How Meth Contamination Affects
TENANTS

Innocent tenants are often the biggest losers when it comes to Methamphetamine contamination of a property

How to stay safe

The only way to protect your family is to ask if the property has been tested for Meth contamination and to be given an authorised report that states that it is free of contamination. Unfortunately in these tight rental market times if you ask this question you will probably be rejected as a prospective tenant.

The important thing to remember is that if you do move into a Meth contaminated property it will cost you major dollars in lost contents, destruction of those contents, medical expenses and it can leave your family homeless anyway.

If any property manager or landlord declines to have the property tested then this should raise alarm bells with you that they suspect the property is contaminated. and you are best to steer clear of it.

What to look for:

When contemplating renting a property there are a number of things you really need to do before you sign the paperwork.

First and foremost TALK TO THE NEIGHBOURS. Neighbours can tell you a lot about the behaviour of the previous occupants and whether they suspected any illegal activity taking place on the property.
Understand what your rights are as a tenant
Pay for your own testing prior to moving your contents in (having an independent person do the testing adds credibility to the results). This way you won't lose any of your contents to contamination. If the property comes up positive then you can go to the property manager with your concerns. There will be a form available from your states Residential Tenancies department for you to complete. Then you can request the property be decontaminated professionally or that the property manager finds you accommodation that is not contaminated. (Be aware you will not be popular by doing this but you and your family will be safe).
If a positive result is obtained DO NOT move into the property. Your contents will begin to be contaminated from day one and so will you and your family, it's really not worth it.

Your rights

It is vital that you understand your rights in this situation and this can vary between states. Residential Tenancies Acts in many states do not reflect the current situation and in some cases are grossly behind the times. It is important that tenants understand what to look for before renting a property to ensure they obtain adequate protections from becoming a victim of a previous occupants behaviour or the possibility of a cover up by the property manager or landlord.

Legal obligations of the landlord

In most states in Australia a landlord MUST ensure the property is 'Fit for Habitation'. In South Australia there is a substandard property register . Here you can obtain details of properties that have been deemed to be substandard and either have a no rental tag against them meaning they cannot be rented out or they are rent limited. We experienced being offered for 'private rental' a property that was on that register. The owner wanted 50% more rental than it was limited at, we found out later it was probably contaminated into the bargain. Obviously the owners thought most tenants are not intelligent enough to investigate.

Conditions that might make a property substandard

A property may be declared substandard if it does not comply with minimum housing standards (Part 3 of the South Australian Regulations) and presents a health or safety risk. Some examples include: