smoking penalty

[Gabe2]

Throughout my posting and my rules I have No Smoking listed several times. In the rules I mention heavy fines for smoking.  

My guests smoked and I have screenshots from my video security showing it.  I would like to administer the fine.  I reminded them of the policy during their stay and they apologized.  When should I tell them about the fine?  Will airbnb support and help me to collect the fine?

Text from my posting and rules below

POSTING

No smoking

• Absolutely no smoking or any other smoking-like-activities on or near our house, even a few houses away. Typically people don't smoke on the street around here so my neighbors would find it disconcerting. There are some fine places to enjoy a smoke nearby - Harvard Avenue, Eastlake Avenue, even a few waterfront spots. There are heavy penalties for smoking. Please just don't do it.

 RULES

NO SMOKING INSIDE OR OUT, NOT EVEN HALFWAY DOWN THE BLOCK!!!!  I can't stress enough that smoking will not be tolerated, even if you are a couple of houses away.  If you wish to smoke please go two blocks west to Harvard and Shelby or somewhere else on a busy street.  Our neighbors don't like it either and have come to expect no smoking, no butts, etc...  I am sorry if this seems draconian but it just something we don't want to deal with. 

$500 fine for smoking on the property outdoors and $2,000 fine plus actual remediation costs for smoking inside.  In either case your stay will be cancelled and you will have to leave the property immediately.  Does that sound unfair?  I am very sorry.  Smoking is just not tolerated.

[Kenneth12]

I called them last week,  did not have an issue.

[Kevina0]

Hahaha, I cannot stop laughing! Am a non-smoker myself and have a no smoking rule within my building and flat, but blimey!!! paying a fine for smoking outside in the streets whilst being creepily filmed by a host?!? Who do you think you are? Sherif of No-town!! Lol!

[Shawn19]

@Gabe2 Thank you for bringing this up.  Smoking on your property, whether in your house or on your property, especially if it effects neighbors is a healthy boundary.  It sounds like you are also in Seattle, which has no smoking legislation.  I support you in your efforts to create specific, healthy boundaries.  Anything beyond your property will be a stretch.  Also, external security camera footage is very common.  I think some people got triggered about something that's not really related to that.

Good luck.

[Gabe2]

My original question was whether or not Airbnb would support and enforce the fine for smoking.  I may have missed it but did anyone answer that question?

As to the other respondents' opinions I offer the following:

The guests smoked inside and outside of the house.   The security camera is plainly visible to anyone entering the property.  

It captured them lighting up and then entering the house.  It does not capture activity in the house.  

There are security cameras at the entrances to just about every hotel in the city of Seattle and most of the block I live on is monitored by private security cameras.  That's the way it is in 2016.

I request that my guests do not smoke near my neighbors' homes.  If my guests did smoke near my neighbors' homes my neighbors would be bothered by my hosting.  

Smoking near my neighbors' houses is a legal but noxious act.  I request that my guests not do it and that request is part of the house rules.  I wouldn't attempt to fine someone for smoking near my neighbors but if I heard about it I would ask that the guest not do it again and if the guest did do it again I would terminate the stay.

Many actions are not illegal but still totally unwelcome.

I could go on and on with examples of legal but unwelcome acts that might cause someone to regret hosting a certain guest:

Spending hours repairing a crummy car with the hood open and tools on the sidewalk, bringing several cars to use on-street parking, inviting dozens of friends to meet on the street corner in front of the property,  leading a workout class complete with push-ups and burpees on the sidewalk, organizing a protest and exercising one's First Amendment rights to free speech, posting politically oriented signs, sunbathing on the sidewalk, performing personal grooming on the sidewalk, talking loudly on the telephone for long periods of time in front of the neighbors, asking neighbors weird questions, knocking on multiple neighbors' doors to inquire if their homes are for sale...  

Some of those things might be welcome in certain neighborhoods but not in others.  Certain neighborhoods might really appreciate sunbathers, some neighbors might like hearing new lively music, some might hate it.  

Being a good guest means being respectful of the area where you are staying.

Get the point?  there are things that are legal but still really obnoxious in certain areas.  In this area, smoking is one of those things.

[David126 · Accepted solution]

My original question was whether or not Airbnb would support and enforce the fine for smoking.  

- No

[Catherine712]

Hi,

I have a tenant that smoked with my unit, and I have pictures.   I was advised to contact the tenant to resolve it and was meant with anger and lies.  Then I went through Airbnb resolution, after four days of calling I got someone from the Resolution help desk on the phone.  He said he would contact the guest about the smoking in the unit and if the guest was not willing to pay the amount asked, $75.00, for additional cleaning of the unit walls he would look into what else they could do.  When I told him that I felt the guest would not pay based on my interaction with them and that I wanted Airbnb to prevent the guest from giving me an awful review and I would abstain from giving them an awful review they said no.  After explaining to them that it is not right that a guest who violated the house rules, lied about it can give me a horrible review, which impacts the marketability of my unit.  Do you have any advice?

