I awoke this morning to property on my terrace smoking and damaged; I believe from tossed cigarette butts from the floors above. It was burning/smoking all night. We've found lots of butts but they've never caused more than a garbage problem and we tolerated it. We haven't been able to pinpoint the person doing this. Now we have real damage and we were scared by the fact that this could have turned into a dangerous fire situation. We own our condo. What kind of action should we require from our board or management?
Sure it wasn't God trying to talk to you ala Moses and the burning bush?
Joking aside, I would call your management company and let them know what happened. Probably the only action the can take, absent catching the butt toser red-handed, would be to circulate a memo reminding the unit owners of the danger of lit cigarettes being tossed out and asking for their cooperation.
Human DNA (from saliva) remains on cig. butts. Photograph and keep all the butts you find, keep them in labled and dated containers (probably best to keep your collection at work (you'll see why in a minute). Then when a cig. butt does indeed burn your condo and everything in it. You (or your next of kin--if you perish in the fire) can provide the butts to the fire marshall and your insurance carrier who can try to use them in their investigations and any suborgation action against your smoking neighbor that lives above you.
We had a similar problem in a building I used to live in. Turns out someone from a nearby building was doing most of the butt-flicking, but they weren't the only offender. But before we identified the main culprate, the managing co and board posted notices, mailed letters and put the issue on the town hall meeting agenda and building newsletter. It definitely cut down on the number of butts around by raising awareness of the problem and dangers.
You can also personally slip a note under the doors of the apartments above you explaining the danger as well as the nasty daily clean-up inconvenience and asking for their help in stopping the problem.
Basically, make it an issue. The loudest (and most provacative) shot you can fire across the building's bow is a written notice to the building stating that the condition is an actual fire hazzard and your grave concern for your own and your neighbors' safety. Mail certified copies to the board members and management company expressing the sincere hope that they will be able to effectively and timely address the problem without the need for you to seek legal counsel.
While flicking the butt is dirty and no one should litter, I think most flickers don't realize the butts are landing on balconies below. It's probably more thoughtless than considered. That is why a small campaign to educate possible offenders about the exact impact of their actions may work.
I awoke this morning to property on my terrace smoking and damaged; I believe from tossed cigarette butts from the floors above. It was burning/smoking all night. We've found lots of butts but they've never caused more than a garbage problem and we tolerated it. We haven't been able to pinpoint the person doing this. Now we have real damage and we were scared by the fact that this could have turned into a dangerous fire situation. We own our condo. What kind of action should we require from our board or management?
Sure it wasn't God trying to talk to you ala Moses and the burning bush?
Joking aside, I would call your management company and let them know what happened. Probably the only action the can take, absent catching the butt toser red-handed, would be to circulate a memo reminding the unit owners of the danger of lit cigarettes being tossed out and asking for their cooperation.
Human DNA (from saliva) remains on cig. butts. Photograph and keep all the butts you find, keep them in labled and dated containers (probably best to keep your collection at work (you'll see why in a minute). Then when a cig. butt does indeed burn your condo and everything in it. You (or your next of kin--if you perish in the fire) can provide the butts to the fire marshall and your insurance carrier who can try to use them in their investigations and any suborgation action against your smoking neighbor that lives above you.
Or
Move.
What kind of "action" could your board or management possibly take?
We had a similar problem in a building I used to live in. Turns out someone from a nearby building was doing most of the butt-flicking, but they weren't the only offender. But before we identified the main culprate, the managing co and board posted notices, mailed letters and put the issue on the town hall meeting agenda and building newsletter. It definitely cut down on the number of butts around by raising awareness of the problem and dangers.
You can also personally slip a note under the doors of the apartments above you explaining the danger as well as the nasty daily clean-up inconvenience and asking for their help in stopping the problem.
Basically, make it an issue. The loudest (and most provacative) shot you can fire across the building's bow is a written notice to the building stating that the condition is an actual fire hazzard and your grave concern for your own and your neighbors' safety. Mail certified copies to the board members and management company expressing the sincere hope that they will be able to effectively and timely address the problem without the need for you to seek legal counsel.
...........and a picture is worth a thousand words!
What kind of scumbag is too ignorant and careless to take care of their own butt? Must be a renter!
Yes, we're constantly throwing our trash out window.
idiot.
I heard that a renter in Chelsea hung his butt out the window and got smacked.
While flicking the butt is dirty and no one should litter, I think most flickers don't realize the butts are landing on balconies below. It's probably more thoughtless than considered. That is why a small campaign to educate possible offenders about the exact impact of their actions may work.
Thank you all for the feedback.