Smoking in a Tiny Home

[Adrian4324]

So, I have signs posted but some people still decide to smoke inside. I have special seating on the porch for smokers. (Or if someone wants to smoke)

I been seeing this since we officially opened September 2025. 

[Elisa]

Hi @Adrian4324 😊, 

I’m sorry about this. It’s true that it’s a sensitive topic.

How do you know that your guests are still smoking inside? Do you usually remind them that it’s not allowed?

[Adrian4324]

Hmmm 🤔 I'll start bringing it up.

[Elisa]

Hi @Adrian4324 😊,

This is a good idea to start!

Did you realize it because of the smell when they left your listing?

[Adrian4324]

The smell and most of the time the ashes left behind, sometimes in the bathroom sink sometimes on the floor in the bathroom burn stains that I had to get out of my bathroom sink.. ashes in the kitchen sink ashes inside of dishes but yeah the smell is a dead giveaway as we don't smoke.

[Elisa]

Hi @Adrian4324 😊, 

thank you for letting me know. I totally feel you!

I’ll tag a few experienced hosts to see what advice they can share on this: @Lin29864, @Neha176, @Tom4999, @Daniel14755 and @Bec3748.

Thank you in advance, everyone!

[Marie8425]

@Adrian4324 

I didn’t see your listing, but a lot of Hosts buy alarms for smoking. Usually, a loud alarm intimidates the smoker.

[Post edited by Community Manager for clarity]

[Daniel14755 · Accepted solution]

Adrian, this one makes me cringe... Unfortunately, if you allow smoking on the premise you're fighting a losing battle in my opinion. The only way you're going to win that fight is to make the entire property no smoking.

If that's not an option, or you're not willing, I would strongly suggest getting some of those smart smoke detectors that will alert you when they detect smoke in the home, and tie that to a hefty fine for the guest. They make them for smoke and noise I believe, and it sounds like it may be worth your investment. I'm not sure what kind of luck you're going to have with AirBnB backing you to go after the guests, but with a device like that and a timestamp, you may have enough evidence to justify an additional cleaning charge or damage fee to your property. 

Again, I don't see this as a battle you can win if you're going to allow smoking anywhere on the premises. The best you're going to do is limit the damage, and pass the cost on to the guilty party (as long as you can reasonably prove it, of course). 

One more thing I'll add on a personal level. If I see you allow smoking, you've immediately pushed me toward one of your competitors instead. I don't even want the chance to walk in and smell the last guest lingering, and I don't want to see the stains in the floors or sinks. So while there's an argument that says "if I remove smoking altogether it may cost me some bookings", there's also the argument that says "I'm not even going to entertain your property if I know it's smoker friendly and I'm not a smoker". 

Good luck, and I wish you the best,

Daniel

[Tom4999]

Minut smoke and noise detector. It is the best one on the market but it is a subscription based payment plan (i hate that). Well worth the money and the reviews are very good. Mention that it is present on you're listing and mention fines. The software will alert you if it detects smoke, you can then message the guest to let them know smoke was detected, if it is detected again an automatic fime will be issued.

Or say nothing and if there is a bad smell after check out and/or evedence of smoking take pictures and submit the Minut alerts to airbnb straight away. Say nothing to the guest. After they leave you a good review activate the claim against them. Hope this helps.

[Inna22]

@Adrian4324 after battling the same issue for years, I made the whole property no smoking and have signs announcing a $500 fine. The key is to hold your ground if they ask. I now have signs of smoking once a year at most and those people clearly try to be very discreet and clean up. Every once in a great while I do charge for it but those are usually the people that cause other damamge

[Bec3748]

Hi @Adrian4324 , I can completely understand the frustration… especially in a tiny home where smoke travels fast and lingers.

In Australia, we’re actually required by law to have working smoke alarms installed in all short-term accommodation. The main reason is guest safety: in a small space, smoke (from cigarettes or anything burning) can build up very quickly and become dangerous before people realise what’s happening.

One upside is that smoke alarms do tend to be a very effective deterrent. The noise alone usually stops indoor smoking immediately, and it reinforces that the rule isn’t just a preference, it’s about safety and compliance.

You’re already doing the right thing by providing a designated outdoor smoking area. Pairing that with clearly mentioned smoke alarms in the listing and house rules often helps set expectations and reduce repeat issues.

Hope that helps… you’re definitely not alone with this one.