[David126]

@Catherine712

No review yet.

I would wait out the 14 days and see, if you review then he I believe he gets a reminder.

If he does review then wait unti just before the 14 days to review and keep it specific.

I would not go into long reply to his review, if you feel you must then max one line.

Not sure what you current bookings are looking like but hopefully there will be a few new ones to bury it, if he reviews and goes over the top contact AirBnB to remove.

[Karla128]

Hi David, 

I read your suggestion. 

Sometimes I was too busy at giving reviews and found some guest still can review host no matter what. 

So, what is the point if you do it first or later? Just to see if the guest did the review or not before you? 

The problem is, If I forgot to review it after time, I, as the host, can not send reviews anymore. 

So, if Iknow the guest will give bad reviews and lies... Why should I give up my chance to review the fact truth earlier? 

Maybe you mean no reviews from both ends? details, please?

[Patrick1164]

I too had a renter who violated my written no smoking policy. In my check in list I even stated that if they smoked it would be a $200 surcharge. The renter smoked anyways and stunk up my house. I went through the Air BnB resolution center and they were of no help. They said that the renter did "Physically" damage my house to I was out our luck. I told Air BnB that yes, they did, "physically" damage my property by leaving smoke all over it. Air BnB disagreed. I responded to Air BnB that what they are basically telling me is that renters can smoke all they want and there was nothing I could do about it:  Air BnB responded yes.

I am going back to HomeAway/VRBO, I have more control over issues with HomeAway/VRBO than I do with Air BnB. I also received a lot more renters through HomeAway/VRBO as well.

[M94]

Airbnb is ONLY a booking platform, who gets paid by traveler as well as the host. They could care less about the issues they cause... as long as they get paid. So don't expect them to honor their $1M policy or to resolve your issue. I've had multiple issues with smokers, people lying about how many guests, throwing parties and they always find a way to put the onus back on the host. So rent at your own risk. The house rules are for show and tell. No real consequences or support from Airbnb. Even when presented with Video surveillance, photos, etc.

[Kate1651]

Gosh, I am so sorry to hear about all the issues you've had with guests! I'm reviewing this forum because we currently have guests and one of them keeps smoking on the property. We have a separate guest cottage next to our home. I'm curious if you ever utilized the security deposit to charge the guests? 

The current guests check out on Oct. 17th and I am trying to figure out a plan if there is smoke damage in the cottage. Have you had success enforcing the security deposit for damages? 

[Christine1]

@Kate1651 

Hi Kate, how you been over to speak with your guests regarding your non smoking guidelines.?  

If you plan ahead how you want to manage the conversation you are likely to be successful in your goal to remind / alert your guests to the non smoking policy at your premises and have your guests cease smoking.

Start with a positive greeting, well wishes and an acknowledgement that you are pleased to  see that / hope they are enjoying  their stay.

Next step:  if it's  at all possible they may be unaware of the non_smoking policy, introduce the topic by checking:  eg "perhaps you may not have noticed this  information on the website.".....  There is  good chance they will deny awareness. For some guests this may actually be true. But other guests may deny realising your property is non smoking due to embarrassment, or to save face during your conversation.  Expect this, and don't  let it phase you, or upset you.

Keep your focus on your goals: ie, non smoking, happy guests, avoiding property  damage, risk management and positive reviews as your bonus. To achieve this lat goal, 

it's  important that you maintain a belief in the possibility of receiving positive reviews despite taking action to  set limits on guest behaviour.  You may not achieve it, but you must aim for it. Think of it like netball believe and and shoot for your goals.

Being empathetic and maintaining a positive friendly manner towards your guests will help to diffuse any potential conflict. Address the issue as if they have a problem that you will try to help them resolve. 

You won't  be able to stop them smoking if they are smokers, that's a given.  But you can help them to work out what would be an acceptable work around for the remainder of their stay.... 

Once smoking  has occured, work with your guests to maximise your chance of achieving a good outcome for both of you. 

Write  back and let us know how you approached things and the responses of your guests.

Regards Christine 

[Kate1651]

Thanks for your advice! I reached out to them and said: "Hey there! I hope you guys had a good first night. I wanted to reach out because our neighbors let us know their driveway is being blocked. You're welcome to park another car behind your white car. I also wanted to remind you there is no smoking anywhere on the property. Thank you!"

Context: They had a friend come over this morning who was blocking part of the neighbor's driveway. This gave me a reason to reach out and mention smoking. The guest responded without acknowledging the smoking rule. 

Then just a few minutes ago, they came home. The husband, who is the smoker, was going back out and backed into our military Jeep. The Jeep was fine of course, but their rental car now has damage. The husband said the Jeep blended in too much. I am going to maintain a positive approach to this and hopefully their weeklong stay gets better. 

Have you had any success enforcing the security deposit for smoke damage inside your rental?

[Christine1]

👍🏽

[Patrick2433]

Wouldn't VRBO have the same problems?