Only you can answer these questions - We haven't been there to experience the conditions and we can't make lifestyle/health decisions for you...

...and it's not as if it's a Meth Lab down there.

I doubt you're going to get second-hand smoke exposure from that distance and with floors/walls in between you.

I think the main harm would be from the yucky smell, if you could smell it. As long as you can't smell it, I'd say jump on it!

I agree with bepsf that you ultimately will have to answer that. But I do have to add that I'm in the exact spot...and the smoke carries up to my apartment through the windows, and then it carries into the hallway... So for me now, I'm moving out :)

Oh come on now. You will probably not smell anything one floor up. Lived in similiar situations and it was never a problem. Ask them not to smoke outside when your windows are open. Case closed.

It would definitely be a deal breaker for me. The tenant below me smokes and it seeps into my apartment around the water heater and when I use the kitchen and bathroom fans. The bathroom walls on both sides of the fan developed a sticky amber gunk on them that I had to scrub off frequently and now don't use the fan. In nice weather he opens his windows and/or smokes outside and it fills my apartment when I open my windows, so now I use my AC 6 months of the year. Aside from causing breathing problems for me, one of my pet cockatiels died since I've lived here and the other I had to take to animal emergency, both for respiratory problems. I hope to relocate soon for employment and this issue will be a primary consideration for my living environment.

If you have to post this question on an internet forum...I think you are going to have problems with even the tiniest whiff of smoke smell.

It truely depends on the structure of the place. I once lived on a second floor above me landlords. My place completely smelled of weed whenever they were smoking (thankfully not often). The smoke came up the floorboards. I have friends that own a condo above smokers and they say it isn't a problem except during the summer when the windows are open or when they smoke on the balcony below them.

We lived upstairs from smokers of cigarettes (and growers/smokers other things) and although we didn't smell it when we first moved in, it eventually bothered us enough to move out - however, the house was 'unique' in that the old furnace vents were not properly closed off, allowing greater-than-normal airflow between the two apartments. When they were kind enough to smoke outside in warm weather, no big deal, but sometimes the smell was just overwhelming when we walked in the door.

What a bummer... I assume that they are allowed to smoke inside??? Is there anyway they would be willing to smoke only outside??? Consider how long you want to stay there, and how long they have been renting in the building and if there is any possibility that they may move in the near future. The aesthetics sound really appealing, but your health is most important!!!

It depends on the air system(s), that is, whether/how theirs connects to yours. That the apartments initially had been built as a house makes it ambiguous. I've lived in apartments with smoking neighbors with no problem, but they'd been built relatively recently and were planned as separate apartments. I paid the electricity for my central air system, my neighbors paid for theirs, and there was no connection. The land lord should clarify to your satisfaction how the conversion was done.

i too found my dream apartment upon moving back to des moines from college.

it was in an old building with loads of charm and the perfect price/size for me and my boyfriend and kitties.

we only found out LATER that the tenant below is in a creepy cellar apartment was a smoker.

mind you, the only way we found out was the first morning in our new place. we woke up to the smell of smoke, thinking our things were burning in a fiery inferno...and then we heard it. the hacking, lung-jolting cough that we grew used to over the year we stayed there.

every morning...waking up to smoke and that disgusting cough.

i would say, talk to your landlord about maybe speaking with the person below to determine their habits. our neighbor worked the graveyard shift, so it was a bit cumbersome to deal with smoke at odd hours.

also, see if you can find any spaces (ours came through the radiators) where the smoke could rise into your apartment. if you find some, and think it will be too much for you...i would continue with your search.

or maybe have the landlord cut you a really sweet deal if you can handle dealing with it.

good luck!

Apropos of nothing, anyone know where I can get the lung ashtray in the photo?

Well, I had lived with a smoker next door (we shared a wall) for a year. I loved the place so much I didn't care and they eventually moved...been there for 5 years now. The only place where it was the biggest problem was the kitchen and the bathroom. The smell of smoke came through the pipes sometimes. So I tryed to keep my pipes fresh with baking soda and lemon. It worked well enough and I outlasted them.

My downstairs neighbors occasionally have guests who smoke on their deck. If the overlooking windows are open and I don't close them, that room will remain smokey-smelling for a couple days, bleh :-P

Get in touch with the current resident of that unit and get their input on the situation. It could be that the smoking is the impetus for them moving out ... or it could be that they've never so much as noticed the smoke.

I would consider carefully, but it might not be a dealbreaker. We lived in a smoking building for 5 years, and depending on who lived under, us, one kitchen cabinet smelled like an ashtray. Also, anything we stored on the floor, like my overnight bag I kept under the bed, absorbed the stale cigarette smell. So sniff the cabinets if that would bother you!

I moved out of an apartment last month, we lived above smokers.
I thought I was crazy but when I was moving my things, EVERYTHING smelled like smoke.
When I got to my new house, I was right.
All of my clothing, blankets, pillows, everything. Everything smelled horrible.
I would really think hard about moving in above them. I don't have to worry about this, but I would never move above or even around anyone that smokes.

As a renter, you'll soon learn a harsh reality: there is NO apartment you can rent where you will be guaranteed non-smoking neighbors.

If you like it, rent it.

Lots of luck!

YES!!! I lived in an older apartment with smokers downstairs. In older places, you never know where the smoke can creep into your apartment. In my place it crept into the bathroom linen closet!!! There's nothing like getting out of the shower and grabbing a towel that smells like smoke! YUCK!

We live in a converted house over smokers. We didn't notice anything when we first looked at the place (in the summer) but once we moved in we started to smell the smoke. Sometimes we don't smell anything and then some days I get home from work and the whole place reeks.

I used to live in Europe and I didn't think smoking bothered me, but now that I'm constantly breathing it in from below it's setting off my allergies and making the whole apartment feel gross.

I can write from both sides of this, as a 37 year former smoker, and a 2.5 year quitter.
It would be a deal breaker for me now!
I have been trying to thoroughly clean my whole house of the smell, which my ex and I had smoked inside of for many years, along with our many smoking friends. After being a bartender in smoking-allowed bars for 22 years, I now gag when I smell it.
I do believe you will smell it, if only on occasion, and it will impact your quality of life.

