The second evening
Illustrative example. Not a real job or customer.
Illustrative example. A couple is staying four nights in a one-bedroom condo in a mid-rise building near 15th Street. On the second evening they message the host: the bedroom smells like cigarettes, worst near the sliding door to the small balcony. They say they do not smoke, and the host's cleaner noticed nothing at the last turnover.
- The host apologizes, asks when the smell is strongest, and asks the guests to keep the balcony door closed for now.
- The guests report it is worst between nine and eleven at night, when people are out on balconies, and that it fades by morning.
- With the guests' agreement, the host stops by the next afternoon. The unit smells normal. From the balcony, the host sees ashtrays on the balcony directly below and one diagonally next door.
- The host checks the building rules, which ban smoking inside units but say nothing clear about balconies, and emails building management with the times reported, without naming any neighbor.
- The host provides an air purifier for the bedroom, offers a partial refund for the inconvenience through the platform, and adds a note to the listing that neighbors may smoke on nearby balconies.
The guests finished their stay and left a fair review mentioning the quick response. Building management later posted a reminder about balcony smoking, and the host began closing the balcony door and running the purifier before evening check-ins.
What the host got right
The host took the complaint seriously without assuming the guests were wrong or that they were secretly smoking. Asking when the smell was worst turned a vague complaint into a pattern that pointed outside the unit. Visiting at a time the guests agreed to respected their stay.
The host also avoided confronting neighbors directly. In a condo building, management and the association rules are the right channel, and a written note with dates and times gives them something concrete to act on.
Questions this raises for your own unit
- Do your building's rules say anything about smoking on balconies, patios or roofs?
- Does your listing mention smoke that may come from neighbors or the street?
- Do you have an air purifier or fan you can offer quickly?
- Do your door and window seals stop outside air when closed?
Common questions
Should the host have charged the guests a smoking fee?
Not without evidence. Here the pattern and the neighbors' ashtrays pointed outside the unit, and nothing in the room suggested the guests smoked.
General information for LoHi, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.