The Case for Smoke Free Rentals

Many folks have asked me about my rental policies and how I manage my rental business.  One of the issues that I always bring up is my push to rent to smoke-free tenants.  Not only are my units non-smoking units.  I believe the tenants themselves should be non-smokers.  With several years of experience under my belt, there are a few reasons I have opted to move in this direction:

1.  Tenants that smoke pose a threat to the condition of a rental unit.  Carpet, paint, and de-odorizing are very expensive.  Many tenants promise (per the lease agreement) not to smoke inside.  However, when it's Zero Degrees outside, that promise is sometimes hard to keep.

2.  Smokers in general have suppressed immune systems that allow them to be more susceptible to illness.  This translates into lost work hours and less income.  If a tenant is not highly qualified income-wise, those lost hours can mean late or deferred rent.  That is never a good situation to be in as a landlord.

3.  Also, due to the suppressed immune system, many of my smoker tenants have not been tidy in cleaning up their messes.  I have noticed this behavior in about 75% of my smoker tenants while in only about 10% of my non-smoker tenants.  I believe that they have lower energy levels much of the time due to their smoking habit.

4.  I find the smell of cigarette smoke personally repulsive as do most non-smoker tenants.  That makes rental of a smoker unit difficult to anyone other than another smoker.

These are the main reasons I only rent to non-smokers now. Some time ago,  I did have some tenants move in claiming to be non-smokers and then start smoking outside afterward.  By doing so, per our lease, they have made themselves liable for any and all smoke related damages to the property (if they occur).

Thursday's Standard Examiner has this to say about landlords making the change in smoke policy:

More and more landlords are choosing to either convert apartments into smoke-free units or go smoke-free from the start, Yugel said.      

Many make the transition to smoke-free after surveying their tenants and finding out most are in favor, Yugel said. Others are persuaded by the costs in cleaning an apartment after a smoker leaves. She said nicotine stains leave streaks on walls and windows. Carpets usually have to be replaced and walls repainted with several coats.

 There is a niche market for smokers that needs to be served.  However, be aware of the risks involved.  As smoking becomes more and more taboo in today's society, that niche is getting smaller.  Make sure you compensate for the risk with increased rent, higher deposit, or credit and income factors.