Consumers looking to purchase homes in Edinburgh should be aware of noisy smokers outside pubs and bars, who have been identified as the cause of an increase in disputes being dealt with by Edinburgh Community Mediation (ECM).
Calls were made recently for an easing of planning regulations to allow more smoking shelters to be built outside bars.
The number of incidents being dealt with by (ECM) has almost doubled since 2005, according to the Edinburgh Evening News.
ECM is made up of trained negotiators, who have organised meetings between bar and pub owners and local residents in an attempt to ease tensions.
Scottish Licensed Trade Association chief executive Paul Waterson told the Edinburgh Evening News: "Landlords do everything they can, but it is very difficult to control people who are outside the premises."
Former councillor and bar-owner Tom Ponton stated that it was an unfortunate situation as it is affecting both landlords and local residents.
ECM is run by community development organisation Sacro and aims to negotiate neighbourhood disputes without involving the police.