Before You Rent
Before signing a lease with an apartment building, there are a few steps you can take to ensure you and your family will be protected from secondhand smoke.
- Learn about the importance of living in an apartment building with a smoke free policy
- Understand what the Iowa Smokefree Air Act does and does not cover in apartment buildings
- Search the Iowa Smoke Free Homes registry for smoke free housing in your area
Questions to ask a property manager/owner before signing a housing lease.
- Does the apartment building have a smoke free policy? What areas of the building or property does the policy apply to? The Smokefree Air Act covers common areas, but not individual units.
- Are any residents exempt or have a grandfathered lease that allows them to smoke in their apartment?
- Are there signs in the building or on the property designating that it is smoke free?
- Does the smoke free policy apply to visitors and staff?
- Are electronic smoking devices, such as e-cigarettes, are allowed in the building?
- What are the enforcement steps for the smoke free policy?
- What should a renter do if they smell cigarette smoke in their unit?