[Closed] Tenants possibly smoking in my house???

If they have been smoking in the house you will be able to tell at the end and take from their deposit the cost of cleaning / redecoration.

If you kick them out how long will the place be empty until you get more tenets? Lose a couple of months rent and you will have lost more than redecoration costs maybe?

could be the estate agents didn't check or could be the tenets lied

How would your friends know anyway? Or are they smoking outside?

good tenants that pay up are worth having IMO

daughter of our friend is friends with girl who rents our house.

I know what you are saying tj but we had just paid out to get the house spotless ready for renting,new carpets etc

Smoke wrecks a house, we can still smell smoke in our house and it's been 3 years and a complete re-decoration since the smoking owners (including all new floors/carpets and all rooms painted, seems to have seeped into the woodwork!). would take one hell of a deposit to make me keep them.

Grim habit.

Sounds like it is about time for a 3 month inspection/check everything is ok chat.

must say though they have paid their rent on time since moving in(3 months now)

That is the minimum you'd expect from tenant, surely?

yep it is captjon.

wife is going to pop into letting agent tomorrow and just express our concerns

deposit was just short of a grand, i dont think that would sort out the smell would it??

Pfft. Unless there's damage being caused or substantiated complaints are made by neighbours, then just leave it be.

I rent, and I told the EA that I was a non smoker, as I have done every rented place I've lived in. Every place to rent specifies 'non smokers only' (cheaper owner insurance, no?). So I lied to get a place to live. As far as I'm concerned, I do what I want in my own home, I'm paying for it. If I damage it, I pay to fix it. I really don't care what the LL thinks; it's not his home, it's mine.

At the end of the day, if you don't want people doing certain things in your property, then don't rent it out, Simple.

Otherwise, unless they genuinely are causing a problem, then just allow it.

What your wife's friend says may in fact be malicious tittle-tattle. At least respect your tenants by asking their side of the story.

My LL leaves me well alone. Which is how I want it. Can't stand meddling LLs who think they can impose their rules in my home.

Smoke wrecks a house, we can still smell smoke in our house and it's been 3 years and a complete re-decoration since the smoking owners (including all new floors/carpets and all rooms painted, seems to have seeped into the woodwork!)

You obviously din't clean it properly before you decorated. Either that or the smell is something else entirely.

At the end of the day, if you don't want people doing certain things in your property, then don't rent it out, Simple.

Totally agree.
Too many landlords forget that they have PEOPLE living in their property not just tenants who give them money.

Not suggesting this applies to the OP but too often greed gets in the way of compassion and understanding.

but we had just paid out to get the house spotless ready for renting,new carpets etc

I've got a place that I rent out. I've specified non-smokers, and have had tenants who smoked lots - fresh paint and air-freshener covers it up well enough. If these are your first tenants, I advise you to not worry so much. You'll discover loads of wear and tear after they've moved out and not be able to do anything about it: it's like the first scratch on a new bike – you're gutted for a day or two, but don't care about the subsequent ones.

At the end of the day, it's not your home (well, it is, but you don't live there) it's someone else's that you just happen to own.

Whilst i largely agree with you Elfin that does seem a little confrontational, to be fair if the neighbours have seen them smoking then they are obviously doing it outside and not in the house. If i were to rent my house i wouldn't want people smoking inside it but couldn't give a toss what they do in the garden.

And regarding the abusive behavior, that could be subjective, what one person finds abusive is fairly innocuous to another.

so what you are saying is that even though i stipulated i wanted non smoking tennants which is what this couple claimed to be, i just have to accept the fact they lied and just let them carry ............

your right they do rent the house from me but its my house at the end of the day.

so what you are saying is that even though i stipulated i wanted non smoking tennants which is what this couple claimed to be, i just have to accept the fact they lied and just let them carry ............

your right they do rent the house from me but its my house at the end of the day.

I don't think you are cut out for landlording

why is that gwaelod, because i dont like people who lie?

your right they do rent the house from me but its my house at the end of the day.

It's their [i]home[/i], though. Not yours.

You need to be realistic. They need somewhere to live. You (presumably) need the income from renting. S'always gonna be a compromise.

Every single LL out there stipulates 'non smokers'. You have to accept that people will lie to serve their own ends. That's life. Had I or indeed your tenants said we were smokers, then we'd struggle to find anywhere to live. We have to lie in order to have a roof above.

As I said; unless they are actually causing damage or breaking the law, then leave them be. Trust me, you could have much, much worse tenants.

