How to install a range hood?

Is there anything I can do to convince my landlord to install a range hood?

• I recently moved into a new apartment. It has a nice stove, but no range hood! I did a stir fry the other day and the whole hall smelled like my food. I am fine with this, but it seems like it'd be advantageous to all parties involved to have a range hood, but I'm not sure if there is a good way to argue this.

• Answer:

  It will depend very heavily on your particular situation. Firstly, if your complex has an organising body - in Australia the "body corporate" - then check whether their rules require the units to have ventilation. If the owner of your apartment is in violation of such a rule, then note this. Also find out whether there are any city regulations - environmental regulations? - that may require it. Perhaps a call to a local tenants' association will be helpful in identifying this. Then, I'd politely ask the landlord to install ventilation, saying that you're concerned that your cooking smells are adversely impacting on your neighbours. If the landlord is aware of their obligations (if they exist) but politely ignoring them, they should choose to install a range hood at this point. If not having a range hood is not in violation of any building rules or city ordinances, then obviously you don't have much bargaining power and it's somewhat a "tough luck" situation. Having said that, think whether there's anything you're willing to offer to the landlord to "sweeten the deal", such as paying a small amount in additional rent ($10 or $20 per month?), or extend your lease, etc. If you or a friend or relative is handy, you might offer to install it yourself if the landlord pays for the fitting, for example, but only do that if you - or your friend or relative willing to help - can do it competently. As a landlord many times over, I know that I'm pretty receptive to those kind of approaches, because I think "well, I'll get a third back this year in tax write-off, then the rest back within 2 years of extra rent, and after that it's pure profit...". But I also know that not all landlords think that way. :/