Unfortunately cannabis farms and drug labs are a growing problem for Australian landlords.
The boom in domestic production is a concern for private landlords and property managers all over the country.
Landlords can face serious repercussions if a tenant is using the property to cultivate drugs.
If you have no involvement in the criminal activity, you may be under a contractual duty to report criminal activity in your property to police.
Generally speaking, you also have the right to evict the tenant without violating the lease and may also be able to sue for damages in some states.
When there is a cannabis farm or drug lab, landlords often suffer significant property damage and have an increased risk of fire or explosion in the property.
Here are some tell tale signs that your property is probably being used to cultivate cannabis and/or other elicit substances.
- Excessive internal and external fortification
- Silver duct tape protruding from windows
- Gas cyclinders
- Bin bags full of vegetation
- Strong smells
- Humidity and condensation on windows, peeling wallpaper and mildewed walls
- Sudden increases and decreases in utility bills (water & electricity)
- Electrical wiring that has been interfered with
- Powerful lighting fixtures and lighting that is on day and night
- Blocked out windows
- Unusual amount of activity when tenants move in and large numbers of visitors, day and night
- Overuse of deodorizers and air freshening products
- Bulbs, soil and fertilizer
- Plants, lights and reflective materials, hydroponics
- Bubble bags, self seal bags, scales, flasks, beakers and rubber tubing
Performing Bad Tenant Checks is one of the best ways of avoiding these types of tenants.
The RealRenta platform enables landlords to request Bad Tenant Checks, as a way to assess whether or not the prospective tenant has a good rental history.
