{"id":17000,"date":"2026-07-25T18:18:53","date_gmt":"2026-07-25T13:18:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=17000"},"modified":"2026-07-25T18:18:53","modified_gmt":"2026-07-25T13:18:53","slug":"college-student-finds-extreme-way-to-escape-secondhand-smoke-from-neighbor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=17000","title":{"rendered":"College Student Finds Extreme Way To Escape Secondhand Smoke From Neighbor"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>When three college friends found a beautiful house off-campus, the \u201csurprisingly affordable\u201d rent seemed almost too good to be true. The catch, they thought, was the basement, which was rented out separately. But with a separate entrance and a sealed door between them and the other tenant, the three friends saw this as just a minor detail in what can only have been an exciting move.<\/p>\n<p>Then along came their \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/worst-neighbours\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\" staff-link\" rel=\"noopener \">demon neighbor<\/a>,\u201d a grown woman with, to put it mildly, a <em>wildly<\/em> unsavory array of habits that made living just upstairs from her anything but pleasant. The three housemates thought they could ride it out\u2014even while they covered the woman\u2019s utilities. But then she started smoking. Constantly.<\/p>\n<p>Read on for the hilarious <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/ProRevenge\/comments\/g4s39a\/i_froze_my_psycho_neighbor_out_of_her_apartment\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\" staff-link\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Reddit post<\/a> detailing how this finally pushed one of the women upstairs past her breaking point, sparking a chillingly effective plan for revenge using the one piece of leverage she had.<\/p>\n<h3>Three college friends were excited to be living together in a beautiful home off-campus<\/h3>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"1-82\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/froze-psycho-neighbor-out-apartment\/?image_id=1-82.jpg\"><a class=\"web-share-button list-item-share new-share-experiment\" data-location=\"single-post-image\" data-title=\"Tenant At Her Wit's End With Demon Neighbor Plans Pro Revenge And Serves It Cold\" data-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/froze-psycho-neighbor-out-apartment\/?media_id=1-82\" data-image=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1-82.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow\"><i><svg class=\"svg-icon icon-share-icon\" role=\"img\" height=\"16\" width=\"16\" viewbox=\"0 0 16 16\"><path d=\"M0 15C0 10.8824 5.22292 10.0588 8.79817 10.0588V14.1765L15.7006 8.23061C15.7941 8.15345 15.8695 8.05559 15.9213 7.94441C15.9731 7.83323 16 7.71155 16 7.58824C16 7.46492 15.9731 7.34314 15.9213 7.23196C15.8695 7.12078 15.7941 7.02302 15.7006 6.94586L8.79817 1V5.11765C2.3995 5.11765 0 9.76235 0 15Z\"\/><\/svg><\/i><\/a><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-10933084\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1-82.jpg\" alt=\"A snowy suburban house with two people carrying boxes, depicting a new way to deal with a nightmare neighbor.\" width=\"700\" height=\"382\" title=\"A snowy suburban house with two people carrying boxes, depicting a new way to deal with a nightmare neighbor.\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Image generated by Bored Panda using Gemini (not the actual photo)<\/p>\n<h3>But they were about to learn that while you can choose your friends, you can\u2019t choose your neighbors<\/h3>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"author_3b0f74302fea627d341ef467afd38af1\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/froze-psycho-neighbor-out-apartment\/?image_id=author_3b0f74302fea627d341ef467afd38af1.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/author_3b0f74302fea627d341ef467afd38af1.jpg\" alt=\"Screenshot of text: I froze my psycho neighbor out of her apartment, explaining an unusual way to deal with a nightmare neighbor.\" title=\"Screenshot of text: I froze my psycho neighbor out of her apartment, explaining an unusual way to deal with a nightmare neighbor.\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"author_032218fd8e0762ed2eb20941003c646c\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/froze-psycho-neighbor-out-apartment\/?image_id=author_032218fd8e0762ed2eb20941003c646c.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/author_032218fd8e0762ed2eb20941003c646c.jpg\" alt=\"Screenshot of text describing a house with a separate basement apartment, key to an unusual way to deal with a nightmare neighbor.