Renton - what do you propose to do about it?

When you decide to rent a place out, you need to lose the emotional connection and treat it as a business venture.

You obviously din't clean it properly before you decorated. Either that or the smell is something else entirely.

I didn't do it, it was done by the previous owners who had professionals do it, but I suspect smokers can't smell left-over-smoke-smell anyway due to their trashed sense of smell. By lying about not smoking you're effectively invalidating your own contract and they've every right to boot you out and I'd have no issues with that. It's a rented property, it's not yours, you're just paying to use it. You're paying to use it without smoking in it. You could equally argue that it's your home and you can damage whatever the hell you like as it's your home - stupid argument.

When you decide to rent a place out, you need to lose the emotional connection and treat it as a business venture.

Seems to me from his initial post that it's entirely honest business venture - he's concerned about damage and annoying the neighbours - both perfectly sensible business decisions any landlord should be interested in.

i understand what you are saying, the thing is that yes its their home at the moment but in a few years time we will be going back to it so we will always have a little bit of an emotional attachment to the house.

what am i going to do.......... probably nothing

edit.. coffeking has a valid point though

Too many landlords forget that they have PEOPLE living in their property not just tenants who give them money.

Not suggesting this applies to the OP but too often greed gets in the way of compassion and understanding.

Likewise there are too many landlords who ignore the views of the neighbours and don't care a jot for the property so long as it's inhabitable. The point is a) PEOPLE shouldn't lie and b) cause damage and c) be abusive [assuming it's the truth].

Maybe he'd be happy to accept a smoker but would want more rent?

Nuke 'em from orbit. Its the only way..

I am worried about them abusing the neighbours, when we lived there we got on with all of them and used to have bbq's out the front with all of them.

now they are getting abused by either the people living in the house or by people visiting the house

edit.. its not just one neighbour we have heard these rumours off either.

so what you are saying is that even though i stipulated i wanted non smoking tennants which is what this couple claimed to be, i just have to accept the fact they lied and just let them carry

Perhaps they took up smoking after moving in ?

Perhaps they had given up smoking but you, and their awkward neighbours, made them nervous and they started again ?

I blame you.

Every single LL out there stipulates 'non smokers'. You have to accept that people will lie to serve their own ends. That's life. Had I or indeed your tenants said we were smokers, then we'd struggle to find anywhere to live. We have to lie in order to have a roof above.

If the tenancy agreement states non-smokers & they lied then they are liable to whatever penalty is stated in that Agreement. You brake the rules of the Agreement then you are liable. Its that simple. No ifs, no buts (ba boom tish!) thats the way it is. End of thread as they say..

thanks ernie

Abusing the neighbours is IMO a more serious issue

My mrs smokes and we rent cottages 2-3 times a year and nearly all of them are non smoking but as she does not smoke inside the cottages what is the harm in telling them we do not smoke? It's easier to do that than explain she smokes but would not smoke in the cottage (would she even be believed ?)

You could equally argue that it's your home and you can damage whatever the hell you like as it's your home - stupid argument.

I wasn't doing that though, was I?

A few cigs isn't going to do any more 'damage' than burning the toast once in a while. A forty a day habit might, but that's extreme and pretty bloody rare.

As I said; I'll do what I like in my own [i]home[/i]. Thank you.

By lying about not smoking you're effectively invalidating your own contract and they've every right to boot you out and I'd have no issues with that. It's a rented property, it's not yours, you're just paying to use it. You're paying to use it without smoking in it

Have a read of what I've writed up there, then have a think about it. Stick your head into the Real World for a moment.

People lie. It's the way of the World. It's always bin that way, and will never change.

now they are getting abused by either the people living in the house or by people visiting the house

This is a problem worth investigating and sorting out.
The smoking, in my opinion, is not.

of course if a big proportion of landlords hadn't lied to fraudulently obtain mortgages from banks over the last 10 years then tenants would be able to afford to be buy houses, banks and economies wouldn't be shot to bits and thousands of people wouldn't be losing their jobs.

I'm assuming all the sanctimonious lot never ever drive above the NSL, or use the internet for 'personal use' on company time, etc etc etc... 😉

People lie. It's the way of the World. It's always bin that way, and will never change.

I can accept that, no biggie.

BUT if you get caught then you have to pay the piper. Its always bin that, and will never change.. 😉

gwaelod ..... ive got permission from my mortgage company to let my house out so you cant throw that one at me.

