Potential neighourbour.. potential year of smells..?

[macaroonie]

I would like to ask the honest opinion of you all out there about a potential neighbour. I have no issues with any race or religion and people are free to do what they like as long as it does not disrupt others to a large extent.

I have been flat hunting found a potential place. The thing that worries me though is the noise and smells that may arise. I noticed that the neighbour next door is striking some bell "ding ding ding", there were all sorts of smells coming out of the flat (burning of something inside) and when i went to investigate found her praying of some sort. I am not sure what practice this is (never seen it before) but wonder whether in the long term this will bother me. I don't want to take up the flat and be stuck with noises and smells i can't handle. It wasn't overbearing at the time but i wasn't there long enough to make an accurate assessment

Thoughts....?

[Nath21]

Sounds like it already annoying you why take the chance.

My main concern would be with people lighting candles and burning things inside the house as its the main cause of house fires worldwide after faulty electricals but in otherwords its self inflicted.

[QRM]

I quiet like it makes the place feel exotic, when you return home after your posting you will miss the joss stick smells. White folks pay good money to go to a spa where they ding bells and burn joss stick, you are lucky you have it on your door step.

During my stint in KL I got a place near a mosque, now back in Singapore I miss the haunting wailing, I even bought an alarm clock, instead of a bell it has the morning prayer call.


More importantly it boils down to the person doing the wailing, burning etc. have a chat if they seem like an OK sort then go with the flow, keep a fire extinguisher and smoke-hood under the bed.

If they are a total religious fanatic xenophobic knob then steer clear.

[sundaymorningstaple]

If it was only a short time that you were there, then it is doubtful that is was a coincidence. The fact that you have posted the experience here already tells us that it is unpalatable for you. Therefore, walk away from it now, otherwise it will be a constant thorn in your side for the duration of the lease.

[macaroonie]

Thanks for all your replies.. perhaps i am too cautious after experiencing so much noise in this current place! The train at the back literally goes every hour all day and night and hoots! it's so loud!! whatever i am listening to at the time gets drowned out.

This dinging was only quiet, it was just enough to arouse my curiosity to check what was going on. Am definitely not a religious xenophobic.

There is going to be future lift upgrading too! Apparently my friends say this won't be too bad as they only do it during working hours and quite sensitive that residents live there (as opposed to construction on open land where the hours spend at work are much longer and much noisier).

I guess we can't have everything and no perfect flat exists without paying through the nose..this place is great! can walk to work, clean neat...

If the noise level/smell level gets to a stage where it affects my health can i get a clause in the contract that allows me to move out? Surely this is reasonable right?

[ksl]

Thanks for all your replies.. perhaps i am too cautious after experiencing so much noise in this current place! The train at the back literally goes every hour all day and night and hoots! it's so loud!! whatever i am listening to at the time gets drowned out.

This dinging was only quiet, it was just enough to arouse my curiosity to check what was going on. Am definitely not a religious xenophobic.

There is going to be future lift upgrading too! Apparently my friends say this won't be too bad as they only do it during working hours and quite sensitive that residents live there (as opposed to construction on open land where the hours spend at work are much longer and much noisier).

I guess we can't have everything and no perfect flat exists without paying through the nose..this place is great! can walk to work, clean neat...

If the noise level/smell level gets to a stage where it affects my health can i get a clause in the contract that allows me to move out? Surely this is reasonable right?

Ding ding and the exotic smells of Asian life, on your doorstep! Buddhism rings a bell! Relaxing

[dazzlebabe]

I am not sure why you come into a message board asking a question you already have the answer to.

You had a look at the place, felt uncomfortable with the dingings and incense, you don't take it.

However, this is what you have to live with in condo/apartment homes. We get lovely whiffs of our neighbour cooking curry upstairs, or the smell of freshly baked cakes from the neighbour downstairs, or the occassional smell of smoke from the neighbour next door... or the burnt offerings during the festival.

IF it gets too intense (i.e she's burning the joss sticks at your door while holding a fan to make sure the smoke goes into your home ) then, I would politely knock on her door, introduce myself, buy a cheap cake from Bangawan Solo and explain my asthma problems....