\" title=\"Screenshot of text describing a house with a separate basement apartment, key to an unusual way to deal with a nightmare neighbor.\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"author_f082f561126e23c03bb795b941a9d038\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/froze-psycho-neighbor-out-apartment\/?image_id=author_f082f561126e23c03bb795b941a9d038.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/author_f082f561126e23c03bb795b941a9d038.jpg\" alt=\"Screenshot of text detailing a demon neighbor's disruptive behavior, leading to an unusual way to deal with a nightmare neighbor.\" title=\"Screenshot of text detailing a demon neighbor's disruptive behavior, leading to an unusual way to deal with a nightmare neighbor.\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"author_3890d5b4f5653d7e19dbcc5c21c7922b\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/froze-psycho-neighbor-out-apartment\/?image_id=author_3890d5b4f5653d7e19dbcc5c21c7922b.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/author_3890d5b4f5653d7e19dbcc5c21c7922b.jpg\" alt=\"Screenshot of text explaining utility responsibilities, setting the scene for an unusual way to deal with a nightmare neighbor.\" title=\"Screenshot of text explaining utility responsibilities, setting the scene for an unusual way to deal with a nightmare neighbor.\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"post-desktop-ad-within-content post-ads margin-left\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"author_b1f3a5c4e5ee73bb2f2960aa721f7344\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/froze-psycho-neighbor-out-apartment\/?image_id=author_b1f3a5c4e5ee73bb2f2960aa721f7344.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/author_b1f3a5c4e5ee73bb2f2960aa721f7344.jpg\" alt=\"Text describing a woman dealing with her nightmare neighbor who smokes constantly, filling the apartment with smoke.\" title=\"Text describing a woman dealing with her nightmare neighbor who smokes constantly, filling the apartment with smoke.\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"author_ddf18e98815dea9427b35667abb6fcd0\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/froze-psycho-neighbor-out-apartment\/?image_id=author_ddf18e98815dea9427b35667abb6fcd0.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/author_ddf18e98815dea9427b35667abb6fcd0.jpg\" alt=\"Text describing a woman dealing with her nightmare neighbor, and landlord saying her non-smoking apartment still shares ventilation.\" title=\"Text describing a woman dealing with her nightmare neighbor, and landlord saying her non-smoking apartment still shares ventilation.\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"author_ab8939ea33ed6898351cfa106cc0c46e\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/froze-psycho-neighbor-out-apartment\/?image_id=author_ab8939ea33ed6898351cfa106cc0c46e.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/author_ab8939ea33ed6898351cfa106cc0c46e.jpg\" alt=\"Text about a woman alone in her apartment, dealing with her nightmare neighbor, a demon smoker in the basement.\" title=\"Text about a woman alone in her apartment, dealing with her nightmare neighbor, a demon smoker in the basement.\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"author_834ff9462b1f07bac478e2208647a50f\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/froze-psycho-neighbor-out-apartment\/?image_id=author_834ff9462b1f07bac478e2208647a50f.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/author_834ff9462b1f07bac478e2208647a50f.jpg\" alt=\"Text describing a woman unable to sleep or eat due to her nightmare neighbor's secondhand smoke causing stomach pain.\" title=\"Text describing a woman unable to sleep or eat due to her nightmare neighbor's secondhand smoke causing stomach pain.\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"post-desktop-ad-within-content post-ads margin-left\"><span class=\"dfp-ad\"><span><span class=\"pg-ad-label\">ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/span><span data-aa-adunit=\"\/46481815\/bp.com_desktop_singleimage_bottom_728x90\" id=\"adverge-div-gpt-ad-1491844427478-3\"\/><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"author_089561292ba927773647b4aca124e08f\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/froze-psycho-neighbor-out-apartment\/?image_id=author_089561292ba927773647b4aca124e08f.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/author_089561292ba927773647b4aca124e08f.jpg\" alt=\"Text about a woman making a plan after three days of insanity, dealing with her nightmare neighbor.\" title=\"Text about a woman making a plan after three days of insanity, dealing with her nightmare neighbor.