was only LAST NIGHT that is started to come back, and today the hallway stinks like it always fucking does.

I should note that we did see him coming out of the elevator while we were going on, and he was PISSED. I was kind of hoping he would have asked me if I knew anything about the note, because I would have told him that I had been the one to write it, and I could have then talked to him in person about the problem.

In any event, I am FRUSTRATED. I am so sick of this being an issue. WHY CAN'T PEOPLE JUST FUCKING WASH AND CLEAN THEMSELVES? IS IT THAT FUCKING HARD? SHOULDN'T IT BE THE LANDLORDS RESPONSIBILITY TO DEAL WITH THIS? DON'T WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO LIVE IN A STINK FREE ENVIRONMENT?

I also wish I had the balls to go next door and speak with him myself, but I don't think I do.

So tell me, how would YOU deal with this issue?

 

I would just be straight up with in person and tell him whats on your mind in the kindness way of course.

 

move

buy your own house...problem solved

 

Move? No.

It is pretty hard to want to move when your front yard is the fucking ocean.

 

My hopes and dreams may still come true... Anything is possible if such a smelly man can obtain oceanfront property.

*halts cleansing oneself, mid-shower*

 

I did this out of love, fyi.......

 

i dont care..the ocean is disgusting id take my fresh water lakes and forests any day over chinatown bc with fukushima water beaches

 

I don't have any good advice in this situation writing a note is exactly what I would have done. It is how I dealt with the only neighbours I ever had a problem with actually. Maybe try talking to the landlord one more time?

And yeah, NEVER MOVE!!! OK maybe not never but your balcony is the best thing ever!

 

prank call 911 dead body in apartment...

 

Major Lolz

 

You can always fight fire with fire and see how he responds








Hotwater

 

Just start hanging one of those car air fresheners from his doorknob every day. He will be too lazy to throw them away and will just discard them in his apartment, which will either freshen up the place or make the smell that much more unbearable.

 

The only culture I can think of where proper hygiene isn't pressed upon the young are hippies and Trekkies. If your neighbor isn't one of those groups I suggest you travel more.

You know the solution to the problem. Offer the stinky gentleman a life makeover. Option two is move, and option three is be miserable. If you want, bring along a camera and say you're shooting a reality show.

 

Relax.

 

He might have some mental illness issues going on, or maybe he has some sort of drug/alcohol problem. I agree with lode, i dont think being a disgusting slob is inherent in any culture. A lot of cultures dont bother with deodorant but this sounds like it goes beyond normal b.o.

I dont really have any advice though. Sorry. I have annoying neighbors too and i havent even gotten around to writing them a note yet

 

Yeah, I'm with lode and melilalailei.

I need to know what culture this is.

 

Is he living with dead hookers?

I had a neighbor that died and nobody found him for about a week. I called the police because of the smell. They kicked in the door and found what was remaining. It was a stinky situation!

 

I also wonder if it could be in part due to mental health issue, inducing hoarding as they tend to get pretty smelly places. I think I would approach your landlord about this again and if they fail to act on it I would then put it in writing to them.

It is their responsibility to handle this not yours and it could cause conflict for you with your neighbour in the future if you do so.

 

This. I don't get why a written note seems a better solution in regards to the smelly dude. I can see why you prefer it as it is less confronting
If i have nice chats with my neighbour i would respond better to a complaint made in person instead of finding a note on my door.

 

the only person i've known with this sort of hygiene issue was jewish. so i have to assume that's what this neighbor is too.

we had a mutual friend at the time who used to spray febreze on him whenever she saw him. it was not as effective as hoped. eventually he failed out of college and moved back in with his mom, so as far i know, the issue ended then. maybe that will happen to your neighbor.