New law bans smoking in rental homes and private yards

A new Finnish law will ban smoking in rental homes, their private yards and balconies unless the landlord expressly allows it, Yle reported. The law will take effect on October 1.

Smoking will still be allowed in separately designated areas in yards. The ban also covers shared outdoor areas, provided that it does not conflict with other rules, such as those of the housing company.

Several rental housing companies are now banning smoking in the private yards of terraced houses as well.

Maria Karesti, who lives in a rental home owned by Kotkan Asunnot in Mussalo, Kotka, heard about the new rules on Thursday.

“It is completely idiotic. People should have the right to smoke in their own yard if they pay rent for it,” Karesti said.

According to Karesti, the housing company plans to install a designated smoking area. She uses a walking frame and considers the arrangement difficult. She does not yet know where the new smoking area will be located.

Karesti’s neighbour, Sinikka Mäkelä, also criticised the change. She was surprised that the law would apply to the yards of terraced houses.

“My smoking will probably decrease now. In the summer, it has been convenient to go into the back yard,” Mäkelä said.

She does not have high expectations for the new smoking area. “Probably an ashtray somewhere, or some large container,” she said.

Several rental housing companies have already updated their house rules. Espoon Asunnot informed residents about its rule changes at the end of August.

Kotkan Asunnot approved its new house rules at a meeting in early September. The rules will take effect at the same time as the new rental law, said Anita Heikkinen, the company’s communications specialist.

“We have now been able to start informing residents because the house rules have been changed,” Heikkinen said.

Kotkan Asunnot will install new smoking areas in its yards if residents request them. So far, residents have requested one at only one property, Heikkinen said.

The smoking areas will be placed far enough from apartment entrances, windows and children’s play areas, she said.

Heikkinen expects the new rules to generate some contacts from residents. “Smoking provokes different opinions among our residents,” she said.

Lappeenrannan Asuntopalvelut, another rental housing company, has had varied smoking policies, according to its chief executive, Veli-Matti Pulli. The company has about 500 supported housing units, all of which are smoke-free, but it has also had agreements allowing smoking on balconies and even inside apartments.

Pulli said he considered it positive that the new law protects non-smokers. At the same time, he understood that many people could find it difficult to smoke under the new rules.

“At all of our properties, it is not possible to designate a safe smoking area. It is easy to end up in an endless quagmire where the smoking area is in the wrong place and smoke drifts, for example, into play areas or apartments,” Pulli said.

The company will carefully consider where to install new smoking areas, Pulli said. It has about 150 properties and a total of 4,300 rental homes.

“For a future tenant, information that a property has a smoking area may become significant,” Pulli said.