Balcony smoking ban may leave loophole for owner-occupiers

Property and housing management industry groups have warned that proposed legal changes could allow owner-occupiers to bypass a balcony smoking ban, according to a statement from the Real Estate Owners and Builders Federation Rakli reported by Finnish public broadcaster Yle.

The consultation period for a draft law aimed at making it easier to ban smoking on apartment balconies ended on Wednesday. The Finnish Real Estate Federation argues that smoking should be directly prohibited by law on balconies in apartment buildings.

Rakli noted that under the government’s proposed amendments, smoking could be banned for tenants but remain permitted for owner-occupiers in the same residential property.