The OP’s neighbour is trying it on, what a load of twaddle. What would they do if the common property walls were painted?
You have done nothing wrong, rather I think you have done everything you need to have done, i.e. letting the neighbours know beforehand etc.
Someone recently moved into our block and without telling anyone launched into pretty full scale renovations – no notice, no sorry for the inconvenience and noise, building materials dumped in the front garden, nothing. One night at about 9.30 I smelt something funny and before long my eyes and nose were streaming from the worst varnish fumes I have ever smelt. I have no idea what was being used, but I went into the foyer and couldn’t stay there the fumes were so bad, and I live two floors up from him. I very much doubt that was the case here.
The smell dissipated over a couple of days but we were very cross with him for a number of reasons – he didn’t let us know, he chose to have it done at night and whatever varnish was used was revolting. However, none of us would have made a claim against him.