Purchasing Property – Should You Meth Test

This is a question that we are asked all the time. On the one hand the property might have been lived in “by a little old lady that only drove it to church on Sunday’s.” But on the other hand, you may be purchasing a rental property that has been tenanted by various parties over the last decade.

But the answer is actually quite simple. Meth contamination is everlasting until remediated. So, if you are planning on living in the home, then irrespective of the most recent occupant, you want to ensure that the home is contamination free for you and your family. We have also begun to see insurance companies requiring a meth test as part of the sale and

purchase agreement clauses, when purchasing a property.  If you are going to be renting the property out, then you need to get a baseline test as discussed in our blog Landlords – How to Protect Yourself. So the previous occupants actually make no difference whatsoever when considering whether or not to meth test.

The reality is that methamphetamine contamination is an issue in the New Zealand property market. However the hysteria that we are seeing around methamphetamine contamination is unwarranted. Yes, it is an issue, but it need not affect you to any major extent.

As long as you are contracting a fully independent and reputable company, then you are putting yourself in a position to be fully insulated from the fallout that meth contamination can cause. One note here, we really recommend avoiding methamphetamine testing companies that also offer remediation services, due to the quite obvious conflict of interest here. It is also important to ask for verification of the training that they have done. The final step is to check with your insurance company in order to ascertain exactly what they will cover and what their unique requirements are to remain fully covered in the event of a contamination issue. As long as you take these steps you can sleep soundly at night knowing that you are fully covered.

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