A few cigs isn't going to do any more 'damage' than burning the toast once in a while. A forty a day habit might, but that's extreme and pretty bloody rare.

As I said; I'll do what I like in my own home. Thank you.

If you want to do what you want in your own home, buy one? If not, play by the requests of the people you're paying to use their property. No-one has a "few cigs" - they either smoke or they don't. If you were to burn the toaster out daily then sure you could compare it, otherwise your comparison is pointless.

Have a read of what I've writed up there, then have a think about it. Stick your head into the Real World for a moment.

People lie. It's the way of the World. It's always bin that way, and will never change.

I've read it, and I'm in the real world thanks - I'm just not a complete lying arse who'd say anything to get what I want and then renege on it. I'm just not the sort of person who gives his word and then goes back on it. I know other people are and I would duly kick them to touch for being so.

i wish there was a thanks button on here !!

I've read it, and I'm in the real world thanks - I'm just not a complete lying arse who'd say anything to get what I want and then renege on it. I'm just not the sort of person who gives his word and then goes back on it. I know other people are and I would duly kick them to touch for being so.

Dare I mention the word respect here in this scenario? Im with CK having been a LL & a tenant. In both instances Ive been respectful - but if you break the Agreement (as either) then its your lookout. Theres a reason why such things are legally binding & breaking them has such severe ramifications. Its to protect both parties..Its all about respect..Some obviously have less than others.. 🙄

I'm just not a complete lying arse who'd say anything to get what I want and then renege on it. I'm just not the sort of person who gives his word and then goes back on it. I know other people are and I would duly kick them to touch for being so.

Wow! You must be a saint among men.

We're talking about smoking here, not serial murder. Jeez.

surely its the principle of lying though

What is the principle of lying that is true for every lie?

I rent my house and after 6 months have finally got rid of the smell of fags left by the previous tenant,so it can be hard to lose the stench

surely its the principle of lying though

Lying within a legally binding Agreement no less..

Fine go ahead & break the terms if you wish but dont be surprised if the LL trys to have your guts for garters..

It is, as already been stated, the way of things..

If you want to do what you want in your own home, buy one?

Rent or buy, it's still my 'home'. Actually, the Law supports me on that.

I'm just not the sort of person who gives his word and then goes back on it

So you've never ever broken the law or done something a bit naughty then? Aren't you the petrol head? Never driven above the NSL? Right, yeah, sure, ok... 😆

Save yer sanctimony for someone who might actually listen.

Ooh look yesterday I rode my bike on the pavement. How naughty!

Teh only thing the landlord can do is give notice to quit and take a fair amount from the deposit to cover any damage

dont be surprised if the LL trys to have your guts for garters..

Have you ever seen what happens when a tenant decides to stop paying rent, and carry on living in a place? Do you know how long it takes to be able to legally evict them? Do you know how much it could cost to sort out the damage they may have caused?

Just saying, like...

Just take the cost to redecorate out the deposit. If its a furnished property your sofa and curtains will stink so charge for this also. We take a month and a halfs rent for a deposit.
If you want to rent our place you agree to the terms of the lease or f@ck of . Never had a problem getting tenents 2 or 3 viewings has been enough each time. It s your property so your rules.

of course if a big proportion of landlords hadn't lied to fraudulently obtain mortgages from banks over the last 10 years then tenants would be able to afford to be buy houses, banks and economies wouldn't be shot to bits and thousands of people wouldn't be losing their jobs.

suspect the 'sub-prime' mortgages of more than a few americans have more to do with the current economic problems than this!

wonder how many people who are saying 'forget about it' are, or were, smokers themselves?

i was. tbh, i'd just be happy to have someone paying the mortgage off for me, and so long as they pay up and don't start ripping chunks out of the place i wouldn't worry about the smoking too much. if you spent a lot of money tarting the place up before renting then i'm sorry, but that's been wasted. people aren't that bothered so long as it's clean and dry IME.
as others have said, i'd take more seriously the talk of grief with neighbours, IF it's the reality of the situation.

Ignoring some of the debate above - the lettings agency could easily check the smoking thing (they could just be smoking outside) but how are they going to check the abuse allegation? Much more subjective and harder to verify.

I would take a look but accept that things could be worse, is the house clean and tidy (excluding the smoke) or have they (in 3 months) already damaged the carpet etc, etc. If the latter than maybe take action on the multitude of issues.

Teh only thing the landlord can do is give notice to quit and take a fair amount from the deposit to cover any damage

True but the terms are not universal & are unique to each agreement. There are basic legal guidlines that have to be adhered to but the LL can put in whatever they think is pertinent.

