Crystal Meth - Federal Question
While looking around GA for property, someone mentioned to me that crystal meth is a huge problem there. From what I have heard, if someone is caught making meth in your rental, you the landlord are charged $2,000 for the cleanup that has to be done by professionals (apparently meth is highly toxic, it can kill its user in 5 years).
This floored me because the people that sell drugs are usually not users... so without spying on all my tenants every day, how would I know who was making it? You can spot a user, they're all twitchy and their pupils are big and they don't seem "right".
I also understand that most of the makers do not make meth at their residence, if they are caught, EVERYTHING they own is confiscated. So they have turned to hotels where they can make it in two days, and leave. Apparently they can make this in the little hotel coffeemaker, even.
Does anyone have more information on this? It seems harsh, that's a sizable fine!
this is a good question...and i read about this iisue in a "property manamgnt for dummies book". I dont have an answer for you...but what about any illegal activity like murder...
This question reminds me of Rear Window by Alfred Hithcock where a neighbor suspects another tenat killed his wife....what should he do?
what is reasonabile encroachment of a landlord while not being nosy or disregarding the law
what action must be takin if we find illegal activity
what are the real punishments for not compliying
what kind of defence does the landloard have
Great question..any answers[ Edited by Machuse on Date 01/01/2005 ]
back in the mid 80s I had a rental property that was raided - not crystal meth, don't think that existed back then. Anyway, they came in, busted the lock on the outside security door, ripped the interior door right off the hinges, threw furniture around, pulled down some ceiling tiles and went out the door. They knew exactly what they were looking for and where to find it apparently. Anyway, the police made absolutely no amends. The tenant's father was rather handy and he did the cleanup and the basic repairs for me. What anyone's liability really is I don't know.
As a landlord, you are responsible for 100 percent of the clean up! Cleanups of labs are extremely resource-intensive and costly. The average cost of a cleanup is about $5,000. This is if you are lucky!
Clean Up (includes the insides and the outside of a building)
Air out the building
Removal of contaminated materials:
Carpets, carpet pads, Linoleum, drapes and blinds, air-filters, refrigerators, range, water heater, all tenant clothing and their furniture.
Removal needs to be to a site that accepts contaminated product.
All people that remove these items need to be specially trained and certified.
Surfaces: Extensive cleaning and replacement if the cooking occurred on those surfaces. After extensive wash down with bleach and other cleaners, seal walls and floors to seal in any contamination.
Ventilation systems: Furnaces and heaters will either need to be replaced or cleaned throughout all ductwork.
Plumbing: You might need to replace sinks, toilets and other accessible plumbing due to methamphetamine odors since meth residual was most likely deposited down the drains.
Repainting: Make sure the walls, ceilings and closets are cleaned, sealed and then painted.
Windows: Make sure they have been cleaned as well as the tracks. If the unit was especially heavily used, replace all of the windows. Doors in and outside need to be painted and door hardware needs to be washed down.
Exterior: Does the yard need to be cleaned up? Is there methamphetamine debris in the yard?
Most states required a certified industrial hygienist to approve of the clean up, and most states require a certificate of occupancy permit
Contact your state department of health for more information on this.
[addsig]
Holy sheit, that's insane! $5,000???? OMG! That could knock out your profits from that rental for at least a year. Please tell me it's at least tax-deductable!
I know nothing about meth, so if someone was a user, would the landlord have to go through this as well? Do the druggies have to heat it up to take it, thereby also contaminating the property?
Quote:
On 2005-01-02 16:09, JohnMichael wrote:
As a landlord, you are responsible for 100 percent of the clean up! Cleanups of labs are extremely resource-intensive and costly. The average cost of a cleanup is about $5,000. This is if you are lucky!
Clean Up (includes the insides and the outside of a building)
Air out the building
Removal of contaminated materials:
Carpets, carpet pads, Linoleum, drapes and blinds, air-filters, refrigerators, range, water heater, all tenant clothing and their furniture.
Removal needs to be to a site that accepts contaminated product.
All people that remove these items need to be specially trained and certified.
Surfaces: Extensive cleaning and replacement if the cooking occurred on those surfaces. After extensive wash down with bleach and other cleaners, seal walls and floors to seal in any contamination.
Ventilation systems: Furnaces and heaters will either need to be replaced or cleaned throughout all ductwork.
Plumbing: You might need to replace sinks, toilets and other accessible plumbing due to methamphetamine odors since meth residual was most likely deposited down the drains.
Repainting: Make sure the walls, ceilings and closets are cleaned, sealed and then painted.
Windows: Make sure they have been cleaned as well as the tracks. If the unit was especially heavily used, replace all of the windows. Doors in and outside need to be painted and door hardware needs to be washed down.
Exterior: Does the yard need to be cleaned up? Is there methamphetamine debris in the yard?
Most states required a certified industrial hygienist to approve of the clean up, and most states require a certificate of occupancy permit
Contact your state department of health for more information on this.
And $5k might be on the cheap side. This Apr 2004 article about a meth cleanup in Oregon puts the number at $13k!!!!
http://www.portlandtribune.com/archview.cgi?id=23990
How big is the problem, really? I mean, if you check references and credit and criminal history, how frequently would you come across this, if ever?
Yes, you can find out what's going on in your property without being "nosey".
Do inspections. Go in under the pretense that you are checking out the plumbing or changing the air filters or etc. This gives you a reason for being there.
You should know the warning signs that your tenants are cooking meth. There will be lots of empty jars. Strange things in the trash. ( I hate to say it, but their trash is like an opened book. Boy, can you learn a lot there)
If you suspect they're using or making meth- call your lawyer post haste. That's the time you will really need him or her.
Cordially,
Alice