Is smoke-free now the norm? (apartments, rental, security deposit, house)
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Currently I am trying to help two friends each find a place to live; neither has regular online access. One smokes, the other doesn't, both have cats. The above are what I expected to be the main obstacles for them.
The last time I looked for a place to live was five years ago; at the time it was common for online rental ads to describe smoking policies. This time, smoking is rarely mentioned; and I interpret that as saying the default is "no indoor smoking". Is that the case these days?
I would say yes. We don't mention smoking in our ads. It is just assumed no. I don't know any local property management companies that allow smoking in their units at all in my area. There could be someone, but I don't know of any. In case anyone doesn't assume non-smoking, it is on our application in 2 places, so they can save their money before they apply.
For a while, we actually said we wouldn't rent to smokers at all, indoor or outdoor. We eased off on that a bit, and now it is just that if you get caught smoking anywhere *on the property*, not just inside, it is an immediate eviction. So make sure they are clear, once they find a property, exactly where smoking is allowed.
I'm not sure if they were looking to rent together. If so, if they have a total of 2 cats, that is a possibility. If they have more than 2 total cats, that will be a major hindrance as well. Possibly as much as the smoking.
It costs money to get rid of cigarette smoke. Money that a smoker would balk at paying when moving out. I would put a non smoker on top of the list given two applicants are equally qualified. I was a smoker years back and I refused to smoke in my house or my cars.
Depends on who is doing the preferring and where you are and what you mean by "norm".
There is, as said, the problem of getting rid of cigarette smoke, but I imagine a landlord could have a waiting list for smoking allowed apartments in this day of Carrie Nation Syndrome.
Often when people smoke and it is allowed the chances of a fire go up by a high percentage.
All our properties we rent out are smoke free. Of course people can smoke out side and we will use the security deposit to cover expenses related to smoke if someone violated their lease.
In my area, it would not be too difficult to find a place that would accept the cats, but the smoker would have a very difficult time.
Yes, it would be a niche market to rent to smokers. The problem is that even smokers won't rent a house that reeks of tobacco smoke and has yellow nicotine running down the walls. It costs me about $5,000 to get cigarette smell out of a house, and it would be very difficult to get the smoker to pay for that.
I don't want to pay $5,000 to clean every time I have a turn-over and the smokers turn their noses up at someone else's stink.
So, I don't accept smokers.
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