How a smoke-free policy in your rental housing can save you money on maintenance and other costs.
Department of Health and Human Services
Tobacco Prevention and Control
If you currently manage or have managed smoking-friendly properties, you have encountered the tedious and expensive turnover process of cleaning and refurbishing units damaged by smoking and smoking-related incidents.
In addition to turnovers, smoking and secondhand smoke exposure put your residents at risk for several health issues, including asthma, heart disease and cancer.[1]
Protecting your residents and real estate investments begins with a smoke-free policy, and there are many benefits to getting started.
Maintenance Savings
Allowing renters to smoke in their homes creates additional expenses and requires costly materials needed to repair, refurbish, replace and clean after smoking tenants leave.
Odors, stains on walls, burns in carpet and on countertops, and smoke residue are just a few of the damages to your time and money when preparing your property for a new resident. Aside from visible damages, thirdhand smoke embeds into walls and other surfaces, emitting toxic compounds long after secondhand smoke has disappeared.
A recent study found that properties that allowed smoking had nearly double the costs of smoke-free properties.[2] For example, compared to smoke-free units, cleaning and refurbishing costs can be up to $3,000 more in units with heavy smoking.[3]
And while having to shell out extra money for cleaning fees and updating damaged features and carpets may seem tedious but not very dangerous, the reality is that properties allowing residents to smoke have an increased risk of fires.
An estimated 7,600 smoke-related fires occur in residential buildings each year in the U.S.[4] However, fires caused by smoking are avoidable with a smoke-free policy.
When You Go Smoke-free, You Gain Several Cost-effective Benefits:
 Reduced risk of tobacco-related fires in your apartments
- Lower fire and liability insurance premiums for the property
- No expensive, smoking-related repairs when tenants move out
- Less litter from tobacco waste like cigarette butts
- Fewer administrative costs to address complaints about unpleasant odors and unhealthy air quality
Keeping You, Your Residents and Your Investments Protected
Smoke-free policies help property managers and owners protect their residents’ health and their real estate investments. Establishing a smoke-free housing policy does not ban anyone from smoking but requires that all residents and visitors abide by the policy while on the property.
Ready to go smoke-free? Find out even more reasons why and learn what steps you can take here.
[1] Danger of Tobacco, WayToQuit, Accessed July 2022.
[2] The Benefits of Smoke-Free Buildings, American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundations, Accessed July 2022.
[3] The Benefits of Smoke-Free Buildings, American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundations, Accessed July 2022.
[4] United States Fire Administration, “Smoking-related fires in residential buildings (2008-2010),“ Accessed July 2022.
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