Distraught vegan confronts neighbour over cooking smells in pleading letter

14 May 2024 , 13:51

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The family said their neighbour was making them feel sick (Image: HeyPerth/Facebook)

Living in harmony with your neighbours can be tough when you've got opposing views.

One family have claimed they've been left feeling "sick and upset" over their neighbour's cooking habits, and they were so distraught it led them to post a pleading letter through their door to get them to change their ways. The family are all vegan and don't consume any meat products, and they said the smell of their neighbour cooking meat every night has been turning their stomachs.

They were so put off by the smell that they contacted their neighbour via letter, and the recipient then shared it on social media to see what other people thought of the disagreement.

The note divided opinion online (HeyPerth/Facebook)

The hand-written plea was delivered in an envelope marked with the words "please take seriously", and inside was a short letter explaining the family's predicament. The note was then later posted to the Australian Facebook group, Hey Perch.

It read: "Hello neighbour, could you please shut your side window when cooking please. My family are vegan (we eat only plant-based foods) and the smell of the meat you cook makes us feel sick and upset. We would appreciate your understanding. Thanks Sarah, Wayne and kids."

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The Facebook post has since amassed hundreds of comments as viewers debated who was in the wrong. On the one hand, some thought the family had gone too far. "Now that's some entitlement," claimed an unimpressed reader. A different person thought: "They should move out if they don't like the smell of meats."

Several also suggested the neighbour should go out of their way to annoy the family. Plotting revenge, one responder wrote: "Open that window right up." While a second asked: "That's crazy !! Want to organise a barbecue? Invite most of Perth? I'll come."

But others defended the family's approach. "At least they were polite," read one reply. Responding to the backlash to the letter, another said: "Why all the nasty comments? I'm a meat eater, but she was polite and respectful in her request and it's not hard to close a window. Why not just be a considerate neighbour and close the window, rather than turning it into a big issue?"

A version of this story was first published on 8th May 2023.

Zahna Eklund