Would you rent a non smoking unit to someone who smoke outside?

Question

We're house hacking a duplex and have friends who would be solid tenets for our other unit except one of them smokes. We were asked if it was okay if he smoked on the corner and not on the property. I don't think I'm okay with that and not sure if I'm overreacting.

I'm concerned about smells sticking to clothes and getting into the flooring or paint. Plus it stinks and I'm finally not living in an apartment where I have to worry about drifting smoke aggravating my asthma. AND we told them it was okay to keep their cat, even though we were only allowing dogs (cat allergies), so I feel like this is pushing it.

If we take chances with a stranger, there is no guarantee that they won't just smoke away from the unit and we won't know if they'll take care of the unit as well as our friends.

I say no; husband doesn't care, but will back up whatever I decide. What would you do?

James Wise · Answer

You are actually focusing on the wrong issue here. Smoking isn't what matters. What matters is that these people are your friends. Do not rent to friends or family. You will regret it down the road. In the grand scheme of things nobody really likes their boss or their landlord. Renting to your friends will just put you in a compromising position where you are forced to make inappropriate business decisions based on emotion rather than the most financially responsible way to run your business. Worst part is that in any given situation even though you end up making a financially irresponsible business decision to avoid problems with your friends you as the landlord will still look like the bad guy, every single time. Do not do it. Keep your rental business very separate from your personal relationships.

Chris Mason · Answer

For what it's worth: That doesn't actually happen that way, that's just a nonsense excuse that folks smoking in the unit make for why the unit smells like smoke. It'll smell like smoke if a smoker is in there with you standing 2 feet away, but otherwise it will not unless the person was smoking in the unit.Source: smoked a lot of years.

Jason D. · Answer

@Terry Last the issue you'll face is that he will smoke in the unit, regardless of what he says. Do you think he's going to stand out in the rain and freezing cold a smoke when he can sit next to a window and blow the smoke out? Smokers lose their sense of smell and because they dont think it smells, they think we dont know that they've been smoking in the unit. Whether you rent to them or not is up to you, but know that they will be smoking in the unit

Patrick M. · Answer

Friends are horrible tenants, fortunately yours have given you another good reason to deny them tenancy.You dodged a bullet.

Mary M. · Answer

yes. As long as they agree to my smoking policy (no smoling on the property)

Dan Maciejewski · Answer

I used to smoke, and always smoked outside. That being said, I do not rent to smokers and maintain a non-smoking property -- even my vendors go to the street to smoke! If the unit is non-smoking, it will smell like smoke. The closets will be full of nicotine-infused clothes, and the rooms will be full of nicotine-infused people. I had to throw my drapes away after I quit -- there was no cleaning them! Also, my partner doesn't believe that people will actually smoke outside all the time (like in rainstorms), and I tend to feel that way, too.As far as the renting to friends, that's an individual issue -- I don't do it, but to each their own!

Jennifer Rysdam · Answer

I have some smokers that never smoke in their place, and I have others that do and claim it's in the vents from long ago and when the wind blows it comes back in, lol! I no longer rent to smokers. I have an 8-plex. Each side's bathroom vents go into a central outlet. If someone is smoking in their unit, the smell will go up the vents and into other apartments. I honestly think your biggest issue is that you are even considering renting to friends. DON'T DO IT MAN! I made the mistake of making friends with a tenant while I was there remodeling the unit across the hall. She's a sweet lady but then lost her job, got behind, had to catch up, had to get caught up on that car payment or she wouldn't have a car to get to work, lost another job, etc. You see how this goes. Now she owes me $3000 and is paying extra each month to pay me back, but what is that doing to my financials? The months she didn't pay rent were just like having an empty unit. I have learned the hard way to put business first.

Karen Margrave · Answer

My husband was a smoker, and ALWAYS smoked outside.

Terry Last · Answer

Thanks @Chris Mason and @Jason Diclemente. Husband is an ex smoker and said the same thing. Looks like we're telling them no. @James, I've rented to and from friends and never had a bad experience. Actually, it's always been great! Guess we're all living different lives with different experiences and ways of dealing with things.