I've recently started renting again (after 10 years of owning my own home), and I must admit that I was surprised by the list of 'do's and don'ts that seem to be standard with the majority of rentals. A lot of these are 'lifestyle' orientated - no smoking / pets / children / parties etc etc, which seem to be a particularly unpleasant way of dictating the lifes of the group of people in society who rent houses. As Elfin said, you're almost pushed into a position of lying, as otherwise what are you supposed to do? Not have anywhere to live?

I have no problem with landlords wanting to manage the costs associated with the impacts of renting properties (for example charge a higher deposit), but there is a prevailing attitude amongst many landlords that they have a right to dictate tenants lives (to the extreme that the landlady who rents the house next door to me complained because her tenant often worked away and she therefore thought he was responsible for damp in the house as he wasn't running the heating every single day!)

For me, renting a property is a business relationship, in the same way that 'owning' a property is - which incidently is usually 'owned' by the bank who are much easier to deal with, as long as you pay your mortgage they don't try to dictate your lifestyle!

Have you ever seen what happens when a tenant decides to stop paying rent, and carry on living in a place? Do you know how long it takes to be able to legally evict them? Do you know how much it could cost to sort out the damage they may have caused?

Just saying, like...

With an attitude like that it might just be worth paying to have you sorted out illegally then

Just saying like....

And then you go to jail uponthedowns

Sure

This reminds me of that thread a while back where an STW regular let his beach cottage with a (quite reasonable) 'No Dogs' clause, and then found out that the tenants had a big, sandy, hairy dog in there, presumably louping all over the furniture / carpets etc. We all seemed to agree that that case was unreasonable, and that the STW regular had every right to go in and read the riot act.

I don't think this is very (any) different. I'm a smoker, dog owner and erstwhile tenant, only finally buying a place five years ago. Be it a holiday let or a long term rent contract, I wouldn't dream of keeping pets or smoking in a rented house, if I'd signed a contract saying I wouldn't.

That said, I do agree with Elfin on the point that as a smoker, you really do have to lie to get rented accomodation. Al fresco smoking is heaps better anyway - who wants to live in a cloud of exhaled fag smoke?

Have you ever seen what happens when a tenant decides to stop paying rent, and carry on living in a place? Do you know how long it takes to be able to legally evict them? Do you know how much it could cost to sort out the damage they may have caused?

Short answer? Yes. Ive been in property for the last 15 years & had more than my fair share of "awkward" tenants..One of the reasons why I have little time for those who wilfuflly break an Agreement & another reason why I dont do residential anymore. Business tenants are on the whole a lot more [i]respectful[/i] of a legal document & better payers too.

i dont mind them partying or whatever, at the end of the day as long as they pay the rent thats all im really bothered about.

i just dont like being lied to thats all.

if they can lie about something as petty as smoking, what else can they lie about??

if they can lie about something as petty as smoking, what else can they lie about??

Murder ?

if they can lie about something as petty as smoking, what else can they lie about??

Is it a six month contract you have them on? If so 3 months in then its time to give them notice

if they can lie about something as petty as smoking, what else can they lie about??

Staying up past the bedtime you set for them?

Marijuana farm managed by 12 year old imported Thai lad 😯

With an attitude like that it might just be worth paying to have you sorted out illegally then

Sigh. Then you'd be in loads of trouble and could end up going to jail. Satisfied? And how exactly would you have someone 'sorted out illegally'? Hmm?

Point I'm making, is that decent tenants are a precious commodity. Hence, it may be in the LLs best inertests to overlook certain 'breaches of the tenancy agreement', in favour of a quite life. To reiterate what I said at the beginning; unless there's damage being done, or substantiated complaints being made, then probbly best to allow it. Regular rent paid, mortgage paid, no hassle. Maybe a bit of redecorating after the tenants have left, but better than having to pay solicitors' fees, builders, carpenters etc, as well as potentially losing several months or more in rent.

I've had some crap landlords. Proper 'orrible some of them. My current one is one of the best, and he's not perfect. However, he leaves me alone, and in return, I reciprocate by showing his property respect and look after it.

And we all get along fine. Everyone's happy. 🙂

oh come on please, all of you that have just put the slightly silly replies put the boot on your foot and really think about what you would do in the same situation.......

what else can they lie about??

buying bikes?
car mechanical problems?

the mind boggles?