Perhaps the landlord can put something in the lease saying that you'll be able to break it and get your deposit back after three months (or something) if the cigarette smoke is intolerable.

I think that trying to contact the current occupant of the apt you'll be renting isn't a bad idea, except that 1) they may have a different tolerance level or 2) the unit has been unoccupied for a time.

I wonder if the landlord mentioned it at all because he had received complaints from renters in your unit previously? If so, that doesn't sound very promising.

I too live in an old house (built in 1890) and a year ago had neighbors downstairs that smoked. Everytime they smoked, I could smell it. I have a feeling it was coming through the fireplaces which ran straight up from the ground floor (their apt) and up to my apartment.

If this is your first apartment and you honestly are in love with it, then I say go for it. My previous neighbors didn't use an air purifier but it sounds like your potential neighbors are atleast trying to control the smell of their nasty habit. Just be prepared that this could easily turn into a really nasty (and smelly) issue and you might end up having to purchase air purifiers yourself. It really depends on how much you are willing to deal with neighbors that smoke!

Like modtramp said, you'll never be guaranteed that you won't have a smoker - however, we just moved into a non-smoking building and our apartment's previous tenant was a smoker. You couldn't even tell that there had been a smoker in there because the building was non-smoking and as such, you could get into huge trouble if anyone caught you smoking inside your own apartment.

Now, imagine that you could smoke inside your own apartment. The smell, personally, would be unbearable and would permeate everything.

The tenants below us smoke and I've never really noticed anything except when I've been on our deck with them smoking directly below me on their deck. We too are in an older home (early 1900's). Never had any problems smelling it through the ventilation or anything. But again I think its really going to depend on the structure of your apartment.

We lived next to a smoker in an apt. building. The smoke would seep into our bathroom through the air vent, but we just kept it closed so it didn't bother us much. And I detest smoke.

yuck... it's gross and potentially bad for you, but definitely could be an issue anywhere. If you really don't want to smell any smoke you'll have better luck in newer apartment buildings, and not a conversion. In the past I rented a free-standing apartment converted from a gatehouse in a historical neighborhood. It was adorable, my place wasn't connected to anything else, and the landlord lived in the main house. It even had space for a garden and my dog. In this neighborhood there were tons of these opportunities - garage conversions, carriage houses, etc. - all built in the 1800s. Not sure if this is a possibility for you, but maybe start looking for something like that if you are worried about the potential smokers' stench.

don't do it. my downstairs neighbors smoke, and the worst part is when i am trying to enjoy a nice day with the windows open and their smoke wafts in. the secondhand smoke also affects how often we use our balcony. if you are already thinking about the consequences, it will definitely bother you.

my downstairs neighbors smoke a lot of pot and i can smell it whenever they do. it's better than cigarette smoke :)

I strongly suggest NOT doing it. I lived above smokers (in an otherwise wonderful apartment) and my roommate and I ended up breaking our lease 5 months early. It was miserable. All of my clothes smelled like a barroom (I even had coworkers ask me if I had started to smoke!) and I hated coming home to a smoky, smelly apartment. We even noticed some yellow oily buildup on the vents and windows. Since then I've been careful to only live in nonsmoking buildings.

Yes. Yes. Yes. If you hate the smell of smoke, I would run for the hills. I'm not sure about how it might affect your health, but rest assured that the smell very well might permeate your life.

We had a smoker move in next door to us in our old condo. We could smell every cigarette he smoked in our bathroom and kitchen, which is the wall we shared with him. He had two units above him (one two floors up) and they both had horrible problems with it too - in fact, the guy two floors up said he could smell it in his pillows at night.

Eventually, it led to a ban on smoking in the building.

i agree, dont do it! if you don't like smoking and you even get the slightest stench of it, it will absolutely ruin everything you love about your apartment. i am dealing with this right now.

maybe you could get the landlord to let you stay there on an air mattress for a 2 or 3 days before agreeing to sign a lease?

I hate to say this but total deal breaker. My first apartment was upstairs from a smoker & while I may not have noticed it every day (more like 2-3x a week) when I moved out & unpacked at my next apartment, the smell of cigarette smoke on everything I owned was unbearable. My stuff basically soaked up cigarette smell for 3 years. Never again. Deal breaker.

I forgot to mention that my roommate and I had three large air purifiers going 24/7 (one in each bedroom and one in the common room). Our landlord also bought two for our the downstairs smokers, and they swore they were running them all of the time. I know some buildings have better ventilation and smokers don't affect their neighbors as much, but if smoke is a problem for you living above smokers can truly be a nightmare.

I would not move in. It's not good for your health and in the summer time you will not be able to open your windows to enjoy the fresh air. Your home should be just that, your home. good luck finding your perfect home:-)

I moved into an apartment 5 years ago, not knowing that the people in the unit below me smoked. I had asked the landlord and he said no one smoked. My apartment, especially my bedroom, smelled like a smoky bar every evening - it was truly awful. I spent the next 2-1/2 months staying with friends as much as possible while I repacked and searched for a new home. It isn't worth your health to live next to, above or below a smoker!!

If you have to ask... don't sign the lease.

So what if they didn't smoke, you moved in, and a month later they move out, and a smoker moves in? Or if "they" break up and the one who stays behind's new honey smokes? You're never going to be able to control everything in a rental. What if they leave and you get folks who cook smelly food all the time? ANd why would you think a landlord would necessarily know what goes on in the apartment he's renting?

Having said that, I do think there are apartments where this would be worse. For instance, if you're on the garden floor of a brick row house, I think you'd be in good shape.

And yes, if anyone has a source for the ashtray, please do post.

You'll never be happy thinking that they're smoking downstairs, you can't tell them not to smoke with the windows open in warm weather without creating bad feelings. My suggestion is that it *isn't* your perfect place.
I'm a smoker and I know that I'd hit the ceiling if my neighbor made an issue about what I was doing legally in a place I was paying good money to rent.

