Tenant Smoking Marijuana

[Bill Flannagan]

I believe that my tenant is smoking pot in the house. I am renting my townhouse in Aurora, IL. I have a no smoking clause in the lease and because we're in Aurora the city forces the tenant and landlord to sign a Crime Free Addendum which has to be signed and returned to the city in order for me to obtain my landlord licence from the city. 

Why do I suspect this? I signed the lease in August and did my first inspection in December. During that inspection I could smell it, upstairs mostly. I asked the tenant straight up if he was smoking pot in the house and he told me no. He then proceeded to state that he had hit a skunk a week or so ago and that the smell was leaching into the house. I inspected the garage and there was no such smell. I left it alone. It was the first time that I had smelled it and there was no other indication that he was smoking in the house. 

Yesterday I went back out to the house for a pre-inspection walk though. I had my inspection with the city today and wanted to be prepared for the inspector. During that walk though the smell was there, but faint. I chose not to press the issue thinking maybe it was just in my head. Today I was in the house without the tenant to meet the inspector, while having his written approval to do so. During the inspection the smell was much more prevalent, especially in one room. Again there is no other sign that he's smoking in the house. No ashes, no burn marks, nothing. The inspector didn't say anything about the smell either. 

My question is, where do I go from here? Where can I go from here? I simply suspect that he is smoking pot in the house. I have no proof. I know that smoking in the house brakes the lease and have read other posts where people have said that if the tenant is good then wait and not renew the lease. While I don't totally agree with that strategy because it sets a standard that I am not going to enforce the lease, I don't know that this is even an option for me because of the crime free lease addendum. that we both signed. 

Please let me know what you think. 

Bill