The number of cannabis farms discovered by the police is increasing.
According to a recent report by the Association of Chief Police Officers, 6,886 farms were found in the UK last year, nearly 20 a day. More than 1.3 million plants were seized in this time, a total of £150 million worth of drugs.
The vast majority of these farms are installed in legitimately rented properties. Typically, a landlord or rental agent is tricked into renting their property to a figurehead couple who start the lease and then turn over the keys to an organized criminal gang. Once the gang has moved out and begun the conversion process, the damage to your property can be severe.
Many homeowners will take the right steps and get their purchase to allow property insurance, however they will not even consider the risk of their property being used as a cannabis farm, yet it is one of the most serious risks you face his property. Aside from the fact that your home is being used for criminal activity, there are many physical risks that you probably want to avoid.
What can happen?
Cannabis growers are known to be quite ruthless in the modifications they make to get the maximum growth potential out of the properties they rent. Damage can range from moderate to extreme, but a combination of electrical, structural, and water damage is common after a property is used as a cannabis farm.
Internal walls are often torn down, doors and partitions removed to create additional growing space for crops. Elaborate and poorly constructed irrigation systems are used to feed the plants, often leading to severe water damage. Damage to electrical systems is common when growers try to bypass the meter or overload capacity with the high wattage grow lights they deploy. In one recent case, a gate to the side of a property was wired directly into the power grid, an extreme DIY security measure that could have killed anyone trying to gain access to the property.
What to look for?
Fortunately, there are some telltale signs to watch out for.
- Tinted or foil windows should raise the alarm. If your tenants aren’t interested in anyone searching the property, you need to worry.
- Unusual patterns in electricity use are a good indicator of inappropriate use. If the meter suddenly starts buzzing, you may have reason to be suspicious.
- Keep an eye out for strange odors. As hard as you try, the pungent aroma of a hundred budding cannabis plants is hard to hide.
- Unusual alterations are another gift. Has the tenant suddenly installed a load of deadbolts, alarms and locks? What are they protecting?
- They try to keep you at a distance. If your tenants are going to great lengths to avoid a landlord visit, it may be time to get suspicious.
How can I prevent it?
Nottinghamshire Police have produced an excellent guide called ‘Keep illegal drugs out of rental properties.’ Which explains what homeowners can do to avoid becoming victims of cannabis growers.
To get started, he highlights the red flags that should make a landlord suspicious of a tenant:
- A tenant’s willingness to pay months of rent in advance in cash
- The tendency of a tenant to pay in cash without any visible means of financial support.
- Repeated requests from the tenant for the landlord not to visit the property.
They also outline some steps a landlord should take to deter criminals, including cannabis growers, from renting a landlord’s buy-to-let rental property in the first place:
- Use a form of photo identification for potential applicants, such as a photocopy of their passport or driver’s license.
- Make sure the ID is genuine.
- Keep an eye out for phone, water, gas, and electricity bills in different names
- Require more than one type of identification for joint applicants.
- Verify current address of prospective tenant
- Obtain the mobile phone numbers and car registration of prospective renters.
- Proper reference and credit check of tenant.
Falling victim to cannabis growers is one of the most significant dangers facing homeowners today.
However, with comprehensive buy-to-let property insurance and a few simple precautionary measures, you can protect yourself from thousands of pounds of damage.