YEOVIL LANDLORDS WARNED ABOUT ILLEGAL CANNABIS FACTORIES

SOCIAL housing landlords in Yeovil and South Somerset are being warned to
be vigilant about the way their properties are being used - with growing
concerns that they could be illegal cannabis factories.

A BBC report claims that 29 police forces across the UK revealed a sharp
rise in cannabis being produced in "factories" inside rented housing.

Although this is not a new problem, the National Landlords Association is
now reminding landlords to be aware of what could be going on behind the
doors of their properties.

Horror stories include a landlord who took six months' rent up-front from
a tenant, only to find the police knocking at his door. The tenant had
demolished the internal walls of the property to create polytunnels where
he was growing cannabis.

More worryingly, this kind of criminal activity may not just be producing
cannabis. The NLA has heard of methylamphetamine (commonly known as
crystal meth) also being produced in rented properties.

The process, while illegal, is also highly dangerous owing to the nature
of the highly flammable elements used in producing the drug.

Police recommend that landlords complete full and proper reference checks
with both previous employers and previous landlords before entering into a
tenancy agreement to avoid taking on criminal tenants.

NLA chairman, David Salusbury, commenting on the increase of cannabis
factories in rented properties, said: "Naturally this kind of news is
worrying for landlords, but by taking references and making regular visits
to your property, these problems can be avoided.

"The onus is on landlords to know what is going on in their property; if
not they may find themselves responsible for utility bills, or facing huge
repair bills if their property is used in the production of illegal
substances."

For more news and advice why not click on the links in our "related
articles" section of this webpage which will take you to the official
National Landlords Association website and the full BBC report into
illegal cannabis factories.