\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<h3>The woman outlined each stage of her revenge in hilarious detail<\/h3>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"2-47\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/froze-psycho-neighbor-out-apartment\/?image_id=2-47.jpg\"><a class=\"web-share-button list-item-share new-share-experiment\" data-location=\"single-post-image\" data-title=\"Tenant At Her Wit's End With Demon Neighbor Plans Pro Revenge And Serves It Cold\" data-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/froze-psycho-neighbor-out-apartment\/?media_id=2-47\" data-image=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/2-47.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow\"><i><svg class=\"svg-icon icon-share-icon\" role=\"img\" height=\"16\" width=\"16\" viewbox=\"0 0 16 16\"><path d=\"M0 15C0 10.8824 5.22292 10.0588 8.79817 10.0588V14.1765L15.7006 8.23061C15.7941 8.15345 15.8695 8.05559 15.9213 7.94441C15.9731 7.83323 16 7.71155 16 7.58824C16 7.46492 15.9731 7.34314 15.9213 7.23196C15.8695 7.12078 15.7941 7.02302 15.7006 6.94586L8.79817 1V5.11765C2.3995 5.11765 0 9.76235 0 15Z\"\/><\/svg><\/i><\/a><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-10933096\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/2-47.jpg\" alt=\"A woman wearing a ski mask and winter coat adjusts a thermostat, dealing with her nightmare neighbor in an unusual way.\" width=\"700\" height=\"700\" title=\"A woman wearing a ski mask and winter coat adjusts a thermostat, dealing with her nightmare neighbor in an unusual way.\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Image generated by Bored Panda using Gemini (not the actual photo)<\/p>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"author_db5c15e242198ac261e25306a0d5f8f2\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/froze-psycho-neighbor-out-apartment\/?image_id=author_db5c15e242198ac261e25306a0d5f8f2.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/author_db5c15e242198ac261e25306a0d5f8f2.jpg\" alt=\"Text describes a woman preparing for cold weather to deal with her nightmare neighbor.\" title=\"Text describes a woman preparing for cold weather to deal with her nightmare neighbor.\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"author_cf936769a90f742deccd929bd16f0a4b\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/froze-psycho-neighbor-out-apartment\/?image_id=author_cf936769a90f742deccd929bd16f0a4b.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/author_cf936769a90f742deccd929bd16f0a4b.jpg\" alt=\"Text describing day 1 of a woman's nightmare neighbor screaming about a frozen apartment.\" title=\"Text describing day 1 of a woman's nightmare neighbor screaming about a frozen apartment.\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"post-desktop-ad-within-content post-ads margin-left\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"author_05e013a578bf3ca61afe3a0e56c33011\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/froze-psycho-neighbor-out-apartment\/?image_id=author_05e013a578bf3ca61afe3a0e56c33011.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/author_05e013a578bf3ca61afe3a0e56c33011.jpg\" alt=\"Text describing day 2 of a woman's nightmare neighbor screaming at her boyfriend.\" title=\"Text describing day 2 of a woman's nightmare neighbor screaming at her boyfriend.\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"author_0dcd0100a8b5e01c398a57f667b5ed40\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/froze-psycho-neighbor-out-apartment\/?image_id=author_0dcd0100a8b5e01c398a57f667b5ed40.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/author_0dcd0100a8b5e01c398a57f667b5ed40.jpg\" alt=\"Text describing day 3 of a woman's nightmare neighbor screaming at the landlord about freezing.\" title=\"Text describing day 3 of a woman's nightmare neighbor screaming at the landlord about freezing.\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"author_467c9269b7cbeb5eb62f59f2f6ceccb8\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/froze-psycho-neighbor-out-apartment\/?image_id=author_467c9269b7cbeb5eb62f59f2f6ceccb8.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/author_467c9269b7cbeb5eb62f59f2f6ceccb8.jpg\" alt=\"A woman deals with her nightmare neighbor by greeting the landlord in a ski mask, pretending the house is warm.\" title=\"A woman deals with her nightmare neighbor by greeting the landlord in a ski mask, pretending the house is warm.