My upstairs neighbors smoke and yes, I do smell it. So far, I keep the place well-ventilated (we'll see what happens in the winter), put out bowls of vinegar, Febreze every once in awhile and use an amazing odor-eating sponge. They all help. It's faint enough that I get used to it after a minute or two, and so far it doesn't seem to be sticking to my clothes.

But I love the apartment otherwise, and I live in a town where SO many people smoke that moving elsewhere wouldn't have helped. So it depends on where you live. My experience was: angst for the first month or so, now I'm just used to it, the same way I'd be used to a finicky toilet or a leaky pipe or loud neighbors or...

It's such a tough question and the answer depends on what you can tolerate. I lived above a couple that smoked incessantly on the outdoor deck below mine. In the summer I would wait until they went inside before I would venture out and 5 minutes later they would be out smoking again. They moved and now I can enjoy my deck whenever. I can't believe I tolerated it for as long as I did. I hope it never happens again.

"If you have to post this question on an internet forum...I think you are going to have problems with even the tiniest whiff of smoke smell."

that one made me LOL! because it's totally true. I feel that I can especially say that because I'm the same way. :) Smoke smell in my house drives me nuts.

I used to live in an apartment below a smoker and every summer the smoke smell came in very strongly through the AC vents (the entire complex shared an HVAC system which was turned on and turned off at the same times each year). I didn't really know the neighbor so one day, after a few weeks of trying to figure out where it was coming from, I went upstairs with a plate of cookies, knocked on the door, introduced myself and told her about the problem, which we had not had the previous summer. It turned out that she (a VERY heavy smoker) had recently retired and was now home all day. (As a SAHM I was home all day too.)

Anyway, I don't think I was confrontational, and she was really nice about it. She and I both changed our filters, she tried to smoke more on the balcony, and it actually seemed to help. I also put bowls of vinegar around everywhere. Every summer when the AC kicked on, this happened again, and every summer I knocked on her door. Maybe that wouldn't work for everyone but it worked OK for us. (who knows though, maybe she's still cursing my name)

There was still a pretty good whiff of it near one of the vents all summer long, but we got used to it.

Now we live next door to a smoker, but we don't share AC units and it hasn't been a problem. :)

All of that was to say--since it was bad enough for the landlord to mention it, it would probably be a deal-breaker for me. The problem is that you don't have control over who moves in or out, wherever you live, and there will always be smokers, wherever you live.

According to Google, the ashtray is from here: http://www.findingcheska.com/en/products.php

Looks a bit expensive, but they've got some interesting things.

As to the question, I would probably be very hesitant to move there. I'm very much not a fan of cigarette smoke, especially when it gets into clothes.

Unless you have a reason to not trust your own judgement, I say go with your instincts. By asking the question, you've already shown that it's an issue for you. That's not necessarily a bad thing.

The only problem I've had with downstairs smokers is cigarette butts. Honestly, how can people litter like that and think nothing of it? Talk about classless.

I lived in a building with smokers above me who would toss their cigarettes out the window, often without even putting them out first. WOW. That's why I worry more about smokers above me than below me. I live in a smokefree building now. Yay for that.

I lived by smokers for years when I rented.... I HATE smoke and yet this didn't bother me.... sometimes the living room smelled if they were having a party, but the apartment didn't reek, my clothes didn't smell and I never regretted living there because it was cheap, in a great location and huge for the money.....

You like the apartment, you like the area... Rent the place and buy some of those plug-in air fresheners if you notice a smell. The people below you were their first and if the landlord says it's ok for them to smoke, then they aught to have the right to do so in their apartment. I wouldn't ask them to not smoke outside if your window is open either. If you're worried already then save you and the downstairs neighbors both the hassle and find a smoke-free apartment building.

Oops, 'there' first.

Until recently hubby and I had the same predicament - our wonderful neighbor was a smoker and no matter what we did (sealing off fans, etc.) the smoke smell came through. We live in a recently rehabbed building and everything's tight with no gaps anywhere. The wonderful neighbor moved a couple of months ago and the smell stopped. While I miss the neighbor a lot I don't miss the smell. We still have to be vigilant in regards to shutting windows due to other neighbors, but the constant, all-permeating smell is gone.

I moved into a place that specifically said it was smoke-free. Next thing I know my neighbor sits in the hallway smoking and it's coming straight into my apartment. I complained a lot. She finally moved (only due to her health problems). Now we have a new tenant downstairs and we have the same issues of smoke in common areas and drifting upstairs to our place. It's time for us to move this time to a real smoke-free place.

I live in a building where smoking is okay. There is a woman that lives on the 1st floor of the building that is a heavy smoker, it comes out the doors and goes through the floors. The woman that lives above her has stopped complaining about it, she purchased a air purifier and just lives with the smell. I don't know if I could do that, the person that had my apartment prior to me was a smoker it has taken work to rid the apt. of the smell. I have washed doors and door jams.Painted everything over and I even had the vents cleaned. It is still a work in progress, but it is better than it was when I arrived.

Unless someone is a rampant chain smoker, they will most likely not cause you any problems. I have smoked on and off for the past five years and by ensuring a good airflow and proper (constant) disposal of cigarette butts and cleaning out of the ashtray, no guest or visitor has ever made a comment about my smoking habits. Maybe you should visit your downstairs neighbors and introduce yourself - if the smell is bad, it should hit you right at the door and that is a sign that it might seep up into your apartment or in from the windows. If you really like the apartment and plan on purchasing it, then I would talk to them and ask them to turn on the exhaust fan over the stove (if they have it) and clean out their ashtrays more, if they seem like the type that cares about consideration. If they're light smokers, it really shouldn't be a problem at all if you have an air purifier or something to encourage circulation.

Don't let people think you're being uptight and overly cautious for asking about this. I wouldn't have thought a smoker in another unit would be a problem until I moved into a 1929 fourplex. A light scent seeps in under the front door and through the old windows, but the biggest problem is it coming in through the bathroom fan. It smells like she's smoking inside our apartment--my boyfriend jokes that it smells like a middle school bathroom. From there, it goes into my closet and clothes. Sometimes I feel sooty in my own home, like one does after a night out. It's becoming a real problem and may be the biggest consideration when it comes time to renew our lease.

