Family Find New Rental Home Contaminated By Ice – A Timely Warning For Tenants & Property Managers
Source: NZ Herald
You’re moving your family into a new rental home. You’ve paid the bond, 4-weeks rent, and letting fee up front, and then you discover that the house may be contaminated by ice from previous occupants. And when you get it tested, the results show that the contamination is above the recommended safe limits. What do you do?
In the case of this family, they immediately moved all of their possessions into storage units and ended up staying with a family member, thousands of dollars out of pocket.
Police confirm that they have previously attended the address on several occasions but cannot reveal why due to privacy laws.
The rental agent and property manager claims to have known nothing about the home’s dubious history, and the owner, who lives in China, has not mentioned any meth-related issues in the property’s past, either.
The property manager said she “absolutely” did not know methamphetamine had been used at the property before the tests turned up positive. She said the bond had already been refunded and they will also refund the rent and letting fee.
However, there is still the issue of the hundreds of dollars forked out by the tenant for testing the property for meth, the cost of shifting and storage unit fees, and possibly, compensation to be addressed. Click here to read the full article.
All of this could have been avoided by conducting some simple, inexpensive surface testing by the tenant, and by the property manager.
As a tenant, it would be wise to carry out your own testing of a property before signing the agreement. This would provide you with peace of mind that you’re not moving your family into a home contaminated by a previous occupant’s toxic ice residue.
And if you’re a property manager, a simple test of any new client’s property would ensure that you’re not taking on a legacy issue that will cost you money and reputation. Seriously, is this a hassle you can do without?
Furthermore, landlords and property managers should consider inserting a “Meth Testing” clause in new tenancy agreements. Firstly, you need to have a house tested, pre-letting, to demonstrate that it is ‘meth clean’ when new tenants move in.
The clause should state that the property owner reserves the right to test during inspections and at the end of the tenancy. Should contamination be detected at any stage during the tenancy, that the tenant will be held responsible for testing, clean-up, remediation and legal costs.
This should act as a sufficient deterrent for tenants using or manufacturing meth in your property.
Preliminary, surface testing for ice can be conducted cost-effectively, and quickly by anyone, using the Narcotect D4D PenTest kit. Testing of all rooms, garage, and sheds of an average 4 or 5 bedroom house can be carried out for less than $100.
Don’t become another accidental victim of ice. Don’t put your business’s reputation at risk by ‘not knowing’. Carry out preliminary surface testing for peace of mind.
Do Your Own Testing With Surface Drug Test Kits
Make meth testing part of your “Property Investment Protection Plan”. For less than $100 you can conduct a thorough test of all likely contaminated areas of a 4 or 5 bedroom house including garage and/or workshop using Narcotect D4D PenTest drug test kits.
For more regular testing, the Narcotect Field Test Kit contained in a hard-wearing carry case will be your best option.
