Cannabis farm in my rental property?

Cannabis farm in my rental property?

0:02 AM, 4th February 2025, About 5 days ago 8

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Hi everyone, I’ve recently found out one of my tenants has a cannabis farm in my rental property.

I’ve informed the police who have investigated and are due to attend.

The tenant has not really lived in the property. The period of initial rental has expired so now he’s on a periodic tenancy.

My agent explained I simply can’t hand over the keys to the police because they will need a warrant.

My question is: Can I terminate tenancy?

Do police the change locks? If so, do they hand the property back to the tenant for me to sort out?

I’ve got the deposit in a scheme to hopefully cover any costs.

Thank you,

Craig


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Reluctant Landlord

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9:13 AM, 4th February 2025, About 5 days ago

nightmare. Await for Police to attend and they might be able to advise. Be aware though if the police think this is part of a bigger sting etc, they might just do a raid and you wont get notified at all. You will then need to board up the property/change the locks as it is about securing your premise.

If the whole house has been made into a farm then and no one there then I suggest you call the utilities too as there could be an immediate danger if elec etc has been bypassed, and change the locks as soon as. A criminal is hardly going to take you to court or illegal eviction. Different if someone is still living there though, especially if this is the tenant themself.

Check your insurance for info - you may find you are not covered or limited in a claim. Many insurance companies only cover for £5k AND and if you can prove you have still carried out regular checks during the tenancy. If the whole house has been converted, the damage is going to be extensive and £5k wont touch the sides.

Markella Mikkelsen

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9:13 AM, 4th February 2025, About 5 days ago

One of my tenants exploited lockdown conditions and started a cannabis farm. Some tips from me:
1. The police don't care. You will have to do the work. Arrange a time to meet the police officers there. Say that you will grant them entry as the landlord. Find a pretext to enter the property. "We could smell gas" always works.
2. Get the tenant to terminate the tenancy asap. Preferably in writing. You can do this in a roundabout way, e.g "I noticed that you left the keys in the property, does that mean that you have moved out?". They normally say "yes". If they do not agree that they have terminated the tenancy, you need to go through the S21 process. Issue a S21 today and hope that they agree to terminate. Otherwise you will have to go through the whole court rigmarole.
3. You cannot change the locks. In fact the tenant still has a right to your property until they terminate the tenancy agreement. So it's really imperative that you have some indication in writing from the tenant that they have terminated the tenancy agreement.
4. Once you have possession of your property back in a legitimate way (i.e. through a possession order from the court or the tenant agreeing to terminate the AST), then and only then can you change the locks and sort out your property.
5. Good luck, you are looking at £8,000 to £10,000 to reinstate if they have done the usual job of bypassing the meter and installing hydroponics.

Dizzy

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11:08 AM, 4th February 2025, About 5 days ago

Morning,
I too had a tenant do this during lockdown and only found out after the bailiffs evicted him as he refused us access to our property.
He had mainly cleared the plants but the hydroponics were clear for all to see.
His Electric and Water bills were off the scale, but fortunately in his name.
I also found a crystalline substance.
The police didn't even bother coming out and told me to flush anything I found down the toilet. The excuse. He was no longer living there and the substances might have been left by a friend.
Don't rely on the police for anything.
Good luck in getting it sorted.
Dizz

Paul Essex

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12:58 PM, 4th February 2025, About 5 days ago

Perhaps a better idea would have been to tell the tenants you will take back possession on a date after harvest in return for hush money. Sounds like a win-win situation to me.

Paul

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15:35 PM, 4th February 2025, About 4 days ago

Reply to the comment left by Markella Mikkelsen at 04/02/2025 - 09:13
Oddly enough, the police have to follow set rules when it comes to investigating a crime. Police can not simply go in and see what's in there on your say so. They will need a warrant to enter. To obtain a warrant they need to apply to a magistrate and give a good reason for that application. This may sound far fetched, but SOME people, not just landlords, have an agenda against some tenants. The OP states that he "Found out" that is was a cannabis farm. How? Rumours? Saw it himself? Smell of skunk? Magistrate will need at least 2 forms of evidence. First is obviously the landlords report. Then at least one more. Ring crime stoppers maybe? Once the warrant is issued, speak to the investigating officer and offer a set of keys to him/her. (No damage entry) Once inside, and it is found to be a cannabis farm. The police will remove all live plants and then either remove, or destroy any equipment that could be re used. It is NOT the responsibility of the police to tidy up your property. It is up to the property owner to clear. Police neither have the time, resources or bodies to clear the place. If you do not supply keys. The most likely entry will be via the big red key. Police WILL have a responsibility to secure the property after. But it is very unlikely that the tenant will go into the police station to retrieve the keys to the new lock. Your tenant will likely vanish giving you no opportunity to get a signed termination letter. And if you are considering entry via the "I smell gas" method, be aware that many cannabis farms are heavily booby trapped to discourage police, and rivals from stealing their stash.

JamesB

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20:17 PM, 4th February 2025, About 4 days ago

Reply to the comment left by Paul Essex at 04/02/2025 - 12:58You know what, you are probably right.
I was caught out by people using my 4 bed Victorian semi as a cannabis factory in 2008. I only found out when they made a mistake, packing all the used peat compost under the floors which then caught light due to smothering the overloaded overheating incoming mains cable under the floor. The entire house burnt out and additionally smoke damaged the adjoining semi occupied by a family.
The tenants were never seen again. The insurance didn't pay out. It cost me a 6 figure sum from my savings to put everything right.
I actually found some more details of the people that did this to me but the police did nothing because "they regarded the people who operate cannabis farms as victims too". You couldn't make it up.
I would either demand money or tell them to **** off right now and you will say no more. Sticking to the letter of the law with out and out criminals seems to only end up costing you more these days. (You know, while you wait for another few crops to go through expecting anything to be done by police/courts)

DPT

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0:50 AM, 5th February 2025, About 4 days ago

If you have evidence that the tenant is not living there then you can serve a common law Notice to Quit on the tenant and change the locks when it expires, provided the tenant doesnt move-in in the meantime. If you think that the tenant is just going to scarper, then you could just take possession once the Police check it. There is a small risk, but only if they have the front to go to court to sue you.

Incudently, I'd be surprised if the deposit covers all the damage, which can run into tens of thousands of pounds if they've fitted ducting etc.

Judith Wordsworth

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9:19 AM, 8th February 2025, About 16 hours ago

Did you have a clause re illegal use of the property?

How do you know tenant wasn’t “really” living there? From your inspections or hearsay?

Hopefully you won’t be dumped with their electric and gas bill

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