Meth dangers
Question from Duncan updated on 4th March 2019:
My tenant has been smoking meth in my house. I don't want to pay $3,500 for second stage testing. I would rather clean it myself. That’s because when the issue is only consumption rather than manufacture I see the whole meth test industry as a scam. But I will only get back to New Zealand from overseas next month. Can I leave my tenant in a (self) "contaminated" house for a month with no further testing?
Our expert Bernard Parker responded:
There are several questions that you need to consider. Can you prove your tenant was smoking meth? Did you have a clear meth test at the start of the tenancy? Do you have a local representative, as required by law, to liaise with the tenant? How do know what level of contamination has occurred? Are you confident that it was only smoking and not manufacture?
When considering these questions you will see that the “meth test industry” has a purpose. It can indicate whether or not the contamination was related to manufacture. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing!
The law regarding the permissible levels of meth contamination is the same as it has been for the past year… There has been no recent change. That, combined with the possibility that you don’t know the level and source of contamination, leads me to say that you have a responsibility to ensure that the tenant’s health and safety are not at risk.
Bernard is principal of Quinovic – Kapiti-Mana. Quinovic's outstanding people and systems provide the most professional, effective and reliable residential property management service in the NZ market for over 30 years.