\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"19-4\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/froze-psycho-neighbor-out-apartment\/?image_id=19-4.jpg\"><a class=\"web-share-button list-item-share new-share-experiment\" data-location=\"single-post-image\" data-title=\"Tenant At Her Wit's End With Demon Neighbor Plans Pro Revenge And Serves It Cold\" data-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/froze-psycho-neighbor-out-apartment\/?media_id=19-4\" data-image=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/19-4.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow\"><i><svg class=\"svg-icon icon-share-icon\" role=\"img\" height=\"16\" width=\"16\" viewbox=\"0 0 16 16\"><path d=\"M0 15C0 10.8824 5.22292 10.0588 8.79817 10.0588V14.1765L15.7006 8.23061C15.7941 8.15345 15.8695 8.05559 15.9213 7.94441C15.9731 7.83323 16 7.71155 16 7.58824C16 7.46492 15.9731 7.34314 15.9213 7.23196C15.8695 7.12078 15.7941 7.02302 15.7006 6.94586L8.79817 1V5.11765C2.3995 5.11765 0 9.76235 0 15Z\"\/><\/svg><\/i><\/a><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10933626\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/19-4.jpg\" alt=\"A woman deals with her nightmare neighbor who is screaming downstairs, while she clutches car keys and pepper spray.\" width=\"700\" height=\"749\" title=\"A woman deals with her nightmare neighbor who is screaming downstairs, while she clutches car keys and pepper spray.\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"post-desktop-ad-within-content post-ads margin-left\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"3-36\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/froze-psycho-neighbor-out-apartment\/?image_id=3-36.jpg\"><a class=\"web-share-button list-item-share new-share-experiment\" data-location=\"single-post-image\" data-title=\"Tenant At Her Wit's End With Demon Neighbor Plans Pro Revenge And Serves It Cold\" data-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/froze-psycho-neighbor-out-apartment\/?media_id=3-36\" data-image=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/3-36.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow\"><i><svg class=\"svg-icon icon-share-icon\" role=\"img\" height=\"16\" width=\"16\" viewbox=\"0 0 16 16\"><path d=\"M0 15C0 10.8824 5.22292 10.0588 8.79817 10.0588V14.1765L15.7006 8.23061C15.7941 8.15345 15.8695 8.05559 15.9213 7.94441C15.9731 7.83323 16 7.71155 16 7.58824C16 7.46492 15.9731 7.34314 15.9213 7.23196C15.8695 7.12078 15.7941 7.02302 15.7006 6.94586L8.79817 1V5.11765C2.3995 5.11765 0 9.76235 0 15Z\"\/><\/svg><\/i><\/a><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-10933102\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/3-36.jpg\" alt=\"A person in a ski mask looking out a window at a woman dealing with her nightmare neighbor.\" width=\"700\" height=\"700\" title=\"A person in a ski mask looking out a window at a woman dealing with her nightmare neighbor.\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Image generated by Bored Panda using Gemini (not the actual photo)<\/p>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"author_9a5a7457c6fd2eeab626012b0af24249\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/froze-psycho-neighbor-out-apartment\/?image_id=author_9a5a7457c6fd2eeab626012b0af24249.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/author_9a5a7457c6fd2eeab626012b0af24249.jpg\" alt=\"Text reads, Moral of the story: There's a bloody reason the rent seems too good to be true, related to a nightmare neighbor.\" title=\"Text reads, Moral of the story: There's a bloody reason the rent seems too good to be true, related to a nightmare neighbor.\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"author_6588aaca0dd8043f5939843e4fd8c825\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/froze-psycho-neighbor-out-apartment\/?image_id=author_6588aaca0dd8043f5939843e4fd8c825.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/author_6588aaca0dd8043f5939843e4fd8c825.jpg\" alt=\"Text about getting plumbing advice to deal with a nightmare neighbor, asking how low to go before pipes burst.\" title=\"Text about getting plumbing advice to deal with a nightmare neighbor, asking how low to go before pipes burst.\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Image credits: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/ProRevenge\/comments\/g4s39a\/i_froze_my_psycho_neighbor_out_of_her_apartment\/\" class=\" staff-link\" rel=\"nofollow\">YouMightKnowMeMate<\/a><\/p>\n<h3>A situation that reeks: why secondhand smoke is more than just a nuisance<\/h3>\n<p>Let\u2019s face it. Nothing about this living arrangement was even close to ideal. Paying for someone else\u2019s utilities while also being exposed to their screaming (those poor puppies) and <em>questionable<\/em> lifestyle choices is hardly anyone\u2019s idea of \u201chome sweet home.\u201d If you find your neighbor \u201cterrifying,\u201d however, you might be willing to wait out the lease, like these housemates were.