I'm sure pop will be along in a bit to add to why you shouldn't try and take the moral high ground regarding porky pies renton

I made a serious reply before my silly one - is that alright?

i just dont like being lied to thats all.

Ah come on mate; we all lie to get things in our favour now and then. Part of life, innit?

if they can lie about something as petty as smoking, what else can they lie about??

Kinky sex games involving rubber, leather and chains? 😯

put the boot on your foot and really think about what you would do in the same situation

Seriously?

Ok then.

I'd have a quiet word, and say 'listen, if you're gonna smoke, please do it outside if possible, and look after the carpets/floor/furniture etc'. That way, they might then think 'you know what, he's ok, we should respect him and not take the pee too much'.

Talking to people in an honest, human manner, is often the best way to sort things out and avoid trouble, I find.

As for the bothering neighbours thing, I'd have a quiet word about that, and tell them complaints have bin made, see what their side if it is.

And if the situation seems untenable, then take steps to get rid. Serve notice to quit on them.

But bear in mind that getting rid of someone over something as trivial as smoking, the next tenants you get in could be far, far worse. Better the devil you know....

Point I'm making, is that decent tenants are a precious commodity

Hence, it may be in the LLs best inertests to overlook certain 'breaches of the tenancy agreement', in favour of a quite life.

Fit sprinklers. 🙂

[url= http://www.zoklet.net/bbs/archive/index.php/t-85628.html ]Be very afraid. Partying you say?![/url] 😯

Kinky sex games involving rubber, leather and chains?

put the boot on your foot and really think about what you would do in the same situation.......

user removed ..that link makes me chuckle 😀

oh come on please, all of you that have just put the slightly silly replies put the boot on your foot and really think about what you would do in the same situation.......

What would I do in the same situation ? Well if you do find out for certain they are liars [i]and[/i] they have been smoking, then there's a fair chance that their pants will catch fire. I would ask them to leave immediately due to the potential fire risk they pose.

The best bit about that link is that it's filed under

Better Living through Chemistry

Think i might go to bed now as its nearly 2 oclock in the morning out here in Jordan

night all

Renton - my response was hopefully to also encourage you to look at it from the tenants perspective as well. So far, all that you have if heresay (and personally I would be furious if I thought my neighbours were watching me and reporting whatever they 'thought' they saw to my landlord - what a massive intrusion of my right to a private life - which is part of the law associated with tenancies).

I was also trying to say that you can be a perfectly responsible person who looks after a house and have many of the 'lifestyle' attributes that are banned by landlords. I have always owned a dog, have been known to have a party ot two etc, and frankly my home (whether owned or rented) has been of a more than suitably looked after.

If your tenants are paying their rent / bills etc, and any other information you have is through heresay, I'd suggest you proceed with care.

Thank god that not everyone is not like Elfin.
Benath contempt.

Thanks for the reply Sue.

Im not going to jump into anything by any means, I think they are due one of the quarterly check ups by the letting agent soon so my wife is going to pop in and mention it to them before they carry it out.

I dont believe anyone is spying on them as such, its just stuff they are noticing whilst walking past the house to their own houses.

Thank god that not everyone is not like Elfin.
Benath contempt.

Excellent. A balanced, well-considered point of view for a change.... 🙂

Benath's a place in Wales, in't it? I'm sure it is...

Elfinsafety all the way.fancy smoking, it`ll be eating and drinking next,i say put your foot down now, i mean what about the children 😯

I would be furious if I thought my neighbours were watching me and reporting whatever they 'thought' they saw to my landlord - what a massive intrusion of my right to a private life

One place I lived in, the LLs had lived there previously and knew several neighbours. We had to be a bit careful cos we knew the curtain-twitching NIMBY's would be straight onto the LLs to grass us up. They employed a 'cleaner', who was a friend, to come round once a week and basically act as a spy to inform on how we were keeping the place and that (she was rubbish at actual cleaning...). Just felt like we were kids being watched all the time. Not god. Plus, they seemed to think they could enter the place at any time they liked, to pick up mail, check up on something etc. I had to print out bits of tenancy law to show them they coon't just come and go as they pleased. Once had a row with a 'plumber' who'd let himself in with a key they'd given him, without any prior notification. One lass had another handyman bloke enter her bedroom while she was asleep in bed, 'looking for the boiler'. Bang out of order.

The place never felt like 'home'. Subsequently is was never respected by any of the tenants, much.

Respect works both ways. Maybe better to be a little bit flexible than your tenants think you a totalitarian...