WITHOUT EXCEPTION
LEYDON LETTINGS DO NOT PERMIT SMOKING IN ANY HOUSE.

PLEASE DO NOT ASK US TO MAKE AN EXCEPTION
THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS.

We are unlikely to disagree to residents smoking in the garden, provided to do so will not spoil the atmosphere for others also wishing to enjoy the garden .

The problems experienced to date have ranged from:

 
Cigarette burns and holes in furniture, carpets and lingering smell clings to curtains and general surfaces, requires more frequent cleaning and decoration, failure to remove cigarette ends and clean ash trays and most importantly the increased risk of fire.

Some non-smoking housemates initially agree to their housemates smoking, but later fall out with the smoker:

"I did not realise the consequences of cigarette smoking until I shared a house with one ".
"I did not know I was allergic, now their fags are more important than my health!"

"I did not think the others would smoke without my permission - it is unhealthy and dangerous to my health, I cannot live in this house with smokers!"

"Why should I have to lock myself away in my room while they puff their plumes of nicotine into the lounge thereby excluding me".

"They do not smoke in the common areas but they might as well do since the house reeks of cigarettes anyway".

"They may not smoke in my presence but I can't remain in their presence since they smell of cigarettes".

"Why should I have to put a coat on indoors every time s/he leaves the door open to have a drag".

Other housemates initially say, "I have no objection - so long as s/he smokes outside", until they endure the fumes and find that even as a non-smoker their friends comment that they smell like an ashtray.

Many prospective housemates and especially parents, qualify that the house is a non-smoking house even before agreeing to view. 

Some smokers insist they will smoke outside and not in the house - but during the cold or wet spells which often coincide with viewings they are unable to refrain from smoking indoors. 

Others lean out the window whilst smoking in a cynical attempt to comply with the no smoking ban.  Meanwhile the heat evaporates and the heating needs to be increased to raise the temperature back to a comfortable level for the smoker.  This can result in smokers turning the heating up to keep warm to the discomfort and annoyance of other non smoking tenants.

Alternatively smokers stand by the back door or kitchen door with the door ajar allowing fumes in and heat out to the discomfort of those inside perhaps cooking ".

Impressions and perceptions are important - viewers from November to January have stated they could not live with the smell – “do you have any other houses?”  It does not help to say the smell evaporates with the departure of the smoker.  The first impression has already been made

On 14 September 2008 an arriving tenant commented on the smell of cigarettes still clinging to furniture despite the tenants having departed in June 2008.  Three months and the smell remains  This is despite the efforts of professional cleaners and the provision of new orthopedic mattresses throughout.

One smoking student tenant comments in favour of smoking:

Smoking. As you know, four people smoke and the new tenant has said she has no problem with people smoking around her. We cannot understand why we can no longer smoke, as we could last year. When this was mentioned before you gave a number of reasons for it, but we all find them unsatisfying. Firstly, you said that if we have a fire and someone dies it would be your duty to tell our family and it could be prevented. This is not the whole picture, firstly we could cause a fire with the gas hob very easily, and electrical appliances can catch fire without warning.

Secondly, you mentioned 'in keeping with government regulations'. There are no government regulations on smoking in homes. Even with the smoking ban, smoking in hotel rooms is permitted (subject to hotel policy) as it is seen as that persons 'home' for their duration. There is certainly no law or rule prohibiting tenants from smoking. You may also be interested to know that the smoking ban looks likely to be overturned in the not so distant future anyway, and as Leydon Lettings prides itself on being ahead of the curve you will be able to say, when other landlords decide to allow smoking again, that you always gave tenants the choice. Third, you said you are allergic to tobacco smoke. While we are not disputing this we must raise the fact that you allowed smoking in your homes until this year and have not suffered unless people are actively smoking around you. Tying in with our request for 24 hours notice to you coming to the house, we can easily not smoke in that period to make the house smoke-free for your visit. Similarly, we can easily and happily stop smoking around the time of house viewings and clear the smell from the house to ensure it is not a problem. You said it takes ages to rid a house of tobacco smells, but it does, in reality, just take an open window and some air freshener. This has been proved many times in houses where people were not meant to smoke, and you said yourself in a previous email you had a non-smoking house where a tenant smoked and you only found out when he almost set fire to the couch when hiding it from you. We cannot, between us, find a good reason to prohibit smoking, and can break down your reasons into the following:
1) The smell. Smells come from anywhere from cooking to incense to bonfires and BBQ's. All it takes is ventilation and, if necessary, some air freshener to rid the smell.
2) Safety. Again, fires can be caused from the tv to the gas hob, and banning smoking for that reason is premature, and it must lead to banning anything that is a possible hazard.
3) Your allergies. You came to our house numerous times over the year and were not affected except when we were smoking around you. Obviously, this problem is easily avoided by us not smoking in your presence, and if we have the requested notice the house will not even smell of smoke when you turn up.
4) House viewings. This is not a problem, as we will refrain from smoking during the house viewing period.

In short, we think that a compromise can be reached regarding smoking. Perhaps you could even agree to us only smoking during the day with the window open, or only smoking during the evening with the window open. We just cannot find justification in banning it completely, and we are trying to be reasonable and present possible compromises to not affect you or prospective tenants.