Smoking and vaping anywhere within a Unipol Property is strictly forbidden. This is clear within the Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreement (AST), which states:

4.5 Smoking
You are not permitted to smoke (including hookah/shisha pipes and e-cigarettes) anywhere in the room or accommodation or any other part of the building (as applicable). Damage caused to the Accommodation by smoking or vaping (e.g. burns to contents, lingering smells, damage to décor) will not be treated as fair wear and tear and you will be liable for the costs of cleaning, repair, replacement or redecoration after damage by smoking or vaping. Where available, designated external smoking areas are clearly signposted and smoking should only take place in these areas.

If evidence of smoking is found within your accommodation, you will be charged for any damages caused. Charges can include but are not limited to: 

• Defogging and disinfecting the room (approx. £80 per room)
• Deep clean of affected area (approx. £100 per room, £235 for a kitchen)
• Replacement of any burned or smelly furniture (e.g. mattress from £137, sofa from £250)
• Redecorating the room to remove smoke stains (e.g. from £289 for a bedroom, from £369 for a kitchen). 

These charges are not limited to the end of your tenancy. As Unipol do regular inspection, any time we find evidence of damage caused by smoking, we would need to rectify those damages and pass the charges back to you. We will obviously try to be fair - if the sofa isn't damaged or smelly and we don't need to replace it, we won't charge you, but if we get a whiff of smoke, we are probably going to send in the defoggers! 

If there is evidence of smoking within a communal area and we are not sure who is responsible, all tenants are considered equally responsible until evidence which suggests otherwise is found. This is in line with the Section 8.2 of the AST which states that the, “occupiers of the building are jointly and individually liable for the communal areas. Where deliberate or accidental damage is caused to a complex or building of which the Property forms part and it is not possible for the Landlord to identify who caused any damage to the shared areas, the Landlord shall be entitled to charge as damages a fair and reasonable proportion of the cost of reinstatement among the tenants in that building or complex…”

If tenants claim that a guest of theirs has smoked, not them, they remain responsible for their guest as per Section 4.4.f. of the AST which states that a tenant will “take responsibility for the actions of anyone who is in the Property with the Tenant's permission”.  

If you are in a large student complex, it is likely that there is a dedicated smoking area on site. If you are unsure where this is, please contact your Building Manager or reception team for more information. If you are in a student house or flat, ensure that you are smoking away from the building so that the smoke doesn't travel in, and away from where it might distress any neighbours. If you are unsure, please contact your Property manager. 

If you are interested in giving up smoking or vaping, you can read this article from Cancer Research UK or contact Tenancy Support on tenancysupport@unipol.org.uk or use this form.