_________________________________________________
Every few days it looks like there is another media story about P (Methamphetamine) contamination being found in rental properties. I thought it is time to update Landlords and Property Owners on some of the issues, what to look for and how to minimise the risks.
_________________________________________________
Key facts
So why test for Meth:
- Over 20% (some say it is up to 40%) of rental properties will test positive for some methamphetamine residue.
- Meth contamination can occur in property rented by any socio-economic group, in any geographic area.
- Tenants and their families may be exposed to toxic chemicals which damages their health and also exposes landlords and property managers to legal action.
- Meth contamination can be devastating and expense to clean-up
- If a Landlord knowingly rents out a property that is contaminated, they are breaching their obligations under the Residential Tenancies Act, as well as other legislation such as the Building Act and the Health Act.
What to look for:
So what are some of the obvious indicators of a P-lab (for beginners):
- unusual chemical smells that are not normally present in a home
- numerous chemical containers – stockpiled or in the recycling/rubbish
- plastic or glass containers fitted with glass or rubber tubing
- chemical stains around kitchen sink or drains
- yellow or brown stains on interior floors, walls, ceiling
- excessive security
- frequent visitors
So what can we do?
We should all be concerned about the risk of methamphetamine contamination in investment properties. While we can argue about the number of P-labs, the problem is widespread, it’s in most communities and it’s not going away. So here is some useful information about managing the risk:
- Tenant vetting - undertake thorough vetting and checking of tenants before they move in. e.g. old landlords, current employer, credit check
- Regular inspections - complete, thorough, documented and regular property inspections need to be undertaken – every 3 months.
- Meet the neighbours - maintain a good relationship with the neighbours – even if it is just leaving a business card/contact details with them
- Install Methminder - you could install meth minder units – that automatically tests the air for manufacturing components in P.
- Insurance Policy - check with your Insurance Broker and find out if your insurance policy covers contamination, reinstating the property, loss of rent and testing. Some don’t. Also find out the maximum pay-outs as well.
- Meth Testing - we strongly recommend arranging meth tests at the start (and end) of each tenancy – it costs around $200 per test. Advising the Tenant, they will be held responsible for any contamination also acts as a strong deterrent.
- Pre-purchase meth testing - include a clean meth test as a condition of purchase of any new investment property.
It is the Landlords’ responsibility to provide a safe & healthy property to their Tenants, so Quinovic Greenlane recommends that Owners of rental properties test for Meth at the beginning and end (the start of the next tenancy) of each tenancy, as best practise.