I strongly suggest you find another place. It's just not worth it. I live in a rowhome, and I can even smell my neighbor's cigarette smoke. Smells have a way of seeping through even the newest walls and floors, and you should feel lucky that you found this out before you moved in. There are plenty of other apartments out there, and there are plenty of neighbor-annoyances that will come along with them, but cigarette smoke should be a deal-breaker.

Wow. What's even more disgusting than living *somewhat near* a smoker? Demonizing them in this way. Get over it. You probably have some disgusting habits, too.

Down with the hyper-hygienic!

I say go for it! I mean if its the perfect place there has to be one downside right? Besides if you didn't smell anything then it is probably not that bad! And if it is that bad you only have to stay a year!

Stop by and meet the neighbors. If the smoke from their apartment is that offensive from the door, then skip it. If tolerable, then go for it.

if you do decide *not* to rent, please make sure you tell the landlord exactly why... and that the choices of their tenants (and what they allow in the space) effect them as well (i.e.: the rentability of adjacent spaces).

I wouldn't live there. I've lived in an 1070's apartment building next door to smokers, and it was terrible. Even with all the doors and window shut, the smell still permeated. Another place was an old Victorian, and the guy in the basement apartment smoked. He traveled a lot, so it wasn't as bad, but it definitely still smelled when he was home and smoking.

Don't rent it. You'll spend the next 12 months being annoyed by the smoke. It WILL come into your apartment.

sfposter is right. Tell the landlord why you're not renting what would otherwise be a dream apartment.

If you have to ask...probably.

I had no idea there was a smoker downstairs when I leased my apartment...and the building facing my bedroom window recently had a lot of party animals move in. Between that and living in smoggy LA, my lungs are not happy.

Incidentally, I used to manage apartments and didn't allow smoking inside. The one smoking tenant I did have was only permitted to smoke outside, and thankfully, she respected that.

Check local laws regarding smoking in multi-unit buildings. In some places, smoking indoors in multi-unit buildings -- as well as smoking in all common areas such as hallways and laundry rooms -- is banned. An apartment building I lived in converted to 100% non-smoking last year.

How much the downstairs smokers will affect you depends entirely on their smoking habits and the building construction. You may never get a whiff, or you may wake up in the middle of the night, every night, with your room reeking of smoke.

I had a neighbor whose smoking was only a problem when she smoked in her bathroom -- our vents intersected, I guess. I asked her not to, and she complied. Another place I lived in, the smoking was only a problem when the neighbor smoked on his balcony, which was above mine.

In another place, the smoke was a problem whenever I had a window open. It was horrible.

Can you speak to other tenants in the building? They may be able to tell you how much odors/smoke get around.

If even the tiniest smell of smoke will bother you to the point you are considering not moving into a space you love, then don't move in full stop. Because that will be a bone of contention with you every single day of your occupancy.

Now let's hope the next place you find doesn't have neighbors who are musicians.

Living in the same building as smokers is bad enough. Living above people who smoke inside the house? No way.

As an ex-smoker who can actually catch a whiff of cigarette smoke from a passerby and kind of like it, I cannot stand the long term smell. My brother stays with me sometimes and he smokes, outside, windows closed and my apt. always ends up smelling like an ashtray cause he smells like one.

Otoh, a friend has a nice apt. in a new building. Her next door neighbor is a heavy smoker and tho you can smell the smoke in the hallway the odor never travels into her place.

I think the answer lies in the age of the building. If it's radiator heat it will be less of an issue from that standpoint. Things like wooden floors vs concrete, individual heat or ac systems vs building wide... well, all the possibles ppl have mentioned. If you can smell their cooking you can smell their smoke.

I am extremely sensitive to cigarette smoke. I live in town, on the second floor, above a brick garden with benches, where the general public can schmooze with their lattes. There are "no smoking" signs posted all over the place. People smoke on the benches anyway.

Lately, the cigarette smoke has really been getting to me. It makes me sneeze non-stop sometimes for a 1/2 hour at a time, several times a week.

Two weeks ago, I burst a blood vessel in my head during a sneezing attack and I had to be rushed to the hospital. I'm lucky I lived to be telling the tale.

I love my place and moving isn't an option - so I just ordered an Austin Air filter. After much research, I'm hoping it will let me live in peace in the place I love, in harmony my with inconsiderate neighbors.

Good Luck...

Come on people - seriously. It is hard enough for a first time renter to get a landlord to rent to them without co-signers any more. The smoke won't affect your health from that distance - get a decent air purifier if the smell of smoke bothers you and just learn to live with. You could be having to rent an apartment near a factory that gives out horrendous smells (anyone ever live near a paper factor - stinky).

This would be a deal breaker for me. I can't stand cigarette smoke. I would not rent that apartment. I don't care if they have an air purifier. Bars have air purifiers and my state just went smoke-free. (YEA!) The bars, even the ones that had air purifiers STILL stick like smoke and they went smoke free a month ago!! When you are sensitive to it, air purifiers don't do much.

This is your home that you need to be able to feel comfortable in. I wouldn't feel comfortable smelling smoke everyday. No way.

For me this would be a deal breaker. I just moved out of a condo in Chicago where cigarette smoke traveled through the ventilation system and in through my stove's exhaust fan. It was disgusting.

I suck it up and just shut the patio slider. The smoking doesn't last that long and since I smoked for 15 yrs before quitting 11 yrs ago, I accept it as penance. Though I do hate it and hope the next tenant does not smoke.

I would say don't move in. Mostly I would say this because I agree that your even asking shows that it does bother you, so you won't want to be near it, but also because they were there first and apparently they, the landlord, and possibly the city and state don't mind (depending on your area). If you knowingly move in and then cause problems for them, I think that's kind of rude to them. You'll find plenty of wonderful places that don't come with a built-in problem!

Don't do it. I lived above a smoker in an old house and it traveled through the vents. If they were above you it may be a different story. You also said the place is Just within your budget. Maybe you can find someplace cheaper without the disgusting smell. Good Luck

grow up.

