Finding a drug house
Lots of people were interested in the drug house blog so we have republished it on this new site.
Police Warnings
There are warnings all over the media. Look out for drug houses. The police send information to managing agents like us. At Planinsek Property we have discussed many times the procedure we need to have in place to make sure that this doesn’t happen to one of our landlord’s property. But it did.
The usual checks were done when the tenants, two adults and a baby, applied for the property. All looked good when the tenancy started. Rent was paid on time. The first inspection was conducted at three months into the tenancy.
Routine Inspections
In Victoria, as in other States, it is legislated how often routine inspections can be conducted. For us it is only once every six months and the first one has to be at least three months after the start of the tenancy. We schedule them at the three and nine month mark.
At the three month routine inspection the usual photos were taken. The property was being well maintained by the tenant. The property manager was pleased.
But then we had to arrange another visit to the property by the company which does the annual checkup of the smoke detectors – another legal requirement.
Unscheduled Inspection
Surprise. Surprise.
The fire protection company guy was very quick to tip us off it was a drug house.
The photos are amazing – four months after the routine inspection. What a before and after. Our staff have learned a lot about what these drug growers do to a building with bypassing electricity meters, running wires through the roof and cutting holes in ceilings. Lots of mess and damage.
Imagine restoring this four bedroom home. Imagine the cost.
If you are an investor the first question I ask you is “Do you have landlord insurance?” The second question is “How much will your policy cover? Is there a shortfall?”
Check Your Insurance
We are not insurance brokers and cannot give advice but we have learned that not all policies are equal as we do many different type of claims on behalf of our landlords and some policies exclude things that other policies cover. So understand your insurance policy.
In this drug house they were growing plants. Had it been the drug ice they were making the house may have had to be destroyed as apparently ice is so toxic it permeates the walls and ceilings.
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