Police have issued a warning to landlords after a property was left badly damaged by an illegal cannabis grow.
The property - in Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire - had been transformed into a multi-room drug factory in the short period since it was rented out.
Officers acting on intelligence reports visited the scene and were immediately confronted by a very strong smell of cannabis coming from within. After gaining entry to the semi-detached property, they found a total of 143 plans crammed into multiple rooms in the property.
Dangerous alterations had been made in order to bypass the electric supply and considerable damage had been caused to floors, ceilings and other surfaces within the property by the haphazard installation of heating, lighting and ventilation equipment.
A suspected dangerous dog – believed to be an XL Bully – was also seized from the address.
Officers will now seek a closure order on the address.
PC Ryan Frew-McGill, of Nottinghamshire Police, says: “This small residential property has essentially been turned into a drugs factory since it was placed on the rental market.
“Thousands of pounds worth of damage has been caused inside but, ultimately, the consequences of this kind of activity could have been even worse for the landlord and the person living next-door.
“Cannabis grows of this nature are a huge fire risk which is one of the reasons we urge residents to call us immediately about any suspicions they may have.
“These kind of drug factories can also be linked to organised crime groups from home and abroad who are known to target small residential properties on the rental market.
“For that reason we urge landlords not only to be careful about who they rent their properties to, but also to carry out all routine visits and inspections to ensure their properties remain in the condition they expect.
“Because when we do find cannabis grows of this nature it is unfortunately the landlord who will be picking up the bill for repairs, waste removal, and lost revenue.”
Want to comment on this story? Our focus is on providing a platform for you to share your insights and views and we welcome contributions.
If any post is considered to victimise, harass, degrade or intimidate an individual or group of individuals, then the post may be deleted and the individual immediately banned from posting in future.
Please help us by reporting comments you consider to be unduly offensive so we can review and take action if necessary. Thank you.
.jpg)
%20(002).png)
.png)
Join the conversation
Jump to latest comment and add your reply
I am in a job which means I go to these grows regularly 🥵🥵 wow, some of them are virtually destroyed 🫣🫣. Tens of thousands of pounds 💰💰. Tenant selection and regular visits are so important.
I've also seen the results of these illegal grow houses. However when you have in effect decriminalised the possession of Cannabis to the point that you can't walk down any street without smelling the stuff, then you might as well allow it to be grown under licence and tax it.
Personally I'd prefer we didn't add another problem to society but since it's clear no one in Westminster actually cares about stopping the usage then what's the point?
The Landlords who allow this are being offered significant sums up front in cash - usually at least above market rent for a year and a guarantee nuisance free tenant, of course the upshot is they wreck the wiring, cut holes in the walls and ceiling and turn the whole place into a giant sponge. But if you've got some back street terrace somewhere that's difficult to rent then maybe the numbers stack up, because they're are a hell of a lot of them out there.
Most in Westminster smoke it them selves so it would seem
Oh dear Lord! State the blindingly obvious why dont you? 🤦♀️
With the continuing attacks on landlords and the stress that’s put on us by everyone living off our backs, more & more joining every day whether it be Insurance Companies, Deposits Scheme's, Redress Schemes , Agents whether Arla / Property Mark, Councils with their Licensing Schemes, NRLA all in it together all making a fat living off us, maybe they’ll have us all on cannabis.
We are doomed no one taking a blind bit of notice of us.
Please login to comment