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Signers who smoke in their home.

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T O P I C R E V I E W
laurams	Posted - 07/19/2011 : 12:16:54 PM This is a topic I haven't seen before, and I'd be very interested in hearing others' opinions on how they would handle it. It has to do with signing in the customer's home when they smoke inside of it. I don't encounter this very often, but I sure would like to handle it with tact and with a positive result too. I am not a smoker and am allergic to cigarette smoke. My eyes burn, my throat gets scratchy, and I get a strong headache. I don't get asthmatic or anything, but when people smoke I generally get mildly sick the rest of the day and part of the next. In my state, smokers have almost nowhere to smoke, so its not usually a problem for me, unless its in their own home. Most of them I seem to encounter don't seem to think about it, but I have the feeling about half of them could care less. And those seem to be the chain smokers. I'm in two minds about the whole thing. a) Its their house, everybody tells them they can't smoke here, they can't smoke there, and now I come in, tell them I'm allergic and ask them if they could go outside or withhold it for the next 30-45 minutes. b) Its only for 45 minutes, if they need to do it they can go outside, its not like I'm asking them to not smoke the whole day. I live in Florida, so for about 9 months out of the year, going outside to a porch means sweating to death and getting chewed on by mosquitoes, not to mention not everybody has a table and chairs or a porch for that matter. And being outside next to a smoker helps a little but doesn't cut out all the effects. I'd be particularly interested in what our smoking notaries have for suggestions. I'm not bashing smokers, I just want to try something that would help me without offending them.
4 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First)
CopperheadVA	Posted - 08/03/2011 : 3:43:38 PM I agree with Lee. I'm a non-smoker and dislike cigarette smoke, but I would never tell someone in their own home that they can't smoke. If I were extremely allergic I would come up with something to say to politely ask the signers not to smoke in front of me, but as I'm not allergic I just get through it the best I can. In six years I've only had two appointments where the people actually smoked at the table, and that was hard for me to get through. Most of the time, I can just smell the heavy smoke in the house and sometimes a borrower will excuse him/herself to go and get a quick smoke outside, usually while the spouse is filling out an ACH form. Even when they don't smoke in front of me, many times the smoke in the home is so thick that my clothes reek of it after only being in their home for an hour or less to sign the docs. I do wash my clothes as soon as I get home. Thankfully, I find that situation happens only rarely for me. CopperheadVA
Lee-AR	Posted - 08/03/2011 : 12:00:34 PM Minority opinion: It's their home and you are earning a fee for bringing their loan signing right to their home for their convenience. Notice all the 'their's in that sentence and only one 'you'? If anyone came into my home and put on a surgical mask, I'd seriously question their sanity and/or common sense. As smoking is forbidden just about everywhere these days, my experience has been that even in their own home, most smokers will ask if it's OK to smoke. That's your cue to say very politely that you really are allergic and would prefer they didn't. An alternative would be to politely tell them at the door that you are very allergic to smoke and if they wish to smoke, they'll need to have another notary handle the signing at a later date. I like this the least, but feel that you've told 'em and it's now their decision. As it's taken quite a while to get to this point, they will probably just want to get it done and will refrain from smoking. Many, if not most, signers offer me coffee, water, soda...and I politely & laughingly refuse saying I appreciate the offer, but I'd probably spill it on your paperwork..and that's a big no-no, so maybe when we're all done... (But I leave.) I've noticed that they usually take the hint and will not have a drink on the table, either. There are many jobs that require somewhat lengthy in-home visits...appliance repair, carpet cleaning/installation, painters..to mention a few. How long do you think they would be employed once customers start complaining?
n/a	Posted - 08/03/2011 : 10:32:16 AM quote: Originally posted by laurams ...signing in the customer's home when they smoke inside of it. I don't encounter this very often, but I sure would like to handle it with tact and with a positive result too. I am not a smoker and am allergic to cigarette smoke. My eyes burn, my throat gets scratchy, and I get a strong headache. I don't get asthmatic or anything, but when people smoke I generally get mildly sick the rest of the day and part of the next.... I haven't done enough mobile notarization to have encountered this, but you bring up something for me to think about. I grew up in a smoking household, and as a result do suffer from asthma. Smoke and perfumes will trigger it. I experience also a lot of the other symptoms you mention. Thanks for the heads up to think about that when agreeing to do a mobile job. (So far I've only done it at a church and a hair salon other than at my office or a non-smoking home.) Here in Northern California, 75% of the time being outdoors would work. (Note: many places now disallow smoking within a certain distance of entrances to commercial/public buildings so smokers can't hang around the door, under the protection of eaves/overhangs!) I think Dannotary's response about a mask is helpful - except it does nothing for the affect on your eyes. You also will have to bathe and wash your clothing afterward.
Dannotary	Posted - 07/28/2011 : 8:23:00 PM might try wearing a surgical mask and just tell them its because you have a 'condition'. It might help. THey might decide to be decent and get over smoking til you leave if they have a modicum of consideration. I just get thru it because although I never smoked and suffer the same effects as you do, it is their home. For houses and people who just plain smell bad, and I have been in some houses that the smell could gag a maggot, I always carry in my briefcase some small bottle of either Tiger Balm or some 4711 FLorida water or anything else you want to put on your upper lip to kill odors. When law enforcement has to haul out a decomposing body they smear Vicks under their nostrils to kill the smell.