Meth testing - your thoughts

Discussion in 'Property Management' started by Whiz, 4th Oct, 2017.

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  1. Paul@PAS

    Paul@PAS Tax, Accounting + SMSF + All things Property Tax Business Plus Member

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    I would be more concerned for their stable employment / marital / mental health history and many PMs dont or cant adequately check that.

    One test report for any property buyer that makes sense is a asbestos / lead report. So many old properties with asbestos insulation. Only some states have a process to address it. I recently had enquiry from someone with the issue after buying an IP. It was riddled with ceiling insulation made from loose asbestos. Hidden under fibreglass that was years old - Older than the vendor. He needed advice on compulsory buy back or remedial work under NSW scheme.
    Will be out of pocket (interest) a lot but have a safe house when its done OR a cleared site depending on choice / options.

    Assistance for owners and tenants - NSW Fair Trading
     
    Last edited: 5th Oct, 2017
  2. Redwing

    Redwing Well-Known Member

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    As someone else mentioned above, they've been testing houses for a while now in NZ; to become the norm here also? :confused::(

    Home buying and the meth mine-field (NZ)

    Last month, it was discovered that almost 400 Housing New Zealand properties were deemed uninhabitable because of methamphetamine

    upload_2017-10-5_10-1-50.png
     
  3. Scott No Mates

    Scott No Mates Well-Known Member

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    How big a problem is it?
     
  4. Whiz

    Whiz Well-Known Member

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    Good point. We will get the tenants to provide the results, as opposed to having the friend in the industry representing them, which is how it has played out in part until now.

    Have been googling this and it would seem that in June this year NZ came up with these standards:
    "1.5 μg/100 cm2 (1.5 micrograms of methamphetamine per 100 square centimetres of surface sampled)"
    Of course it would be up to accredited testers to advise but helpful to know what we are possibly dealing with once we see the original test results.


    Was thinking along these lines myself, that having been informed of the potential problem, that it will likely fall to me, the landlord to have it investigated further, until we can be sure there is no risk there.

    Interesting points you bring up for consideration.
    Of course if they ever did agree to having their car or whatever tested, I guess now they could claim cross-contamination from having lived in the house!

    It's all a very grey area. :(
     
  5. datto

    datto Well-Known Member

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    You know how some people can just walk into a room and tell if cigarettes have been smoked in there.

    Well I know someone ( I'll just call him "Bill"). Well he can tell if meth or cannabis have recently been consumed in a room.

    We tested him and he had 90% accuracy. He licked the walls in one place and we had to call an ambulance lol.
     
  6. Scott No Mates

    Scott No Mates Well-Known Member

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    Food poisoning?
     
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  7. datto

    datto Well-Known Member

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    No, he OD'ed.
     
  8. Redwing

    Redwing Well-Known Member

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    upload_2017-10-6_10-10-53.png Meth house
     
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  9. Ted Varrick

    Ted Varrick Well-Known Member

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    I think I might know Bill.

    Was this him before he licked the wall?

    SunglassDog.jpg
     
  10. datto

    datto Well-Known Member

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    An uncanny resemblance.
     
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  11. samiam

    samiam Well-Known Member

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    After living a year in legalised city of North America, identifying cannabis smell is too easy :D
     
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  12. Ted Varrick

    Ted Varrick Well-Known Member

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    Thought as much.

    I understand that he likes donuts as well (both the noun and the verb versions...)
     
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  13. datto

    datto Well-Known Member

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    Top dog! He belongs in the Druitt.

    it's a pungent smell you never forget. Now imagine a cop pulls up behind you with lights flashing and you got 20 seconds to clear that smell. "Officer I think there is a skunk under my seat lol"
     
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  14. Whiz

    Whiz Well-Known Member

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    Are we still moving in the right direction?

