Protect your rental investment from Meth with Bolitho Property Management Nelson

Bolitho Property Management is the first property management company in Nelson to offer Comprehensive Methamphetamine Risk Management for rental property owners.

Methamphetamine is a scourge on our society – not only for users and their families but for landlords and tenants where Meth production has contaminated a rental property.

At Bolitho Property Management we are determined to do everything we can to protect both our Owners and our Tenants.

What is the risk here for property management in Nelson?

Meth has become a significant risk to rental homes in Nelson. Incidents of meth labs being uncovered are climbing at an exponential rate as the manufacture of this insidious drug spreads to all parts of the country.

Decontamination requires major work to the linings, floor coverings and even insulation materials, as well as the removal and safe disposal of soft furnishings and other contaminated contents.

Should a new tenant move in to a contaminated property they are at risk of respiratory and other health problems.

The owners could also face a large bill to cover medical compensation and replacement contaminated furniture and other personal property.

Health risks for occupants of a home exposed to methamphetamine contamination

• Feeling unwell in general
• Metallic taste in their mouth
• Headaches
• Feeling light headed and disoriented
• Eyes and nose are irritated
• Skin tingles or itches

The spiraling costs of meth production for rental property owners

Costs for Litigation from Tenants against Owners/Landlords

Recently a family in Auckland moved into a contaminated home and suffered deterioration of their health, contamination of clothing, furniture and personal effects. This resulted in a claim against the owner/landlord of $50,000 in Tenancy Tribunal (the loss was greater than that but the Tenancy Tribunal can only hear claims of up to $50,000)

Cleaning and Remedial Expenses

Cleansing expenses can start at $30,000 and increase to unknown amounts. Often the clean-up cost ranges between 30,000 and 70,000.
The concern is that most insurance companies only cover a fraction of the total remedial costs. The owner must carry the cost that insurance company doesn’t cover.
After the cleansing is completed the home needs to be retested, reconstructed, painted and furnished with carpets and drapes, adding extra expense on top of the clean-up cost.

Loss in Value of the Property

If a property has been contaminated, there is a risk to the owners that the council be notified by tenants or police.
This will then be noted on the Land Information Memorandum (LIM)
As a result, potential buyers will have this information and see it as a negative, even though the home has been cleansed. Real estate agents are seeing reduced sale proceeds of between 5 and 10% of these types of properties, and the mere idea of there being a P-lab there will put off some buyers completely.

What is Bolitho’s solution to the ‘P’ problem for Nelson rental property investors?

Bolitho Property Management believes it is our responsibility to do everything possible to protect our owners’ assets. Additionally we have a responsibility to protect the tenants that occupy our owners’ homes from the effects of contamination on their health and wellbeing, and our owners from potential litigation from tenants, should there be a contamination.

In light of the increased risks of P manufacturing throughout New Zealand, Bolitho Property Management has formed a working partnership with Miles Stratford of Methsolutions to create a Comprehensive Methamphetamine Risk Management Process for our property owners and tenants.

1. Meth Management Training.
   All staff and owners at Bolitho Property Management have undergone extensive training in Meth management. We know what to look for during property inspections, and our screening process for prospective tenants can better identify high risk candidates.
2. We Advertise your home as being Meth Managed.
   When we advertise your home as Meth Managed, this helps in two ways:
   • Firstly we have found that there is a much higher demand from quality tenants for our meth managed homes because they are clean and safe family homes.
   • Secondly this form of advertising acts as a strong deterrent to Meth users as potential tenants. They know that there will be consequences as a result of Meth contamination of the property.
3. Legal means to evict where Meth activity is present
   We have included appropriate clauses in our tenancy agreements that protect the owner and provide us the legal means to expedite a termination of tenancy should there be just cause to suspect manufacture or use of P on the property.
4. Baseline Testing for your property by our Certified Meth Samplers.
   We are also trained as Certified Meth Samplers. This means you can now opt for getting your property Baseline Tested at the beginning and end of each tenancy. This not only servers as a deterrent to tenants, it allows us to hold them accountable for any change in Meth levels at the property.
   For tenants moving into a property that has been meth tested first, there is no risk to then or their family of being exposed to the highly toxic residues of Meth.
5. Meth Minder anti-meth alarms.
   For further protection, we can install out new Meth Minder monitoring system at your property. Meth Minder is a revolutionary monitoring sensor designed here in New Zealand for detecting gases emitted in the Meth cooking process. Any emissions or tampering detected and the units will send a mobile communication to the Meth Minder monitoring service.

What happens if ‘P’ activity occurs in a rental property?

While the risk of contamination can never be completely eliminated, Bolitho are confident we are taking every possible step to reduce the risk for our owners, and our tenants.

In the unfortunate event where there is a contamination, we are now able to manage it in accordance with best practice.

In partnership with the property owner and with the support of Methsolutions, we are able to achieve early detection and swiftly remove the tenants before serious contamination can occur, then effectively rehabilitate the property, ensuring it is safe for re-tenanting.

Talk to us about our property management service