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New California Law Allows Landlords To Ban Smoking On Their Property

By
Real Estate Agent with North Orange County CA Real Estate Specialists BRE# 01277795

California Is Backing Up Rental Property Owners

It was just announced that owners of multifamily rental properties in California now have No Smoking Signthe legal right to dictate where their tenants are allowed to smoke in and around the property, or to restrict it altogether. And while many apartment owners have written these rules into leases for years, the state is now backing them up, should they come under fire or scrutiny about their legal right to do so.

No Smoking Law Is Due To Health Concerns

While maintaining property value with a clean and odor free unit is a concern for California rental property owners, the primary reason for the law was health, and the detrimental effects of second hand smoke, on non-smokers, which was proven to travel through multifamily residences. Because of this, the bill was supported by numerous health groups including the Aging Services of California, the American Diabetes Association, and the California Medical Association.

Landlords Make The Final Decision About Smoking Ban

So, what does this mean for real estate investors and how this will affect their ability to find a tenant for their California rental property? Well, this law is just a means by which the state is supporting multifamily rental owners that wish to enforce the no smoking law on their property, and is not mandatory, so each individual landlord will make the decision. And according to a news report written by the Sacramento Bee, regarding the new law, over 86% of Californians do not smoke at all, so these laws will not be affecting a large segment of the population in any case.

Health And Property Damage Can Be Substantial

This should be very good news for California rental property owners, as the damage that smoke does to a home, condo or apartment can be severe and very expensive to repair, and often the deposit is not nearly enough to cover all of the expenses.

As for me, I’m excited to see that California is continuing to forge ahead as a leader in preventative healthcare laws, as I’ve struggled with asthma all of my life, due to second hand smoke exposure.

So, what are your thoughts about the new, no smoking law in California rental properties?

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