Don't do it, because it is in an old house. You will smell it if you are concerned that you will smell it. Like different breeds of dogs have more power senses of smell, so breeds of humans to too. Obviously it matters to you. So it's not a matter of "grow up" as c said, but your comfort given your senses.

I'm surprised to read about ''smoke free'' buildings... Do they really exist in the US? I live in Montreal, and we could never have a law that prohibits renters to smoke in their home. Smokers have rights too no? How can that be regulated anyways??

I'm a non smoker and would hate it if I found a great place only to realise the neighbours smoke and we can smell it and it makes living in our house less enjoyable. But I still cannot imagine having a law forbidding people from smoking in their place.

And anyways, if you don't have a smoker next door, you have a loud music player, or a couple always fighting, or a dog always barking, or someone who plays the TV real loud. You can never win when you live around people. Now, if I only could find a island to live on... ;P

if you decide that the smoke is too big of an issue, then please tell the landlord. maybe one day we can all live in smoke free buildings.

ps. i think you are being very "grown up" to see the potential for an issue ahead of time. kudos to you.

My parents smoked all throughout my childhood. I smoked on and off for 15 years, I lived with smokers for 10 years, I've lived in many places where smoking was considered perfectly normal and worked in bars and restaurants before the smoking bans became popular.
This "human rights" approach to smoking really bothers me. Smoking, unlike so many other things, is a choice.
Smokers have all the same human rights as non-smokers. They have the same access to water, air, freedom of religion and so forth.
The only thing that sets them apart is the non-essential act of smoking.
Sure, other "drugs" have a negative impact on society as well, but the legal ones such as alcohol, are generally consumed responsibly enough to outweigh the negativity.
There is no way to smoke in a way that it has a purely positive outcome.
As for the documented effect of nicotine on certain mental illnesses, there is always the patch or the gum.

*rant over*
thank you.

I rented an apartment with smokers downstairs. We had completely separate air, pipes, the works. It did not matter - the smoke smell came up anyway. It permeated everything. During the first walk though, I couldn't smell a thing. But, as time went on, the smell got so bad my dad got sick whenever he came over. The worst part was that not only could I smell it around my apartment, people could smell it on ME whenever I left the apartment. Think hard and choose wisely.

Run away.

It totally depends on the structure of the building and how the building is heated. If you have electric baseboard heaters or hot water radiators there will be less cross contamination than if you have forced air.

Was the building designed as apartments or has it been converted into apartments? Conversions often have their own air currents that guarantee you'll smell it.

in my experience the type of heating matters the most though. If it's forced air I would avoid it like the plague and if not I'd TALK to the current tenants and ask them for the low down on what it is like in winter, when windows are closed, and during periods of high humidity.

Think about how much you love what you own.

If smoke gets in your apartment (the consensus here seems to be that it inevitably will), then over time everything you own will develop a yellowish tinge of nicotine. It's extremely hard to remove. After the death of my father-in-law, I had cleaned a lot of it, and had to throw away otherwise perfectly good things (a lot from the 30s, 40s, and 50s) that were ruined by the smoke stains.

I don't know if it's possible, but could you as the renters who are moving out whether the smoke was bad enough to discolor their clothes and furniture? Otherwise, it just depends on how sensitive you are to the smell of smoke. And if you're determined to live in an older house/apartment complex, even if you find a place without smokers in an adjacent unit, you will always run the risk that those neighbors will move out and smokers will move in.

IF you move in: make certain you have excellent renter's insurance (esp. for fire damage). I'm actually really surprised a modern landlord would allow smoking at all in a building these days. We have neighbors in our condo that smoke on occasion, but everyone does it outside, so we really only smell it in the summer when we have the sliders open. Even that smell, filtered through the outdoors, is too much for me at times.

If your landlord told you about it - it's probably a problem. I've never had a landlord tell me a tenant smokes & it could be a potential problem. It probably means that it was a problem for other tenants.

We went to Home Depot and bought a packet of those thick white vent filters you can cut to size to place in the wall and floor registers themselves. Love them! They filter out a ton of dirt, debris, allergens, smoke, and dust particles. You can rinse them out or cut a new one every few months. Ta-da, super cheap clean(er) air!

Run, don't walk, run from this rental, sad as that maybe. The smoke will find its way to your apartment, your clothes will stink, your furniture will stink everything will be smelly. There has to be a nice apartment out there for you, good Luck finding it.

Most places-all places where I live- allow smoking in the individual homes or units. It might be really hard to find a place that doesn't allow smokers.
I didn't mind the smokers in my unit- I did mind the neighbors who had very loud sex in the living room during the day, the woman who had her tv on all day long and the dude across the hall who had a different girl every weekend.... and don't get me started about the smell of curry in one apartment.....
nowhere is going to be 100 % perfect.

How big is the building, how many smokers overall in building, does it smell when you are in the apartment now, do the halls smell and does this bug you (if there are halls), is it a solidly built building? These are the questions I would consider. I do think that it is noticeable, when you are in a small hotel. I smell my neighbor smoking next door, but it doesn't bug me. We have a driveway between us.

P.S. I agree that noise is a bigger deal breaker, and you won't know much about that until you move in.

it has been my experience that smoke can creep under doors, via locks and vents and i have had to declare full out war against my neighbors at times because they smoke like chimneys.

so for me, after my experience, i would really spend some time asking questions and checking to see for myself by if at all possible visiting the building while the tenant is home.

I think luckyslushy is on to something. If the landlord mentioned it, it probably does mean another tenant in the past found the smoke a problem.

Lorijo, is right. The number one thing that will drive you demented is..... Noise.

That is the biggest deal breaker of all. After years in 'row homes' and apartments I'd say smoking is way down the list. Think about it

A lot of it depends on the building, but for the most part, you will always be affected by the smoke.

I recently lived in a brand-new high-rise in D.C. My neighbor across the hall was a chain smoker and always smoked indoors. The smell on our floor was so terrible that management actually moved their model unit to another floor because potential renters weren't renting after smelling the smoke. I would get really bad headaches, my eyes would water and my throat would swell. Every time I walked into the hall, I'd start coughing. It was too bad. It was a new building and it was ruined. I moved because even after complaints, management wouldn't do anything.