    Update:

    - PM email request to tenants to provide full written report from consultant, for assessment and investigation. Offered tenants early termination of lease by mutual agreement, and recommended that if they wish to, that they seek other accommodation, for health reasons. (as per Insurer's advice)
    - Tenants reply: Don't have test results. Only met the consultant on day test done. Not a friend. Says we should contact the consultant for advice and results. Only concerned with family health, and any contamination of possessions. Will seek new accommodation. Enquires if rent till departure still required and can bond be transferred to next property, or refunded prior to move.
    - Reply that all lease conditions remained unchanged, except for early termination, and that owner needs more concrete evidence of such a claim from the tenants if they are to investigate further.
    - One of tenants advises PM that they are unable to pay the rent this week but will try to catch up.
    - PM acknowledges and advises date upon which form 11 will be issued if rent not paid.

    So many unanswered questions about this. I have a little more background info which I will add to a separate post so as not to clutter this one.
    Wondering if the non-payment of rent is retaliatory, or genuine, or is an attempt to escalate this into something else...????

    Wondering if all my ducks are in order?
     
  15. Otie

    Otie Well-Known Member

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    I would have thought if this was a concern they should have had it tested prior to signing the lease, or requested testing prior to moving in. How do you know they weren’t the ones who set up a meth lab in the kitchen? I doubt your meth cook previous tenants would have bothered to clean up without a trace if they were using your house as a lab. I’d expect them to just pack up and disappear, or get raided either way leaving you with the mess
    I call BS on the tenants, I bet they just want to break the lease.
     
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  16. Whiz

    Whiz Well-Known Member

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    Could be. We haven't established their motivation as yet.

    Background:

    This all started with an aggressive call from someone whom the PM thought was from the drug squad, claiming drug contamination at my property and wanting to meet, bringing test results. PM agreed, but then cancels after realising it isn't the drug squad, but rather a private company, and after advice from the REIQ that the PM only needs to deal with the tenants themselves.
    Drug guy responds saying they only want to offer advice, and an affordable solution to the situation, and has concerns about our duty of care. Claims tests confirmed by NATA laboratory. No mention of levels of contamination.

    In conversation with the PM tenants have claimed that members of the family have been unwell.

    Next email from tenants expresses disappointment that PM won't meet with them and/or consultant to explain. Tests completed by legally recognised lab. Positive reading of methamphetamine. May be forced to go through legal channels, which they are trying to avoid. Health and possessions may be affected and remuneration may be required. (no request from tenants to meet, so PM not refusing to meet them)

    After that we requested the tests results from the tenants with no success.

    PM and I have both sought advice and searched for more information - council, fair trading, insurer, REIQ, qld health and in Pm's case, her solicitor. It is all new ground. It all seems like a very unusual series of circumstances.

    Oddities that spring to mind:
    - Why did the tenants possibly pay hundreds of dollars to get local and laboratory testing done, yet now not hold, nor have received the results?
    - If tenants didn't pay, then how is it that this person, unknown to them, so willingly did all these tests free of charge?
    - The tenants first mention remuneration, and not a desire for assistance to depart, though they are concerned about their health?
    - The name of the business holding the test results, was registered only in the last couple of months, though this may be irrelevant.

    Odd don't you think?
     
    Last edited: 14th Oct, 2017
  17. Whiz

    Whiz Well-Known Member

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    Correct regarding no previous indication or concerns about illegal activity by any tenants.
     
  18. Joynz

    Joynz Well-Known Member

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    Sounds like a scam.

    Have a word with ACCC and see if it is a known con. I'd also ask the Police.
     
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  19. qak

    qak Well-Known Member

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    I'd ask the police to visit. They probably have access to testing.

    I think the tenants are trying to scam an early termination.
     
  20. bunkai

    bunkai Well-Known Member

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    After wasting so much of your time so far - I would just leave the ball in their court and not enter into more meaningless dialogue. When or if they actually go through "legal channels" then deal with it. And keep us updated ;)
     
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