Everyone cooks. Okay, maybe not everyone. But the majority of the people has cooked at one point in their life. It’s one of the activities that occur in our daily lives. It’s only natural that the tenants staying in a rental will too. However, sometimes people like to cook food that gives off a not-so-pleasant smell. You might think this is not a big deal, but to some, it is.

Landlords may experience complaints about cooking odors from time to time. After all, we all have our preferences. It is not necessarily a bad thing. But if tenants are living near one another, it can become an issue. Some tenants will consider it a nuisance.

• Are cooking odors a problem?

As I’ve said, everyone has a preference when it comes to cooking. Not everyone will share the love for food with different spices mixed into it. Some seasonings do emit odors that other tenants might find unpleasant. Curry, ginger, fish sauce, and cumin are examples of condiments that have a powerful smell. The landlord’s task is to determine if the smell is a problem.

It is considered a nuisance if the odors interfere with the other tenants’ comfort. The landlord cannot regulate the tenant on what they use for cooking inside their rental. They have the freedom to cook and eat what they want. Still, the tenants should avoid disturbing their neighbors. The landlord can consider the cooking odors a problem if it has a significant effect on other tenants.

• What should landlords do?

First, the landlord must determine if the cooking odors can cause a problem among the tenants. It can become subjective depending on the situation. To not create confusion, here are some questions to ask before coming up with a conclusion.

• How frequently do the odors occur? Is it on a daily or weekly basis?
• Does the stench tend to stay for a long time, or does it go away after cooking?
• How many complaints have the landlord received? Is it only from one tenant, or are there others?
• Does the smell reach common areas in the property?
•Does the smell fade away after a while?

If the answer is yes to these questions, the landlord can consider it a nuisance. It is particularly true if the scent reaches the common areas where some tenants are bound to smell it. The landlord must gauge the situation appropriately.

• Discrimination dilemmas

Landlords must be careful when handling complaints about cooking odors. Some cultures love to use different seasonings in their dishes. We all know that home-cooked meals bring comfort to people. Naturally, they will cook food that is familiar to them.

The landlord should deal with this complaint without discriminating and stereotyping the tenant. An unpleasant smell for someone else might not be unpleasant for them. A landlord cannot restrict a tenant who belongs to a race known for using strong-smelling ingredients in their cooking. He must not, at any point, refer to the tenant’s culture and race during the discussion.

The landlord must not also discriminate against the tenant during the screening process. Discrimination includes rejecting a tenant because he belongs to a specific race and knowing they use several flavors in their food.

A landlord should handle the complaints as he does with other problems. It is the same as any other nuisance like loud pets and music. There should be consistency in dealing with the different complaints they get. The landlord should also keep a record of the complaints made and notices sent.

Possible Solution

Tenants have the right to cook what they want without being discriminated against. However, the landlord should provide the other tenants with a relaxed environment too. A landlord can try to suggest ways that can eliminate the problem. They can try opening the windows or using exhaust fans. But if the issue continues, the landlord might have to resort to eviction. We don’t want that.

It is natural to receive complaints. We cannot please everybody around us. The best thing to do is compromise and look for solutions. The landlord should know what to do in these situations. But while they’re dealing with tenant complaints, you can do your job and find more tenants.

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