Airbnb Smoking Fee: How to Stop Guests From Smoking

Dealing with guests who smoke can be a frustrating and potentially costly problem. It can damage your property and cause discomfort for future guests. That's why it's essential to know how to prevent guests from smoking in your Airbnb rental, and what to do if they do.

​​As a short-term rental host, maintaining a clean and healthy environment for guests is critical. Unfortunately, managing smoking inside the rental property is one of the biggest challenges that short-term rental hosts face when it comes to ensuring a welcoming environment for their next guests.

In this article, we will discuss whether you should charge an Airbnb smoking fee, how to set up a no-smoking policy, and how to spot guests who smoke inside. From clear communication to strict consequences, we’ll provide you with the tools you need to protect your property and ensure a positive experience for all of your guests.

Understanding the Airbnb Smoking Policy

The Airbnb no-smoking policy applies to all of its listings. It strictly prohibits the act involving cigarettes, cigars, e-cigarettes, and any other smoking devices in all indoor spaces, including common areas, bedrooms, and bathrooms.

The platform, however, puts all the power to allow or prevent guests from smoking into the hands of the hosts. Therefore, as a short-term rental host, you must ensure that your guests are aware of this policy and that they abide by it. If a guest is caught smoking inside the premises, you can charge them a smoking fee.

Setting Your House Rules and No Smoking Policy

Setting up your house rules is crucial in ensuring that your guests understand what is expected of them during their stay; a no-smoking policy is simply one of the most important rules that a short term rental host can include.

Clearly stating this policy is the best way to prevent smoking in your Airbnb. We also recommend that you take a security deposit, just in case someone breaks the rules and greater vacation rental property cleaning is required.

According to Kris Lippi, founder & real estate broker at Isoldmyhouse.com, “Airbnb hosts are better off not doing business with renters who smoke as their habits can significantly devalue the property”.

This is because cigarette smoking can stain the walls, odorize the space, and put the rental unit at risk of fire. A policy in your house rules that restricts consumers on what they can do, however, should be clearly stated in the listing description and house manual, and be communicated to the guests prior to their arrival in order to observe their rights. This also ensures that your upcoming guests are updated before deciding to book.

Communicating the No-smoking Policy to Your Guests

Communication is key when it comes to enforcing your Airbnb no-smoking policy and your house rules. Before the arrival of your new guests, send them a message reminding them of your house rules and the smoking policy.

You can also include this information in your welcome message or house manual to deter guests from smoking inside. Then, if you do in-person check-in, you can also take the time to walk your guests through the no-smoking policy and answer any questions they may have.

Requesting a security deposit can also be done, as long as the renters are made aware beforehand. This will serve as your insurance that will potentially prevent smoking. State that your property is a non-smoking property and if your guests break this rule, you will use their security deposit for a professional cleaning service to get rid of the smoke damage.

Your customer service and attention to detail will also help to reinforce your no-smoking policy indirectly. Airbnb guests will be less inclined to ruin your property’s air quality by smoking inside if they see that you prioritize cleanliness.

Spotting Guests Who Smoke Inside

One of the best ways to spot guests who smoke inside is by looking for smoking signs. Some of the most common signs include cigarette butts, ashtrays, and the smell of cigarette smoke.

You can also look for discoloration on walls and ceilings or burn marks on furniture. If you suspect that a guest smoked inside your rental property, Airbnb encourages hosts to address the issue immediately.

This way, Airbnb guests will be made aware of the cleaning fees they’re accountable for that will be allotted towards the deep cleaning and deep washing of the Airbnb properties in question.

Dealing With Guests Who Break the No Smoking Policy

If you catch a guest smoking inside your rental property, it is important to address the issue on the spot, instead of waiting until the last minute of the guest’s checkout date to help prevent smoking for the rest of their stay’s duration.

Emphasize that you do not tolerate smoking. Specifically ask them to stop immediately and pay a cleaning fee to get rid of the secondhand smoke and other potential damages.

You can also provide them with information on nearby smoking areas, if they need to smoke. 

If the guest refuses to comply, you have the right to ask them to leave and charge them a smoking fee. 

Hosts may also leave negative reviews to warn other hosts or refuse to rent their place to Airbnb guests with a track record of violating no-smoking rules. However, it is crucial that the guests be informed of their right to contact Airbnb about any concerns they may have about your method or approach to enforcing your policy.

Charging the Airbnb Smoking Fee

If a guest has smoked inside your rental property when you have explicitly announced a no-smoking rule, do not hesitate to charge them a smoking fee as it is your right as a property owner and Airbnb host.

Specify the fee amount in your Airbnb listing description and house rules to discourage violators from complaining. This fee should cover cleaning costs as well as any damages caused by smoking.

When charging the smoking fee, make sure to keep track of any smoking evidence, such as recordings from outdoor security cameras, cigarettes that are usually just left on the front porch, empty cigarette packs, cigarette butts, ashtrays, or burn marks on spots such as the bed linen or soft furniture. In doing so, you must also adhere to the laws that protect short-term renters.

Professional Cleaning Services for Smoke Damage

If a guest has smoked inside your rental property, it is important to have the property professionally cleaned to eliminate any smoke odors or damage. Professional cleaning services are a surefire way to remove smoke stains and odors from walls, ceilings, and furniture.

This approach also means you’ll get a cleaning crew that’s well-trained and knows about hacks like using a few bowls of baking soda to help absorb the smell. They’re also equipped for ridding your property of traces of any form of cigarette smoke inside so that your next guest can enjoy great air quality.

It’s also a good idea to keep all receipts and documentation of the cleaning service. This will be necessary when charging the smoking fee.

E-Cigarettes and the Airbnb Smoking Policy

E-cigarettes and other vaping devices can also leave behind an unpleasant odor that lingers on the property and poses a health risk to future guests.

As such, make sure to include e-cigarettes in your no-smoking policy and enforce it just as you would with traditional cigarettes. Should the renters require a smoking area, make sure to designate the farthest corner of the listing’s outdoor space for this activity.

Managing Your Short-term Rental’s Smoking Fee

Managing the process around security deposits and damage claims can be an extremely labourious process, but it doesn’t have to be! Vacation rental management software like iGMS is quick and easy to set up and takes menial management tasks off your plate in one swoop! Adjusting your pricing in a smart way through integrations with PriceLabs, DPGO, and Wheelhouse

Final Thoughts on Airbnb Smoking Fee

In conclusion, managing smoking inside your rental property requires a proactive approach. Prevent smoking by setting up a strict no-smoking policy, communicating it to your guests, and enforcing it to protect your rental property from smoking damage.

If a guest does smoke inside, make sure to document the evidence and charge them the smoking fee to cover the cost of cleaning and damages. You can also leave a negative review on the platform about the renter to warn other hosts about their negligence of the guidelines.

By taking these steps, you can ensure that your rental property remains clean and healthy for all of your future guests.

About the Author
David Bitton is the co-founder & CMO of DoorLoop, a best-selling author, legal CLE speaker, and real estate investor. He is a five-time entrepreneur who has been surrounded by real estate his entire life, with a background as an investor, realtor, and community manager. He is also a best-selling author and legal CLE speaker.