Cannabis and the Landlord.

Presumably there is not a landlord in the country who has not heard about drug dealers taking over a rented property and growing cannabis plants. It's understandable for landlords who don't use a letting agent to assume that there is little more offered by an agent that the landlord is unable to offer themselves.

Think again...when things go wrong, what could have been done to prevent the loss??

We all know the people "on the fiddle" know more then most about how to achieve a scam. For one thing Landlords don't usually have access to the range of referencing available to 4you Lettings Ltd along with shared information about problem tenants. Regular property inspections at 3 monthly intervals carried out by 4you put criminals off because they need longer than 3 months to recover the initial outlay.

Recently a Landlord in the North Manchester area discovered the cost of a cannabis enterprise in one of his renter properties? As strange as it may appear the law governing gaining possession of a property applies to drug dealers and honest citizens alike. You must gain possession legally which can take in excess of 2 months - with 2 months rent loss.

Then there is the damage if the Police find the plants before the landlord. The "key" used by the police has little respect for your property and the door usually requires total replacement. The houses used have often been damaged by being used as greenhouses with damage to decorations and carpets. Yet another delay in re-letting and extra costs.

Landlords managing their own properties should take all the steps a quality, professional agent would to protect the investment.....Don't be surprised at a bill of over £20,000 if drug growers do gain possession of your property.