Responding to tenants smoking in unit

[Lynne Hart]

Looking for ideas to stop this FAST....

a new tenant that has just moved into it fully renovated apartment within the last 60 days has admitted when questioned to smoking pot inthe apartment stating that she didn't know that she wasn't supposed to smoke in the apartment. We came upon the fact that this was happening because there was a strong smell of marijuana whenever we entered the building and there were no other tenants in the building. The admission of guilt was verbal in a telephone call. After which we followed up in writing forwarding a copy of the list stating that smoking of all sorts is absolutely unacceptable, and pointing out the section of the lease that documented this as being unacceptable. Within a week I've walked back into the apartment and smelled marijuana again. tenants happen to be a father and daughter and daughter or daughters guess is the person smoking supposedly when father is not there. I emailed both tenants siding that I was smelling Marijuana again and reinforcing that it was absolutely unacceptable on a breach of their leaves to be doing so. Father responds that he will take care of it.

my question is since I can't really prove other than a smell that there is smoke in the unit, what can I do to try to control this and is there any hope of proving it and or forcing tenant to move out if they continue to breach this or I might just have to wait until they move out and then somehow prove charge them. My bigger concern is that you can smell it in the basement and in the lower apartment and new tenants are moving in this week who are sure to smell that smoking I ha will be moving in

[Nathan Gesner]

Treat it like any lease violation. Your first warning was verbal. The next should be in writing with a stern warning that a third violation will result in termination of their lease.

If they are decent human beings, they will stop because it's bothering the neighbors. If they aren't, get rid of them.