It seems that your prospective tenant is just what you’re looking for. He informs you that you needn’t bother coming by for the rent each month as he’ll deliver the cash to you, and he isn’t picky at all about the amenities in the rental unit. It seems pretty good, right? Wrong. You should recognize things like those to be giant warning signs.

Marijuana grow ops in rental properties are a huge problem in many areas across Canada. When someone sets up a grow op in a residential property, they do incredible damage to the home. The simple solution for someone like this is to commit these crimes on someone else’s property.

Since a grow op is illegal, there could be dangerous weapons on hand. Wiring is often tampered with and hydro meters can be bypassed, so the fire hazard in the home goes up significantly. The humidity in the home goes way up during a grow because of all the water that is required during the operation, and mould is a common result.

And, as a rule, any damage caused by your tenants is not covered by your insurance. Your property could be completely destroyed by fire, or could be unliveable due to mould or other modifications made for this illegal activity.

So, how can you make sure that your home isn’t going to be destroyed and turned into a grow op by unscrupulous tenants?

Screening your tenants is very important, so do this carefully. Of course the rental agreement must be filled out, but you must be diligent in checking their references so you don’t end up devastated financially, so call their former landlords and employers.

Make sure they show you proper identification. Record the information on the ID card. Tell the prospective tenants that exterior inspections will be done each month. And you reserve the right to do interior inspections with the proper notice. If the tenants know that you’re going to show up every month to collect rent, the undesirable tenants might not want to rent your unit.

Let them know that you have good relations with the neighbors around the property. And let them know that you keep in touch with your neighbours. Undesirable tenants won’t want that kind of pressure from neighbors looking in, so they may look elsewhere for their grow op. Make an arrangement to be at the unit on the date when the tenants are taking possession. By being there on that date, you will be able to know if they are regular tenants just moving in their things, and if necessary you can talk to them about conditions of the rental agreement.

Seeing the warning signs

Be wary if:

Cash is how the tenants prefer to pay rent. If a tenant actually offers you extra money on top of the rent you are charging, it’s a red flag that something is wrong. A tenant spends more time checking out the electrical panel than looking at the home’s other amenities. If this is the case, they could be planning how they’re going to alter the wiring to handle several 1000 watt bulbs. Be suspicious.

The tenant has no job, but has a pricey vehicle. After a tenant has moved in, you could find a grow op by doing outside inspections on a regular basis, and if you notice it early, you can avoid any further damage to your rental unit.

Look for indications like these:

Black plastic, heavy curtains, bed sheets, anything covering windows completely, especially when they are pressed tight against the glass. Look for excessive condensation on the windows.

Odd smells coming from the home like strong chemicals, or a skunk-like scent.

Humming noise from fans or other ventilation equipment.

Many visitors to the home, late at night especially.

Strange looking equipment or garbage outside the home, or things like potting soil, wiring, and bedding plant pots scattered around.

Hydro meters that have been tampered with.

Guard dogs are sometimes a sign of illegal activity.

Marijuana grow ops can completely destroy your rental property leaving you with a massive repair bill, and often no insurance coverage. Do everything you can in order to protect your rental property from major damages.

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