tenant grow cannabis in rented house

Wheels1971

This is literally happening to my rented our property as we speak.  A neighbour contacted me as suspicious so asked agent to do a check, they fobbed her off so we contacted police, suffice to say they went and disturbed and tenant growing weed in my loft! I'm mortified, SOCO there.  Appears they've made a huge hole in bedroom chimney breast and have done something to the electric (re routed?), electric company came out and said I'd have to pay to have it reconnected, pipe running from sink up the stairs to the loft.  God knows what damage has been done.  The loft was never used just insulated not even boarded out. Locks changed, emailed insurance, any other advice? Gobsmacked to say the least 

theartfullodger

Read your insurance carefully.  I would expect it requires inspection regularly to pay out for 'nabis farm.

RAS

Before you do anything, formally end the tenancy.

DullGreyGuy

Check the limit on Tenant Damage on the policy... many of the cases I've come across the limit was massively under the total damage done but they'd converted every room for farming in many cases

theartfullodger

RAS said:

Before you do anything, formally end the tenancy.

By offering tenant a formal tenancy surrender.  If you think the risky move of taking responsibility back is wise ....

IamWood

theartfullodger said:

Read your insurance carefully.  I would expect it requires inspection regularly to pay out for 'nabis farm.

Unfortunately my landlord insurance rejected my claim because I hadn’t inspected the property every 3 months, even though I did inspected from time to time. My insurance companies demanded written record which I had not kept ;( We even escalated the case to the Financial Ombudsman, but they upheld the rejection. Ultimately, I decided to let it go and used the opportunity to fully renovate the property.

My tenants run off and never returned. We just changed the locks and left a letter at the property, asking them to contact us if they needed access. Unsurprisingly, they never reached out or showed up.

IamWood

The property of @Wheels1971is managed through an agent. It sounds a strong case to ask the agent to cover the cost of the repairs and the cleanup, as it falls under their responsibility imo.

theartfullodger

IamWood said:

The property of @Wheels1971is managed through an agent. It sounds a strong case to ask the agent to cover the cost of the repairs and the cleanup, as it falls under their responsibility imo.

I've not read agent's contract with him - presumably you have.- but doubt that will work.... Landlord is bound by insurance terms, has agent signed up them also?

John116106

I'm sorry about the damage to your property. It's been a nightmare to deal with. The landlord's building insurance is useless. The Council claimed that I possess the property and sent a bill to pay during the refurbishment period.  Water company sent a bill over £500 as well. It turned out the tenant hasn't opened  account with the water company from beginning and then by law the landlord need to pay although I once called to close my account and informed  the water company that tenant moving in and the name. Later I discovered that the tenant hadn't paid the electricity and gas bills either. There are loads of letters from debt collection company chasing payment for the outstanding bill from the beginning plus letters from council about enforcement team to visit. I really don't understand why council, energy supplier or water company never tried to contact the landlord regarding the unpaid bills. Since I took possess of the property they suddenly found the landlord's home address and started sending me the bills


Regarding the reconnection of electricity, you may contact your supplier rather than National Grid. Octopus, my current supplier, reconnected the power at no charge. You might need to inform your supplier that it's an emergency.