Now, I live in a garden-style apartment on the second floor. I specifically stated to the management that I could not be around smokers. Guess what? My downstairs neighbor smokes. At least he has the courtesy to smoke outside, but that's a problem, too. I used to eat on my balcony every night and during the cooler months, I open my windows but I can't do any of that anymore. It's sad.

While I feel that we deserve to do things in our homes as long as they're legal, I also feel like I am paying the same amount of money that my smoker neighbors pay, only I'm the one who has to incur the health risk against my will. My doctor says I'm allergic to the smoke. To those of you who think that it can't affect your health, you're wrong. If you smell it, it's affecting you. Not only is second-hand smoke obviously dangerous, but there's something called third-hand smoke. This is the nasty chemical deposit that some people are mentioning here that is left on surfaces. It is carcinogenic.

Anyway, I don't mean to rant but this is my experience. It's frustrating because there doesn't seem to be any kind of easy answer to make life livable for everyone. You are very smart to be considering this. I'd run in the other direction, to be honest.

From my experience, smokers for neighbors is inevitable no matter where you live. Sure, they may come and go, but you have to suffer in the meantime.

And on a side note, there is no such thing as a dream apartment in my opinion. There is always something that will make it not so dreamy. When & if you can *own* a place, be able to shape it and make it feel like you've always been there and heck, even choose your neighbors, etc., that is the dream place to live. Apartments should only ever be a temporary solution!

Yeah, they *should* only be a temporary place to live. Unfortunately, in this new economy of ours, not everyone is lucky enough to own these days.

I am actually moving out of an apartment and into a house right now. two of the reasons, along with more space and a backyard--noise and smoke. I was tired of listening to other peoples' music and tv and I was tired of smelling their smoke. in my building it wouldn't leak from apartment to apartment, but there were people who would walk through the building to their apartment smoking. and it would end up in my apartment. given the way the air in the apartment flowed the smoke smell would dead end in my daughter's nursery.

I have to agree with those who mention you will never know what the next tenants will do. A lot of times you probably won't even get a landlord who will mention whether or not his tenants smoke - it's not a legal obligation and if the tenants downstairs knew, they'd probably have a good case to sue him. It's their business not his since he let them move in and he knows they smoke.

If you are living in an apartment (I even am) you learn to deal with stuff. Loud music/tv, crazy loud sex at odd hours, smoking, kids screaming, etc. If you are too sensitive about these things, plan to move in with your parents - you'll never be happy in an apartment if you can't suck it up at least half the time.

i live in an apmt where smokers lived above and the smoke usually goes into my apartment thru the kitchen windows and my balcony area. Luckily it does not seep thru the walls. Not much i can do about it but i truly hate it when i'm enjoying my time in the kitchen preparing something and suddenly the smells seeps in. Ugh! It also sticks to my clothes that i hang to dry nearby.

If it's me and if it the smell can seep thru and start to stick to my stuff in my apartment...i won't stay there. Imagine hugging a pillow which smells of smoke...NO!

Something I want to point out is that there are obviously going to be better apartments than others. Through college and grad school, I probably lived in 5 different apartments. There is a big difference between apartments close to a college where people are doing who-knows-what at all hours of the day and night, and high-end luxury, apartments. Generally, you can find something affordable and mature in between. Yes, you need to put up with a few things when you live in an apartment, but health risks should not be one of them. When I started having serious issues with the smoker in my last apartment, I consulted an attorney. He told me that the landlord/management company had the obligation to provide me with healthy living conditions as their tenant. He actually showed me several cases around the U.S. where people sued their landlords and won (even though smoking in multi-family dwellings was legal in some of the states). Just because smoking is legal does not mean it is okay to take away someone's right to a healthy living environment in their own home.

I have several very close friends who are smokers. I am not a smoker hater by ANY means. It is just unfortunately one of those habits that affects people who choose not to take upon themselves the associated risks.

I know this sounds harsh and I don't mean to offend. I'm just giving facts and hoping to help the owner of this question.

Old houses converted into apartments are particularly problematic when it comes to smells and cigarette smoke; they simply weren't designed to contain or redirect air flow in order to accommodate their redesign.

In the case of your potential apartment, if the previous tenants shelled out for an air purifier, it is obvious that the smoke was bothersome. If you can, track them down and get the scoop from them.

One time, my husband's mother, a smoker, came to stay at our house. My husband was clear to her that she was not allowed to smoke inside the house, but when temperatures hit -30 she of course did not want to go outside. So, after we went to bed, she sat at the dining table and smoked. Our bed was right over the dining table, and we were enveloped in her cigarette smoke; it was awful. And at her house, all the furniture is pickled in cigarette toxins from 5 decades of smoking; I gag as soon as I walk in, and have a headache the whole time I am there. Airing it out, at this point, makes little difference. (This is what they call 3rd hand smoke, and it too causes cancer)

I have no idea what the other features of this place are, but think that I would probably avoid it given that I am very sensitive to smoke. But only you can decide...

(somehow, here in Europe, it doesn't bother me as much in traditional apartments, as they tend to have large windows, high ceilings, and fewer soft furnishings and carpeting...)

If you have to ask AT for advice like this maybe you shouldn't be out on your own.

I'm a casual smoker and still can't stand the smell of a home that's been occupied by heavy smokers. My bf is also a casual smoker and we live in a building that is "recommended non-smoking" since our landlords can't actually tell us not to smoke inside. We always go outside for cigarettes anyway because we both grew up in smoking households and neither of us want the smell around.

Anyway, smokers in apartments nearby wouldn't be a deal breaker for me if it was my dream apartment, because who am I to judge what other people do in their own place? They're paying their own money and the landlord clearly doesn't really care if they smoke inside their apartment. If you're that sensitive to it, then it seems this isn't your perfect apartment but you might not necessarily find anything better. Besides, when you live in an apartment building, you have to get used to what other people around you do that you don't necessarily enjoy.

Our neighbour smokes weed all day (which gets into the hallway) and plays really loud live music late at night but we just deal with it.

Someone in my 4-plex recently started smoking inside, and it finds it way into my apt pretty easily: and it's disgusting as heck.

