Landlord question regarding cigarette smell in home

[Michelle Fox]

We have a new tenant about to move into one of our rental homes. The previous tenant violated the lease and smoked in the basement. The new tenant says she smells smoke throughout the house. We have washed down every wall, ceiling and hardwood floors. We do not smell any smoke. Looking for suggestions as to how to handle this situation. The tenant just picked up keys and moving in next week. 

[Scott Mac]

Hi Michelle,

Personally I'm not good at smelling cigarette smoke smell, I don't smoke, but it bothers me zero. Others are highly attuned to it, and don't like it. Maybe you are somewhere in the middle.

Maybe ask a few different people to come over to the rental with you and try to smell for smoke smell. 

If it's there, painters have primers they can use to (try to) cover the smell (the primers I know of have a heavy solvent smell for X hours and are not for pet or human occupied dwellings).

You could offer two solutions (recommend air fresheners be used if they stay, AND (before move in) offer to let them out of the lease). If there is no smell there and they are smelling it, they may prove to be tenants with issues.

If you let them choose what they want up front, before move in, and if they choose to NOT move in, maybe you could find a tenant with less of a bloodhound nose. 

If they choose TO move in, that kind of tells you, it's not that big of an issue.

Good Luck!