<\/p>\n<p>But when the neighbor in question is constantly lighting up and the secondhand smoke is wafting up from the vents, seeping through, and stinking up all areas of your life\u2014your residence, your belongings, your health\u2014that\u2019s a fair place to draw the line. In fact, it\u2019s one of the most common and contentious sources of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/people-share-neighbors-from-hell\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\" staff-link\" rel=\"noopener \">disputes<\/a> in apartment buildings.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"post-desktop-ad-within-content post-ads margin-left\"\/><\/p>\n<p>After all, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/tobacco\/secondhand-smoke\/health.html\" target=\"_blank\" class=\" staff-link\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">according to<\/a> the CDC, \u201cThere is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke.\u201d You do not need to be a smoker yourself or have endured someone else\u2019s smoke for a long time to see harmful health effects. Any exposure, even brief, can cause immediate harm. And the World Health Organization\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.who.int\/news-room\/fact-sheets\/detail\/tobacco\" target=\"_blank\" class=\" staff-link\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">statistics<\/a> support this, stating that each year, exposure to secondhand smoke is fatal for over 1.6 million people.<\/p>\n<p>In other words, it\u2019s not just a conflict where what one person sees as a personal habit, another experiences as something unpleasant. Rather, it\u2019s a very real, unwanted health risk. So, short of fighting fire with fire\u2014or ice, in this case\u2014what can you do about a neighbor\u2019s secondhand smoke? Because while the former is no doubt far more entertaining and arguably more satisfying, surely there must be some recourse for renters like OP?<\/p>\n<h3>What rights do renters actually have?<\/h3>\n<p>Legally speaking, as attorney Ann O\u2019Connell <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nolo.com\/landlord-tenant\/tenant-rights-to-smoke-cigarettes-or-marijuana-in-rental-units.html\" target=\"_blank\" class=\" staff-link\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">explains<\/a>, \u201cTenants don\u2019t have a universal right to smoke in their rentals,\u201d and in the US, there is no law, either state or federal, that grants people the \u201cright to smoke\u201d when and where they want. Rather, as Ilona Bray, J.D., <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nolo.com\/legal-encyclopedia\/when-neighbors-secondhand-smoke-invades-home.html\" target=\"_blank\" class=\" staff-link\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">puts<\/a> it, \u201cthe location or circumstances in which they can smoke can be restricted by other laws or rules.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>These laws or rules depend largely on where you live. Federally, according to O\u2019Connell, it is legal to smoke, and private landlords aren\u2019t required to restrict it. The federal government does, however, restrict it in public housing. States and local governments, meanwhile, have the authority to regulate smoking in rental housing. To protect public health, they can pass laws that ban lighting up in rental properties\u2014both multiunit properties and single-family homes. In some places, even buildings with only two units qualify as \u201cmultiunit,\u201d and this is done precisely because smoke travels so easily across shared spaces.<\/p>\n<p>So while the landlord\u2019s claim\u2014that they \u201clived in a state where you could technically call an apartment non-smoking even if it shared ventilation with a smoking apartment\u201d\u2014may have been accurate, it only answered a narrow, technical question about labeling. It said nothing about whether he had the power, or responsibility, to act. And as it turns out, he probably did.<\/p>\n<p>This is because, as O\u2019Connell further explains, even without a specific law on the books, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/infuriating-landlords\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\" staff-link\" rel=\"noopener \">landlords<\/a> can restrict or ban smoking anywhere on a property. If such a policy is included in the lease, the landlord can generally terminate the tenancy or pursue eviction if a tenant repeatedly violates it. If it only forms part of the rental\u2019s rules and regulations, the landlord might be able to terminate the tenancy or evict only when the rule has been repeatedly violated.