I smoked for a couple decades & sometimes I can't believe I ever did, sometimes I wish I hadn't quit: but now, it's a deal breaker for me if I have that sort of luxury.

I lived in a historic home duplex on the upper level above smokers. They usually smoked outside unless they didn't feel like it. I could immediately smell smoke coming up from down below. The old construction had a part in that, especially since the home was built in 1860. The worst part was that the smoke traveled up usually through my closet. It would be a deal breaker for me if I knew that the apartment was airy. Good luck with your decision!

Here's something that stuck out at me in your question: The landlord says the current tenants use an air purifier and that's fine for them, right?

That to me speaks volumes. It means they CAN likely smell the smoke. Otherwise why use an air purifier. If you can smell the smoke, the smoke can harm you (the argument could be made you can be harmed by what you don't smell, too.)

This is really a personal decision. I can only tell you what I'd do, and with this information, it would be a deal breaker for me. *shrugs*

We can't choose who is going to move in next to us, but we can choose where to start out in the first place, and this would bother me a lot.

In some ways, I'm agreeing with hrhprincessfiona. If you are seeking online advice on this, maybe you shouldn't be on your own yet. It obviously sounds like you aren't going to be mature enough to realize people around you in apartments pay their rent and are not just going to quit smoking because you are whiny. My best advice is to suck it up if you like the place because you may not like the next and/or as soon as you get there, someone could move and you could get a couple chain smokers move in and it'll be MUCH worse.

To Brook - I'm not sure where you live, but if the landlord agreed to let the smokers move in and it was NEVER said the building was smoke-free I really doubt any cases were won. People who smoke have the same rights as those like us who don't and with that have the right to live in just as nice places as anyone else would choose.

SMH @ some of these criticisms of the questioner. Maturity is a combination of wisdom and experience. Since the questioner obviously hasn't experienced living above smokers, s/he was wise enough to poll others through through an online forum. Plenty of us, including the AT editor that posted the question, thought this was a reasonable inquiry.

The questioner did not state any "whiny" intention to ask the downstairs neighbors to change their smoking habits. Still, as an ex-cigarette smoker and current pot smoker (legal where I live) I would *not* be receptive if someone told me to stay inside/close my windows/etc. while smoking. Especially if I lived there first. I'd use an air purifier *if* you offered to purchase it for me.

The best bet for those sensitive to smoke would be to ask current residents how the smoke affects them, or find a nonsmoking building. Even if you are in a nonsmoking bldg, you need a landlord who will vigorously enforce that. I had some crack users move in across the hall from me, which is obviously illegal.
My landlord got them to cut down on their skeezy visitors (who pissed in our stairwell), he didn't evict them and I kept smelling crack smoke in the hallway. (To be fair, eviction can take awhile.) It was easier for me to move than to deal with crackhead neighbors, my frazzled landlord, and the even more overburdened Oakland police force.

I now live in a 2 story loft with no upstairs or downstairs neighbors. I had to move out of the city into an mixed industrial/suburban neighborhood, but not worrying about neighbors makes it sooo worth it.

The smell of smoke travels no matter what. It all depends on your sense of smell, how fine is it? I know from my experience, I can smell in my house if someone can smoke three levels below me, and the problem arises especially if that smoke is the smell that greets you good morning and wakes you up - I could not deal with it. I own the entire house where I live and I have had to kick a tenant out who promised me when she moved in that in no way did she smoke and only weeks later she started smoking like a chimney.

Wow, the anger some people feel when people want to avoid smoke! Kind of defensive, maybe? Nobody suggested that they wanted to control what you do in your own home, but landlords DO have the right to control what happens in THEIR properties, and if smoking is forbidden, smokers can look for more flexible landlords.

Smoking makes me sick. Literally. I rarely visited my chain smoking mother in the last years of her life because I simply couldn't stay in the same space as her and not throw up. A sensitive sense of smell is no asset.

Smoking is a filthy disgusting habit, it serves no value, and it causes a lot of serious medical problems (such as bladder cancer, according to an NPR program I heard today.) I would positively love it if everybody on the planet quit. But I can't make that happen, so I stay away from smokers, just like hay fever sufferers try to stay away from ragweed. I don't go to bars or parties where smokers are, I won't live with or near smokers, and I am happy that in my state, smoking is no longer permitted in restaurants. (Of course there is often a disgusting cloud outside that you have to go through to get in. Even that can penetrate my hair and clothes and stink for hours until washed.)

I have a feeling that people who protest about their "right" to smoke have no idea at all of just how nasty they smell to the rest of us. No amount of cologne or after shave will help, although people often try, and it just compounds the stench. That greasy orange glaze that covers the walls and furnishings of smokers' homes is a signal of what's going on in their lungs.

So, for people like me, asking this kind of question makes some sense. Ventilation within older buildings often leads to the odors of one unit (whether it's smoke, cooking odors, pet smells, incense, or anything else) crossing through. It's not always something you can control, so it's wise to decide your own tolerance level and work from there. Me, I'd see if the smell of the place bothered me, and if so, I'd look further. People with a higher tolerance for the odor might be fine with it. Obviously the landlord doesn't prohibit smoking, so if you move there, you need to be able to deal with whatever goes on there.

i think it would be a deal-breaker for me. as the child of parents who both smoked (and one who died of lung cancer) i've become sensitive to it and just over all have issues with smoking. I understand that people have a right to smoke. If I owned a rental property you can be sure I'd make my property non-smoking. The additional cleaning and upkeep seems like it wouldn't be worth allowing smoking.

That said, I've lived in apartment complexes that allowed smoking. I never re-leased with those places. I stuck out my lease, used lots of air fresheners, purifiers, febreze, and then i moved. Now I live in a duplex, my landlord lives upstairs and in my lease it SPECIFICALLY states no smoking is allowed by me or my guests. On top of that if I have guests that smoke, they are not to toss their cigarette butts in the yard. If I break these rules I owe them money. I don't think it will ever be a problem, since all my friends know that smoking around me is going to launch me into a rant.

i think you should start smoking that way everyone can be happy. really, it's a super easy habit to pick up.

