One of the decisions every rental property owner must make is whether to allow smoking in the property.
There isn’t a universal right or wrong answer. Ultimately, the decision belongs to the owner.
However, it’s important to understand the tradeoffs before establishing your rental policy.
At Verity Property Management, we generally recommend smoke-free properties because they help protect the owner’s investment, simplify lease enforcement, and often reduce turnover costs.
Smoking Can Increase Turnover Costs
The biggest concern with smoking isn’t simply the odor. Over time, cigarette and cigar smoke can leave residue on walls, ceilings, trim, cabinets, flooring, window coverings, HVAC systems, and other interior surfaces. Smoking often has its greatest impact during turnover. Read More: What Happens Between Tenants? A Complete Turnover Timeline
Heavy smoke exposure may require:
- Repainting walls and ceilings
- Sealing surfaces with specialty primers
- Professional odor remediation
- HVAC cleaning
- Carpet and pad replacement
- Additional cleaning throughout the home
These expenses can significantly increase the cost of preparing the property for the next tenant.
Smoke Doesn’t Always Stay Outside
Some tenants ask whether smoking can simply be limited to patios or balconies. While this may seem like a reasonable compromise, it can create practical challenges.
- Smoke may drift back into the home through open doors or windows.
- Guests may smoke inside.
Disagreements may arise over where smoking actually occurred. From a management perspective, a simple policy is often easier for everyone to understand and follow.
What About Vaping?
Electronic cigarettes and vaping devices generally create less property damage than traditional tobacco products. However, they are not completely without impact.
Vaping may still leave residue on surfaces, create lingering odors, and generate complaints from neighboring residents in attached housing.
For these reasons, many owners choose to include vaping within their smoke-free policy.
Clear Policies Reduce Confusion
One lesson we’ve learned is that simple policies are easier to communicate than complicated ones.
Instead of trying to define where smoking is permitted, under what conditions, or how close someone must be to the building, many owners choose a straightforward smoke-free policy.
Clear expectations reduce misunderstandings and make lease enforcement more consistent.
It’s About Protecting the Property
Choosing a smoke-free property is not about judging people who smoke. Many responsible tenants smoke.
The question for a property owner is whether they wish to accept the additional maintenance costs and turnover risks that smoking may create.
Like any rental policy, it is ultimately a business decision.
How Verity Property Management Helps
At Verity Property Management, we help owners understand the advantages and disadvantages of different lease policies so they can make informed decisions about their investment.
While every owner’s preferences are different, we generally recommend smoke-free properties because they help reduce maintenance costs, simplify management, and protect long-term property value.
Our role is not to make the decision for you.
Our role is to help you understand the tradeoffs.
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Let’s build a better system for your property.