Tenants Using Drugs

I have a share house. 5 rooms. 4 currently rented.

All 4 housemates do weed once or twice a week according to an old housemate there that I still stay in touch with.

I don't have too much of a problem with weed, not happy about it though. The whole house smells like a bong.

The thing that really concerns me is one of the tenants has been off of his face for days. I've been showing people through trying to rent the last room (obviously unsuccessfully because the place smells like a Bob Marley concert).

The tenant that has been off of his face has been way out of it. Way worse than what just weed would do. Talking gibberish, struggling to form a sentence, making no sense, hardly able to keep his eyes open, staying up all night for multiple nights in a row, and most of all being an obnoxious tool.

Today I was installing a new letterbox and he came out and wiggled it around after I leveled it in the cement. I went off at him and told him he was off his face and to F off. So he responds by going inside, then 1 min later coming out again to ask if I wanted coffee. I yelled at him to go away repeatedly, then he was asking what type of coffee I wanted. The guy was completely out of it. Eventually he buggered off.

And the other night I was over there he was saying things to my wife like "I've charmed you physically".

If I feel like smashing the idiots face in after talking to him a couple of times, I can't imagine what it must be like living with him.

For this guy to be high for days and to not be sleeping, that really isn't consistent with just weed is it? More like ice. What do others think?

And now what do I do?

I don't really want to kick every single person out, because financially I'd be screwed. But if I kick out the worst offender hopefully that sends a msg to the other tenants to pull their heads in.

What are my rights as a landlord in this situation when there is drug use at the house?

Bloody tenants...

 

Don't self manage!

The property is your asset - pay someone a relatively small percentage of that rental income do deal with this. They will have procedures in place - and more experience dealing with these sort of dilemmas.

Cheers

Jamie

 

Remove him immediately after checking your insurance policy for malicious damage.

 

Get the police to visit him. They will find drugs, then you will have grounds for eviction but as @Terry_w said - check your insurance policy first.

 

Sounds very much like ice mate.

Don't be a dick though. Talk to him, tell him you suspect he's suffering a drug addiction and will need to:

a) Seek help or b;
b) You will send it to him.

Give him a choice and a wake up call.

 

I know my parents have gone to police about their tenants doing weed. And the police said they'd put in on their "list". And then never got back to them.

So I don't think the police would do anything.

Plus the other guys at the house are okay. And one person there is a 50yo woman who just has a joint once a week. Don't really want to get them all in trouble with the police.

 

This is exactly what you should do.

 

I suggest don't talk to him at all. Your personal safety , and the people you care about's personal safety is much more important than money.
Get in touch with the police, and tell them about the malicious damage, get an incident number, and get him/them out of your house. Now!
You do have a problem with it.
Room cant be rented. Wilful damage, unwanted proposal to wife. It is Not Ok to sexually harass women. Get a backbone!

 

Since when was tilting the letterbox 'malicious damage'?

pinkboy

 

Go and ask somebody who knows the law!
I hope this helps

 

As the others above said make sure your insurance is in order, then as a share house where I guess your letting each room individually to randoms that didn't previously know each other (not sure how that works with insurance) maybe call a house meeting, discuss your issues maturely, don't react to any crap, see what the others have to say, from there you'll have a better idea of the situation (of all of them) maybe they feel the same as you about this bloke but haven't spoken up, maybe their all dicks and you need to reconsider share house letting

 

Just go up too the Moorooka Police Station and ask for the Duty Sargent and have a talk they will take action very quickly,by the sounds of this it's not the green smoko ,this would be meth or ice and if it is ice which as it will be they will send in the a special major crime squad unit and within hours that don't stuff around I'm told there is a ice age problem in Moorooka and Rocklea, but before you do as these people will know who has made the complaint,maybe just tell the person he has to move out they will be under psychosis and paranoid and they may within their drug networks come looking for you ,be very carefull..imho..

 

Unless the guy is dealing meth or causing an absolute ruckus I seriously doubt the police are going to be able to do anything.

Sounds like you'll have to solve this one yourself.

 

As no other tenants are complaining right now Im thinking of riding it out until january when I can find replacements easily. Then because they are all doing some level of drug use, ill kick them all out and start fresh.

Its very difficult finding tenants for share accommodation right now. If I booted people now I would lose a lot of rent, and tank my serviceability right when I want to refinance.

I might give up finding someone for the 5th room. And just accept that loss in rent. With one room vaccant its still positively geared by $ 50.

Crappy situation but limited options.

 

Be aware things can go from bad to worse very quickly. It would pay to keep your finger on the pulse.

 

Crack head alert.....he ain't on just weed......be careful, he may also turn on you without warning, or the others living there.

 

Yeah tenancy is up for renewal now. Too late not to renew as we have to give notice. However we can make the new agreement a periodic agreement. From what my wife tells me that means we can kick anyone out with just 2 months notice regardless of reason. So if things go bad they get the boot.

 

Yeah sounds like it. Will definitely be keeping an eye on things.

 

Talked to the other housemates, they reckon it's the first time this guy has been off his face like this. He has been off his face since Saturday apparently after coming back from a work conference. One of the guys gave him sleeping pills last night and the guy still wouldn't go to sleep.

He was being sexually aggressive towards the 50yr old woman who lives there ... last night and hassling all the housemates getting right up in their face.

Seems strange that it's lasted 5 days. I thought Ice only lasted a couple of days? Unless he has had a reaction to it, or having a psychotic episode. Or he is having more hits?

I encouraged the other housemates to call the cops, and they said they would tonight if he is still the same.

I told them to meet together and decide whether or not they want me to evict him or if they want me to give him another chance considering they said it's the first time he has done anything like this.

Interesting times.

 

I thought I had drama with tenants wanting a footpath washed!

In all seriousness, on a personal level you shouldn't intervene at all. It's not your place. I've known (and know) people in that position and it's best you just stay away from it.

If the other tenants want him gone then do what's in your power to make that happen.

With the rest of the house smoking a bit of weed they're going to cause some lasting musty odour and perhaps attract some rodents by leaving cupcakes stuck behind couches but nothing major. On the upside they really couldn't be bothered moving so will probably stay for a while!