Possible drug house? - InspectionNews

Dave Gilstrap · #1 (**permalink**) 04-20-2009, 12:16 PM

A client called me today telling me that the house was a drug house with possible meth use in the home. She wanted to know if there is any test to tell if the house is safe to occupy. In my inspection I found no evidence of anything out of the ordinary. I did not know how to answer her question other than everything looked fine to me. Does anyone ever come across these kind of situations?

Jerry Peck · #2 (**permalink**) 04-20-2009, 12:27 PM

I would not say it was not a drug house nor would I say it was safe to occupy, only that "I don't know".

Find out what information she has which indicates to her that it was a drug house, then verify with the local police department.

If everything comes up negative ... I would STILL not say it was not nor that it was safe to occupy, only that "I don't know" but this is what I have found out based on the information YOU provided me ... (then give here the information you gathered, making no assumptions of your own).

Then tell her she would want to hire an industrial hygienist to find out more, one who specializes in drug houses.

That's the way I would address it ... either that or pass it directly to the industrial hygienist without doing anything else myself.

Ted Menelly · #3 (**permalink**) 04-20-2009, 12:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jerry Peck

I would not say it was not a drug house nor would I say it was safe to occupy, only that "I don't know".

Find out what information she has which indicates to her that it was a drug house, then verify with the local police department.

If everything comes up negative ... I would STILL not say it was not nor that it was safe to occupy, only that "I don't know" but this is what I have found out based on the information YOU provided me ... (then give here the information you gathered, making no assumptions of your own).

Then tell her she would want to hire an industrial hygienist to find out more, one who specializes in drug houses.

That's the way I would address it ... either that or pass it directly to the industrial hygienist without doing anything else myself.

Its beyond the scope of a home inspection.

If you want, Mam, I can give you the number to the local police department. They should be able to give you a good bit of information on the home if that is the case. If in fact that is the case they may have already done a clean up on the home but again I would not comment on that and would leave that to the athorities.

Dave Gilstrap · #4 (**permalink**) 04-20-2009, 12:53 PM

Thanks guys,
That is what I thought. I know it is beyond the scope of the inspection and that I did the inspection over two weeks ago. I will refer her to inquire with the police department. If there were police involved they would have a report of what went on there.