Letting Agents Rent Out to A Cannabis Grower

Comms69

robertboyd wrote: »

The insurer already said it is malicious damage and will not pay out

- But LL insurance typically covers malicious damage?



This is exactly my thought, i don't know how on earth he passed it. The passport was real but it was a stolen one. Crazy!!


- Well that's how then, using a real identity for another person.

You reckon the suspect is unlikely to be caught because the police won't be too bothered about it, or because there is not enough lead to implement an investigation?

Both unlikely to be caught - probably left the country the next day, as the person renting is almost never involved in the growing itself.


And not enough evidence to prosecute anyone. Typically the 'minder' (paid to turn the lights on and off) is the only one prosecuted. For whatever reason they got lucky.

theartfullodger

robertboyd wrote: »

..................I have a spare house that is vacant most of the time except for some odd family summer vacation.
The economy is looking grim at the moment so I decided to rent it out to make some extra cash. .....................

If you want help on a public forum this may not engender much sympathy with your mainly financial plight.

What are the terms of you landlord insurance for cannabis farms? When I last looked mine up careful, filed, reference checks were needed as well as regular, frequent, documented inspections: What does yours say, please?

Do we take it they were carefully & regularly, in-full & on-time, paying the rent?

robertboyd

theartfullodger wrote: »

If you want help on a public forum this may not engender much sympathy with your mainly financial plight.

What are the terms of you landlord insurance for cannabis farms? When I last looked mine up careful, filed, reference checks were needed as well as regular, frequent, documented inspections: What does yours say, please?

Do we take it they were carefully & regularly, in-full & on-time, paying the rent?

Well, you're right. I shouldn't have mentioned that.
Yes, the rent was always paid on time and in full, sometimes rent was paid a few days before due.


My insurance says the exact same thing. And in my case, references were properly done by third party referencing agency, I don't know what other way of referencing the insurer will consider "properly".


During the 9 months of tenancy, inspection was done the house after the first month and the second month, it was all great, and third inspection was scheduled around near 12th month, but police raided before that happened. The insurer then said they consider "frequent inspection" to be every 3 months, and the last 7 months there was no inspection, and refused to pay out

Comms69 wrote: »

Both unlikely to be caught - probably left the country the next day, as the person renting is almost never involved in the growing itself.


And not enough evidence to prosecute anyone. Typically the 'minder' (paid to turn the lights on and off) is the only one prosecuted. For whatever reason they got lucky.

Well, no one was inside when the police busted it, I don't even know if the person renting is the grower or different, but no arrest was made

Comms69

robertboyd wrote: »

Well, you're right. I shouldn't have mentioned that.
Yes, the rent was always paid on time and in full, sometimes rent was paid a few days before due.


My insurance says the exact same thing. And in my case, references were properly done by third party referencing agency, I don't know what other way of referencing the insurer will consider "properly".


During the 9 months of tenancy, inspection was done the house after the first month and the second month, it was all great, and third inspection was scheduled around near 12th month, but police raided before that happened. The insurer then said they consider "frequent inspection" to be every 3 months, and the last 7 months there was no inspection, and refused to pay out

- Did you contract with the agent require such inspections?



Well, no one was inside when the police busted it, I don't even know if the person renting is the grower or different, but no arrest was made

I suspect it's just a frontman - someone looking reasonably respectable with a genuine ID and background (just not their own!)


These gangs are typically run by very organised people. An EU citizen rents out a property, but the person minding the farm is usually an illegal who gets accommodation and pocket money for doing the graft.

robertboyd

Comms69 wrote: »

I suspect it's just a frontman - someone looking reasonably respectable with a genuine ID and background (just not their own!)


These gangs are typically run by very organised people. An EU citizen rents out a property, but the person minding the farm is usually an illegal who gets accommodation and pocket money for doing the graft.

The contract does require agents to carry out inspections, but not specifically at what intervals.

phillw

robertboyd wrote: »

The contract does require agents to carry out inspections, but not specifically at what intervals.

It's kinda dumb as the damage to the property would have happened even if it was inspected every three months. I'd check exactly what the insurance said in fine detail and if you could interpret it in your favor then make a complaint.

Refusing to pay out arbitrarily is something the insurance ombudsman should look at.

James_Green_1982

The bank account used to pay you the rent will have been opened by someone - but it's probably a mule account. Even if caught the mule will probably only be 'punished' by a fraud marker against their name etc. They'll probably be a 'vulnerable' person and you won't get anywhere trying to sue them.

The referencing agency will have their small print drawn up to cover themselves.

My prediction would be that if the OP tries to sue anyone, they will just be further out of pocket as they will have to cover costs, may have to pay the costs if they lose (against the agent) and won't get any money from the drugs gang. Criminals tend to be good at hiding their money.

OP may have some luck against the insurance company. Otherwise, it's best to write the whole thing off as a business loss and move on.

robertboyd

Thank you all for your information
What does your insurance policy say about inspection for it to agree a payout?
Does it say how often it has to be, any specific detail?

robertboyd

The bank account used, to my surprise, was under the same name as in the passport, which suggests it is not a mule account. Perhaps police can use this to investigate?
I just don't know if police consider this a big enough crime worth their resources to investigate. Any information on this will really help, thank you all

James_Green_1982

robertboyd wrote: »

The bank account used, to my surprise, was under the same name as in the passport, which suggests it is not a mule account. Perhaps police can use this to investigate?
I just don't know if police consider this a big enough crime worth their resources to investigate. Any information on this will really help, thank you all

How did you find this out?

The police probably will investigate - since they've gone to the bother of ''raiding'' the house.
If the police catch the culprits and they are found guilty in court - then you will have the identities (and some other helpful details) of those you wish to pursue.

I'm sure you'd win any civil lawsuit against the culprits - but I don't think you'd get any money from them. Anything the criminals have that is vulnerable will be taken by the police as ''proceeds of crime''.