Cannabis growing turns rented house into a fire hazard

Cannabis growing turns rented house into a fire hazard

0:02 AM, 16th April 2024, About 6 months ago 3

Text Size

Landlords are being urged to increase vigilance after police in one county discovered a cannabis growing operation in a rented property, causing significant damage.

Officers raided the house in Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, following a tip-off and found 143 cannabis plants crammed into several rooms.

The property had been converted into a makeshift drug factory within a short time of being rented out.

Alarmingly, officers discovered dangerous alterations to the electrical system to bypass the main supply.

Also, the haphazard installation of heating, lighting and ventilation equipment caused extensive damage to floors, ceilings and other surfaces.

That’s damage that the landlord will have to pay for.

Residential property has been turned into a drugs factory

PC Ryan Frew-McGill of Nottinghamshire Police highlighted the dangers of such illegal operations and he said: “This small residential property has essentially been turned into a drugs factory since it was placed on the rental market.

“Thousands of pounds worth of damage has been caused inside but, ultimately, the consequences of this kind of activity could have been even worse for the landlord and the person living next-door.

“Cannabis grows of this nature are a huge fire risk which is one of the reasons we urge residents to call us immediately about any suspicions they may have.”

He added: “These kind of drug factories can also be linked to organised crime groups from home and abroad who are known to target small residential properties on the rental market.

“For that reason, we urge landlords not only to be careful about who they rent their properties to, but also to carry out all routine visits and inspections to ensure their properties remain in the condition they expect.”

A potentially dangerous dog, believed to be an XL Bully breed, was also seized from the address. Police are now seeking a closure order for the property.

Watch the police searching the rented property:


Share This Article


Comments

Loss Assessor

Become a Member

If you login or become a member you can view this members profile, comments, posts and send them messages!

Sign Up

17:03 PM, 16th April 2024, About 6 months ago

More importantly numerous policies I come across, have an endorsement for Cultivation (Cannabis growing). The endorsement limits the claim to an amount much lower than the stated amount on the Schedule of policy. i.e. a property maybe insured for £300,000 but if damages to the property are due to cultivation but the amount is £50,000 and the endorsement states the limit to the insurer is £5000.00 that is all that will be paid. Please read the booklet or policy wording.

Priten Patel

Become a Member

If you login or become a member you can view this members profile, comments, posts and send them messages!

Sign Up

16:20 PM, 17th April 2024, About 6 months ago

Bit presumptuous of PC1728 to say they will educate the tenant on how to ‘properly tenant a property’.
It’s either 1) there are some secret tips/checks that can be carried out to spot a potential cannabis growing tenant, or 2) it’s assumed the landlord doesn’t know how to vet a tenant, and hasn’t done this properly.
1) if there are some secret things to look for this should be made public to all landlords. So everyone can avoid the same pitfall.
2) other than ID checks, statements, references, credit checks, not sure what else there is? If, after carrying out the above, all checks out, how else can one avoid this??

Reluctant Landlord

Become a Member

If you login or become a member you can view this members profile, comments, posts and send them messages!

Sign Up

17:26 PM, 17th April 2024, About 6 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Priten Patel at 17/04/2024 - 16:20
the reality is you can't. A grower can be just as much the person who looks dodgy as the lady who has a sparking reference and does knitting for a hobby.

Tenant references are a snapshot in time based on historical data provided it only gives you an indication of what a tenant is like, not how they are going to treat your property in the future, or what they are going to do with it. Referencing does not check up on past criminal records or anything like that.

Perfect LL check on Monday completed next check booked for 3 months time. 24 hours later it could be stripped, hooked up illegally to the electric and ready to go.

Leave Comments

In order to post comments you will need to Sign In or Sign Up for a FREE Membership

or

Don't have an account? Sign Up

Landlord Automated Assistant Read More