My new house has been used for cannabis grow!

Jamesvx1986

Yeah there is a smoke alarm installed which is good. I want to check under the carpet, I just don't have the tool to put it back down. I'll have to figure out something because I do want to have a look, seems strange to put new carpet down, paint everything and put in used appliances unconnected. This is a lovely house in a nice area, would never have thought it was going to be like this. I wouldn't be bothered if it was a little personal grow in the loft and they used their own wiring and insulation instead of from the floor!

Norman_Castle

Put the grow gear on Gumtree, the income will help pay for the repairs.

Davesnave

Jamesvx1986 wrote: »

This is a lovely house in a nice area,.

Good. I don't see a mention of a full survey anywhere, so if you relied on your own observations and this is all that's wrong, you'll be fortunate.

Get an electrician to give it a safety check and quote for any work that needs doing for safety reasons and then get on with making the place yours. What's done is done.

AdrianC

Jamesvx1986 wrote: »

The house was unoccupied for some time as the owner had moved in with her partner roughly 15 miles away.
Solicitor thinks she was renting it out but isn't sure.

Probably. So there's absolutely no guarantee that the vendor knew anything about this.

Or maybe they did. Maybe it was the vendor themselves.

Does it make a difference?

The loft is going to cost me a fortune to sort the wiring and insulation out.

As you said - from a visual inspection, there was nothing to see. You didn't spot anything, your surveyor didn't spot anything. I don't think you mentioned what level of survey you had - it's unlikely the surveyor did anything more than stick their head through the hatch and poke a torch around. If there were boxes and things stored up there, then their access to even view would be restricted. What was the exact wording the survey used about the loft?

I'm glad I've changed the locks too but it's it doesn't feel like home at the minute. Any advice you could give us?

Brutally simply? Get past it...

Stop focussing on what may or may not have been happening in the house in the past. Get the house sorted to your tastes and preferences, and live your own life there.

If you want a house where there's absolutely guaranteed not to be any past, then buy a new-build. Old houses have had things happen in them... And, yes, that includes deaths (not always easy ones) and crimes of varying severity...

Skiddaw1

ian1246 wrote: »

Never brought a house with a Cannabis Grow, but I've seen plenty of them with my job. They can pop up anywhere. One particularly memorable experience was Cannabis Grows in a beautiful detached 5 bed House - they had Cannabis growing in every bedroom, in the loft and then also 60+ plants growing in the Cellar (which had open tombs/passageways running to the nearby local church!).

The entire house was dangerous. You had to walk extremely carefully upstairs or you'd fall through the rotten floorboards.... Job became even more Bizarre when we discovered they had an Argentinian Pony living in the house...:rotfl::eek::beer:

If I were you I'd pull up your carpets in each of the rooms and have a good look. Might also be worth getting an Electrician in to check your wiring. Definitely make sure you have working smoke alarms just in-case any wiring has been bodged/over-taxed and becomes a fire-hazard.

:rotfl:That has to be one of the most bizarre stories ever! Where in the house was the Argentinian pony actually living? The mind truly boggles....


OP, sorry you're faced with all this. I know it isn't funny really. All I can say is that you'll come through it and put it behind you and if nothing else, at least you'll be able to dine out on it forever more!

jimbog

ian1246 wrote: »

they had an Argentinian Pony living in the house...

How did you know the pony was from Argentina?

-taff

jimbog wrote: »

How did you know the pony was from Argentina?

He had an accent.

D_M_E

Now you know why sellers were desparate to get rid of it.

Did you read the meters when you moved in as - particularly electric - there could be either a BIIIG outstanding bill or the meter may have been bypassed, either of which could be landed on you if you don't take action.

Loose live wires everywhere need to be checked and removed/properly terminated, sounds like a full rewire would be required.

Have you informed the Police about your discovery, they could be interested and may find the sellers for you.

Takmon

Kim_kim wrote: »

Contact your local police?

D_M_E wrote: »

Have you informed the Police about your discovery, they could be interested and may find the sellers for you.

It may be slightly annoying to read with no paragraphs but why does this seem to make some people lose the ability to read :rotfl:

Jamesvx1986 wrote: »

have explained this to the police and all they said was change the locks but I suppose there's nothing they can do. The solicitor said nothing they can do.