Investor · Albany, OR · Member since 2015 · 13 posts · 1 vote
I have a tenant in my Chicago condo. The next door neighbor, who is also a renter but different landlord, shares a common entrance to their respective units. The neighbor smokes, incessantly. The smoke wafts into the hallway which also is open to the and into my tenant's unit. She has tried to make a friendly effort to speak to the neighbor but he's been described as 'a dud that doesn't really go anywhere but work' but she's trying to be cordial with him. Months ago, I've asked the condo association management to also suggest to his landlord about getting a $15 draft blocker for his door. My tenant can still see through underneath his door.
She's a wonderful tenant and would hate to lose her over a smoking issue. She hasn't indicated that she would move after her lease but that is always her option to do so.
Rental Property Investor · Oconomowoc, WI · Member since 2016 · 996 posts · 431 votes
10y
As a property manager I dealt with this issue regarding side by side neighbors. The smoking tenant ultimately resolved on his own to smoke in his detached garage. A possible solution other than draft blocker is a deodorizer in the hallway. Not a Glade nice smelly product but one that actually scrubs the air. If you use a glade scented diffuser the only outcome would be to have a hallway that smells like lilacs that took up smoking.
Rental Property Investor · Oconomowoc, WI · Member since 2016 · 996 posts · 431 votes
10y
As a property manager I dealt with this issue regarding side by side neighbors. The smoking tenant ultimately resolved on his own to smoke in his detached garage. A possible solution other than draft blocker is a deodorizer in the hallway. Not a Glade nice smelly product but one that actually scrubs the air. If you use a glade scented diffuser the only outcome would be to have a hallway that smells like lilacs that took up smoking.
I have a tenant in my Chicago condo. The next door neighbor, who is also a renter but different landlord, shares a common entrance to their respective units. The neighbor smokes, incessantly. The smoke wafts into the hallway which also is open to the and into my tenant's unit. She has tried to make a friendly effort to speak to the neighbor but he's been described as 'a dud that doesn't really go anywhere but work' but she's trying to be cordial with him. Months ago, I've asked the condo association management to also suggest to his landlord about getting a $15 draft blocker for his door. My tenant can still see through underneath his door.
She's a wonderful tenant and would hate to lose her over a smoking issue. She hasn't indicated that she would move after her lease but that is always her option to do so.
Any suggestions on this matter?
thanks in advance!
Find out who the owner is through the tax assessor's office. You can sometimes get the name and address online, but often you have to go to the office. The name and address of where the tax bill goes is public info. Also, the clerk's office will have the owner of record and usually there will be a document with an address on it. The tax assessor will at least have a current mailing address, though.
Then, I'd contact the owner. Maybe you'll get lucky and they don't know he's smoking in there and isn't supposed to, and the owner will kick him out.
I did this when I owned a condo where some renters had a large dog that messed all over the common areas and they didn't pick up the poo. After asking them nicely a bunch of times, I contacted the owner who ended up kicking them out. They weren't supposed to have a dog in there and it did a lot of damage.
Anyway, I can't think of anything else you could do as far as the common area goes. And if she wants an ozone machine, she should pay for one herself, to use in her apartment.
You should be pressuring the condo board to resolve the problem.
You are responsible for the well being of your tenant. Calling the condo board "months ago" is not sufficient effort on your part. Call them once a week until the problem is solved.
You should be pressuring the condo board to resolve the problem.
You are responsible for the well being of your tenant. Calling the condo board "months ago" is not sufficient effort on your part. Call them once a week until the problem is solved.
I don't know, Greg. Is it against the HOA rules to smoke on the property? If it's not against HOA rules to smoke on the property, then what can they do? Why would a HOA be responsible in any way for the tenant of an owner being sensitive to cigarette smoke?
I don't see how bugging the HOA would get anyone anywhere. And being a very happy EX-condo owner who will never have anything to do with a HOA again in my life ... I know first-hand that getting on the bad side of a HOA board is a bad idea, unless you have no other choice and you are definitely in the right. And even then, good luck getting any results.
If there are rules about no smoking in common areas, then maybe it would help to try to force the idiots on the HOA board to issue fines against the owner of the unit with the tenant who smokes in the common area.
But, really, think of what that would involve. A HOA board member stalking the smoking tenant? Taking clandestine photos of the violator? Then getting the photos printed out and mailing copies to the owner?