Had an applicant today who has good credit but a recent conviction for possession of drug paraphernalia which is a misdemeanor here in PA. Income also meets requirements. She has a pet and claims it's a Boston Terrier mix. I go to her FB page and see what appears to be a Pitbull. Digging through her FB page a bit more, I see she's posted a sign that says "I love my Pitbull". Like many LL's, I don't accept Pitbulls no matter how sweet someone claims they are. Besides, it's never a good idea to lie on the application. I'll just ghost this one.

I'm very close to NJ where recreational MJ is legal. There's a lot of back and forth over the border as there's a dispensary right over the border. I suspect PA will legalize because we border three states where it's legal (NY, NJ and MD) simply to protect revenues. The main problem with MJ use for me is potential smoking in the unit. How do you guys handle charges like this?

I'm up front with tenants that I don't allow smoking of any kind. I don't care what it is, not in my building. Period. No smoking, no hookah, no vaping, no candles, no burning incense. Nothing that will make smoke. Vaping releases a greasy substance.

MO legalized recreational use. My attitude is that it may be legal, but no smoking in my building.

One of my kids has a Boston Terrier. It is at my house right now. No way I would ever mistake it for a Pit Bull. Gone. No second chance.

I allow smoking in my places because so many do it. I am considering dropping that, but as of now have not.

I have had people smoking MJ in some places. It is not legal here (yet). If a neighbor complains or a charge is filed they are out. Booted an otherwise good tenant because her new BF was a heavy MJ smoker. I talked to her about it. She said it was resolved. Next week tenant in the other side made another complaint and I went over.

My lease is clear: No smoking inside. That includes vaping. Smoke outside.

(I know they don't but at least I can use the clause if needed)

Clearly, the dog & lies lead to a DQ.

Now, I am not so experienced in these things, but what "paraphernalia" do you need to smoke pot? Surely rolling paper isn't in that category, is it?

I generally think of "paraphernalia" as something like a crack pipe.

Then again, a straw is just for drinking soda, until it's used for something else - so maybe that would be drop paraphernalia too.

A cousin had to move an elderly family member on fairly short notice. I was appalled when she mentioned that they were listing the Pit Bull as a "terrier mix" on pet-friendly applications.

Technically it was a "Boston Terrior Mix". As mom ran off to mate with a Pit she passed a Boston on the way.

I'm on a landlord/tenant forum on facebook and it's not unusual to read quite a few complaints from tenants living in complexes in states where MJ is now legal. Their complaints are from the smell when smoking this.

My oldest son has a Boston. It's hard to confuse this with a Pit. Think (as a pup) a baked potato.

I'd be done with the pitbull that was claimed to be something else so I wouldn't be worried about the drug charge.

However any sort of drug conviction is a hard "no" from me.

Require renters insurance- most company's don't insure Pits.

Screen as normal. Make sure they know the cost of smoking in your unit in advance.

Enforce the lease.

(Jason [VA], I wouldn't just accept a picture of an animal. I meet them with their animal, and that better be a cool little critter or else. Get vet documentation that they're fixed and all the rest of the screening procedures mentioned here.

If the breed is questionable (e.g. looks like a pit), I require a dna test from the local vet (that always includes a photo of the dog on the test documents), to prove the lineage.