If you are suffering from unwanted second-hand smoke seeping into your home from neighbouring units, you are not alone--but the good news is that tenants are starting to take action to increase smoke-free housing options in Ontario. Surveys show that roughly one-third of people living in multi-unit dwellings has experienced second-hand smoke infiltrating their homes. Many people never even bother lodging formal complaints, as they feel that nothing can be done. However, landlords have a responsibility to address complaints of second-hand smoke if there is evidence that the smoke is seriously disturbing the reasonable enjoyment of other tenants.
In this section we offer some suggestions for addressing the problem of second-hand smoke in your home.
Document the problem
Without sufficient documentation and evidence, it can be challenging to prove that the second-hand smoke infiltrating your home is an “unreasonable” disturbance that has resulted in a loss of your reasonable enjoyment. The mere presence of smoke is not sufficient; infiltration must be frequent, ongoing and must be significantly interfering with the normal use and enjoyment of your home. Documenting and collecting evidence to prove your claim is vital. Read more...
Minimize the problem
The best solution for protecting yourself and your family from exposure to second-hand smoke is to live in a 100% smoke-free building. However, given the lack of available smoke-free rental accommodations in Ontario, this is not always possible. This section offers some steps you can take on your own to minimize or eliminate the smoke from entering your home. Read more...
Negotiate solutions
If your efforts to abolish the smoke from your home are unsuccessful, we recommend that you work with your landlord to negotiate a solution. This section offers some tips for working with your landlord to resolve the problem of smoke infiltrating your home. Read more...