Attic previously used to grow 'herbs'

wibbletron

We've had an offer accepted on a top floor 1980s purpose built flat, which has use of the attic. We just found out from our surveyor that the attic has probably previously been used for 'growing herbs', i.e. weed. Note that this has been done by an occupant on a small, but not trivial scale.

Does anybody know if there are any structural implications (e.g. the heat and humidity might have damaged the roof?). Are there any legal implications?

Does this need to be disclosed to anybody and would it affect the resale value?. Do we need to tell our mortgage company?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated as I was certainly not expecting this result from the survey, and it is a totally new circumstance to our surveyor.

RAS

Get the wiring given a good going over by a qualified sparkie.

DaftyDuck

I don't think you need to worry about resale value, telling any one or that side of things.

The damp and the additional weight might have caused some damage, but it shouldn't be excessive. There may well have been water and electricity supplied to the attic.. electrics will need checking as RAS suggests, make sure there is no longer water supply up there.

Ensure the utilities know you are a new customer, as there amy be a hefty unpaid bill.

You might just wonder if it was purely for his own use, or whether others were... visiting. They might still come for supplies, so a good lock and door chain might be appropriate for the first few weeks. Or stock up on bags of oregano and pay off the mortgage quickly.

theartfullodger

If you buy, before you move in, get Police round to check stuff: Why?? So they don't come round & do you later..

Some might inform plod now, perhaps via. Crimestoppers, anonymously, to save time.

wibbletron

DaftyDuck wrote: »

I don't think you need to worry about resale value, telling any one or that side of things.

The damp and the additional weight might have caused some damage, but it shouldn't be excessive. There may well have been water and electricity supplied to the attic.. electrics will need checking as RAS suggests, make sure there is no longer water supply up there.

Ensure the utilities know you are a new customer, as there amy be a hefty unpaid bill.

You might just wonder if it was purely for his own use, or whether others were... visiting. They might still come for supplies, so a good lock and door chain might be appropriate for the first few weeks. Or stock up on bags of oregano and pay off the mortgage quickly.

I hadn't thought about the 'previous customer' angle before.

browneyedbazzi

wibbletron wrote: »

I hadn't thought about the 'previous customer' angle before.

This is something that has been discussed before - I really don't think it is worth worrying about. Customers don't often visit actual grow houses (they don't usually know where they are, the dealers prefer to keep that sort of thing quiet because people knowing where you grow can be quite risky) and any that do know where the house is will also be well aware that the previous occupant has moved on...they won't go knocking on the door knowing someone else lives there now on the off chance.

DaftyDuck

wibbletron wrote: »

I hadn't thought about the 'previous customer' angle before.

Treat it as a "ready market" and it sounds better...

But I agree with the above.... shouldn't be a problem, certainly wouldn't put me off as such. Just one to be aware of, maybe, for when someone knocks on the door unexpectedly.

DKLS

You could be lucky, my mate rented a student house in Sheffield that was used for growing herbs, when they left for the summer, I helped my mate do some decorating and we found a bunch of growing kit and a bin bag full of weed in the loft.


He had a very relaxing year.

JimmyTheWig

wibbletron wrote: »

would it affect the resale value?.

The fact that you are questioning it suggests that it might.
Imagine that there were two flats exactly the same for the same price, one of which had been used for growing weed in the past and one hadn't. Which would you go for? The very fact that you are here asking questions suggests that you would go for the one that hadn't been used illegally. Which means the one you are looking at would be worth less than another identical one.

Would it make much difference, though? I doubt it.

Other things to think about...
1. Are/were the current owners involved in the dodgy dealings? If so, do you think they might be dodgy characters who might cause problems in the buying process? (Not saying they would, just something to think about.)
2. As has been said get the electrics checked. I've heard that people growing at home often wire into the mains before their electric meter so that (a) they don't have to pay for the vast amounts of electric they are using and (b) the vast amounts of electric they are using don't get noticed by the utility company and investigated. Obviously this is illegal and if not done properly (how many honest, qualified electricians are going to get involved with something like this?) could be very dangerous.