Smokers and neighbours

[Charles1187]

Hello, 

I have been hosting for over a year with mostly positive experiences. Recently a guest checked out, a smoker (property is non smoking, clearly listed and in guest rules) and whilst he had been smoking outside he was doing so near neighbours windows causing a nuisance. He also discarded the butts in the (kitchen)  bin leaving it stinking of smoke. There were a few other minor issues, eg one of the towels is badly stained. My question to other hosts is what is the best way of dealing with this, or is it just a consequence of hosting. Also some of the neighbours have been questioning the hosting, how do other hosts’keep them on side’ as I appreciate this involves relative strangers arriving and leaving which some may not feel comfortable with . Any advice appreciated 🙂 

[Emiel1]

@Charles1187 

My listings mention it can only be booked by non-smoking people.

It means: the potential guest must be a non-smoker !

And the main reason is exactly what you partly describe:

Annoying behaviour by walking continously in/out the house to smoke outside, also at night, making neighbours suspicous, throwing buts everywhere, leaving stinking bedlinen and towels behind..

And last but not least: even when stating they will never smoke inside the house, some do !

Which is causing severe trouble, as how to get rid of the awfull smell before the next guest arrives ?

[Pete69]

Say "no smoking " in your listing heading, in your description, in your house rules, post no smoking signs inside your stay, and make "nosmoking" your WIFI password.

[Anonymous]

@Charles1187  I suggest finding the nearest spot to the home where a guest might be able to smoke without bothering the neighbors, preferably where a receptacle for butts is either already placed or could be added. Indicate in the listing how far away it is from the home, emphasize in your House Rules that smoking is not permitted on the apartment block's grounds, and show the spot personally to the guests during their check-in (even if they don't indicate that they might want to smoke). 

People tend to be more receptive to the Nos when you dress them up as Yeses.

[Dimitar27]

Smokers will smoke. Always. You can't avoid this. It will happen regularly.

[Charles1187]

Thank you for your replies 😀 I suppose what I am getting at is I would prefer non smokers to stay, not just smokers who refrain from smoking, if that makes sense. Or is that too restrictive. Should a guest choose to smoke in the property, what recourse, in practise, do I have? Or again is this just one of the consequences of hosting? 

[Colleen253]

@Charles1187 It’s one thing to restrict your listing to non smokers if you are offering a room in your home, but much harder if you have an entire space listing. The thing is, you WILL get smokers booking it no matter what your listing and house rules state. You are then coming at a problem from behind, which is never a good place to be. Far better to stay out in front of an issue. I second Andrew’s advice to you.