This is another question we get asked frequently, but unlike most questions, this one has an easy answer. “Should we allow tenants to smoke in our rental house?” In this case, the answer is an easy “NO!”
Some people worry that prohibiting smoking will exclude a portion of the available tenant pool, making it harder to find a tenant in a reasonable period of time. We haven't found this to be true. The latest surveys have shown that less than 20% of the population smokes tobacco now. Of that number, many are in relationships with someone who doesn't smoke, which usually means that they're smoking outside anyway.
A far more important number is the number of people who will refuse to rent a property that smells of tobacco smoke. We find quite frequently that prospective tenants will downright refuse to even consider a property if it has even a hint of smoke smell in the house. For some people, it's a health issue, with even the smell of smoke causing them allergy-like symptoms.
Even multi-unit housing (apartments) is going to 100% smoke-free properties nowadays. It's largely what non-smokers expect in today's world. So by allowing smoking, you're actually discouraging a large portion of the tenant population from renting your property.
Our policy is quite strict. Our new leases all prohibit smoking inside the property, and charge the tenant a $500 penalty for smoking in the house, which is over and above the cost of repairs to remove the smell or to paint any walls that are stained from the smoke.
When it comes to smoking, just say no.