Nice sarcasm smackwaterjack. Not all of everyone who is defending that smokers do have the right to smoke in their own home are actually smokers. I wouldn't smoke if someone gave me a pack of cigarettes - but I know people who do. In my home I tend to ask the person to go outside if it's not bitter cold out. The neighbors below me smoke but it was never said this was a non-smoking building and to be honest I don't care. I get much more upset when they scream and fight and throw what sounds like pans at each other (mostly afraid the idiots will hurt themselves) or play music full blast at 3am. I'm in an apartment with a management company - if I picked a fight over smoking, I'd probably be the one they'd be wanting to evict ant I would figure it is the same in any landlord situation.

ChrisGal,

The lawyer was showing me official cases fought in court from Lexis Nexis. The were real; I assure you. Of course smokers have rights to live in nice places. The have the right to live where ever they choose - I'd never suggest otherwise. However, I also have the right to breathe clean air in my own home. I'm sure we can all find a way to come to a compromise and appease both parties.

Secondly, who are you to say that the author of this question is not mature enough to live on their own? That is ridiculous. Part of being a mature person is investigating details before making big decisions. In my opinion, this person is VERY mature and I commend him or her for gathering information before making a commitment to a lease.

@Heatherbelle...Hi Heather! I'm writing an article for a montreal magazine about the bylaw on wood burning fireplaces. I noticed you commented on a story about it and I was wondering if I could send you a few quick questions about your opinion on the law? Sorry...AT doesn't seem to have a private message function! Please email me at mtlstrawberry (at) gmail.com and let me know if you are interested....THANKS!!!

Brook knows what she's talking about.

Anyone who engages in activities potentially harmful to others should take measures to reduce if not eliminate that harm. That's a basic legal principle called duty of care. Breach that duty and you become liable for resulting harm.

I haven't heard of Brook's cases, but I wouldn't be surprised to see courts & legislatures deciding landlords are liable for harm resulting from cigarette smoke in the building.

Whether or not you agree with the way the law is developing, you have to agree that it's great when a potential tenant avoids moving into a place that may be hazardous to her well-being. Don't we like it when people take on such responsibility & avoid litigation?

Hence I have to reiterate that asking whether it's a good idea to live above smokers was *not* an immature question, but a sensible one. I bet landlords appreciate such foresight.

Watch out--if they are smoking outside and your windows are open, your apartment will start to smell, too.

To Brook and mikkitkitavi and whomever -- Like I said in an above post, most landlords would never tell you if one of your future neighbors smoked unless you do - they'd be an idiot to. They are not legally obligated. So unless you are renting in an smoke-free building, be aware you might deal with smokers.

Honestly to me, if you can't deal with some quirks from your neighbors (smoking is one of them since it's still LEGAL), you don't need your own place yet. You may need a psychiatrist though.

Yes, you will be able to smell it.
Yes, all of your furniture and clothes will start to smell like it.

Trust me, I live above people who smoke inside. I'm a smoker myself, so it doesn't effect me too much, however, the thought of smoking inside is disgusting.

To me you are mature and thoughtful to ask for advice om this.
Some people answering here seem to have forgotten that not everybody has been subjected to the nastiness of second hand smoke - if you don't know what something is like, the smart thing to do is to ask others.

"Only the foolish learn from experience — the wise learn from the experience of others." Romanian Proverb.

We have a crazy(?) neighbor who blasts the TV at 3am through to 7pm. I don't need to watch the news in the morning, I just listen to her TV.
The thing that really works for us is one of those white noise thingies, highly recommend it if you have loud neighbors.

In my experience, if something is too good to be true, it always is. If the landlord is letting you know about the smoking tenants, it's probably because there have been problems before... which may explain the affordable price for a huge, well located place. Don't want to rain on your parade, kid, but if you're as sensitive to smoke as I am, I wouldn't take it. I'm an ex smoker and I don't give a hard time to any smoker, but I keep a long distance from smoke -- temptation and asfixiation ;) Good luck in your search

"The landlord told me that the people living there now just use an air purifier and are fine with it."

If they were fine with it they wouldn't be using an air purifier.

If you are concerned about the smoke, it will be an issue. It has been one for him before to have mentioned it. He wants a way out when you complain later ('But I told you they smoked...').

"My husband was clear to her that she was not allowed to smoke inside the house...So, after we went to bed, she sat at the dining table and smoked" - mschatelaine
Notwithstanding all the ignorant comments about neighbors who smoke not being a big deal, that quote was too much for me. That is the WORST mother-in-law story I have ever read!

I've had patients who never smoked come in with lung cancer due to second-hand exposure (smoker spouses looking sheepish and guilty).
I've left work with a sinus infection and/or sore throat after sitting in small exam rooms with patients who smoked before coming in.
One of the last patients I saw asked me if I had allergies because I kept sniffing and sneezing during his appointment - um, YES!

I loudly voice my displeasure when my idiot neighbor lights up on his balcony and I have to close our windows.
With all the evidence we have about the dangers of smoking, for smokers to insult someone for whom it is a valid concern is inconsiderate, rude, and plain old stupid.
When you're pulling around an oxygen tank at the ripe old age of 54, can't get health insurance, and aren't allowed to see your grandkids because your very presence is a health hazard, judge us then.

If you hate smoking, don't live near smokers. If you smoke, consider quitting - for your own health and the health of your loved ones.

such emotional responses! I think its been well documented that second hand smoke can affect your health and that doesn't always mean it will kill you, but it may contribute to asthma, etc. There's a smoker on the first floor of my house (two floors away). Due to poor ventilation, I get her cigarette smoke and it wakes me up in the middle of the night with a headache. Deal breaker.

This is a good question. I have a neighbor who smokes and the smoke has come into our windows. Luckily, our neighbor is more considerate about it than most smokers are, and she has moved her habit to more remote locations where it's much less bothersome. But, speaking from experience, her behavior is not the norm.

In short: Be prepared for a persistently stinky apartment if you decide to move in.

yes i live above trash that smokes and i smell it all the time - smokers are rude and self centered scum i would like to gut her like a fish