One of the worst things that can happen to a landlord is to have the police find a drug lab on the landlord’s property. That happens a lot. According to statistics published by the state of Washington, half of all residential drug labs are found on rental property. If that happens to you, the results can be catastrophic.
To start with, there’s the cost of cleanup. As the landlord, you’ll be responsible. There are widely varying estimates about what it can cost you to decontaminate the property, but they are all big numbers. The state of Washington offers a figure of $6,500 for a 1,200 square foot property and $2,000 for a single room.
It’s likely you will lose income, too. Tenants may have to move out during the decontamination process, leaving you with less income than before.
Drug labs are a problem that keeps on giving. Many jurisdictions will require you to inform future tenants that your property has been the site of a drug lab. Jurisdictions often have registries and web sites where they list properties where drug labs have been found. The largest of these is the DEA list.
What can you do about it? Start with prevention. Have a detailed rental application. Do your background checks.
Learn what to look for. Your local law enforcement agency can give you information about how to spot drug activity and what to look for if you suspect it. Your local police or sheriff’s department may offer a class for landlords in preventing and dealing with drug activity, including labs.