<\/p>\n<p>In this case, however, it would appear that no such clause existed\u2014the landlord only mentioned that the woman had claimed she\u2019d \u201cquit for good.\u201d Still, Bray puts it, \u201cEven if the lease doesn\u2019t specifically prohibit smoking, the landlord might have grounds to take action if the smoke is truly troublesome and interferes with your ability to enjoy your home.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s because tenants generally have a right to \u201cquiet enjoyment\u201d\u2014the legal principle that they should be able to use and enjoy their home without substantial interference. A neighbor whose habit is seeping into your home enough to disrupt daily life could be violating that right. And in some circumstances, persistent secondhand smoke may even raise questions about a property\u2019s \u201cwarranty of habitability\u201d\u2014the landlord\u2019s legal obligation to provide safe and livable housing.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"post-desktop-ad-within-content post-ads margin-left\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Of course, none of this ever helped the exasperated woman in this story. By the time any of it might have mattered, she\u2019d already found her own solution: cold, hard revenge. In hindsight, though, there may have been legal avenues worth exploring first. But like many renters caught in miserable <a href=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/infuriating-landlords-pics\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\" staff-link\" rel=\"noopener \">living conditions<\/a>, she reached her breaking point (and the thermostat) long before it could come to this. If this tale of fire and ice teaches us anything, it\u2019s that knowing your rights early can save you from feeling like revenge is your only option. And, as OP says, if the rent looks too good to be true, it usually (sadly) is.<\/p>\n<h3>Some commenters shared their thoughts about the story, and the woman responded<\/h3>\n<p><span class=\"post-desktop-ad-within-content post-ads margin-left\"\/><span class=\"post-desktop-ad-within-content post-ads margin-left\"\/><span class=\"post-desktop-ad-within-content post-ads margin-left\"\/><span class=\"post-desktop-ad-within-content post-ads margin-left\"\/> <\/p>\n<div id=\"postPoll-10931598\" class=\"post-poll poll-wrapper single-post\" data-poll-viewed=\"false\" data-post-id=\"10931598\" data-main-post-id=\"\" data-poll-id=\"28855\"> <input class=\"post-10931598-poll-value\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"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\"\/> <\/p>\n<div data-bind=\"if: isInitialised()\">\n<div data-bind=\"if: !isLoading() &amp;&amp; isShowingResults\">\n<div class=\"poll-content\">\n<h3 class=\"answered-content-title\">Thanks! Check out the results:<\/h3>\n<h3 class=\"answered-content-question\" data-bind=\"text: currentQuestionText()\"\/>\n<p> <span class=\"text\">Total votes \u00b7 <\/span> <span data-bind=\"text: totalVotesFormatted\"\/> <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <!-- Newsletter --> <\/p>\n<div class=\"subscribe-to-newsletter-block-wrapper\">\n<p>Newsletter<\/p>\n<div class=\"subscribe-to-newsletter-block\">\n<p><h3 class=\"title\">Subscribe to Access <br \/>Exclusive Polls<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"right\"> <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/boredpanda\/images\/icons\/subscription-panda.svg\" alt=\"Subscribe to Access &lt;br\/&gt; Exclusive Polls\"\/> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"disclaimer\">\n<p>By entering your email and clicking Subscribe, you&#8217;re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. 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The catch, they thought, was the basement, which was rented out separately. But with a separate entrance and a sealed door between them and the other tenant, the three friends saw this as just a&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":17001,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/froze-psycho-neighbor-out-apartment-fb3.png","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17000","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-newsweek-trending"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17000","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=17000"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17000\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/17001"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=17000"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=17000"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=17000"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}