Selwyn Times: June 20, 2018

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[Edition datE]
Is it really ok to buy a p house?
There is no denying that
methamphetamine is a dangerous and
insidious drug. Users come from all walks
of life and live in all communities and some
drug testing companies have claimed that
up to 80 per cent of New Zealand homes
could contain traces of the drug. However,
the recent report from the prime minister’s
chief science advisor has pointed out that
most people run a very low risk of living in
a property with dangerous levels of meth
contamination.
The May 2018 report from Professor
Sir Peter Gluckman found that there was
no point in testing a property for meth
contamination unless there was a strong
suspicion or evidence that it had been
used as a meth ‘lab’ or there had been
very heavy drug use there. The researchers
found no evidence of anyone being harmed
from passive use and said there was no
adverse health risk of third-hand exposure
to methamphetamine residue from
smoking found on household surfaces.
Even if someone had been smoking
methamphetamine within a property, any
residue on household surfaces diminishes
over time, so someone living in a property
would not be exposed to a constant dose
every day.
According to the report, a house is safe to
live in up to a methamphetamine level of 15
micrograms per 100cm2, with no adverse
health effects.
No one wants to expose their family to
any health risks or to make a significant
financial commitment to a property if they
are worried that it might go wrong.
When it comes to looking at properties,
it’s always better to rely on concrete
knowledge or evidence rather than rumour.
If you are concerned about a house you are
interested in, ask the real estate agent if it
has been tested, noting that levels less than
15 micrograms per 100cm2 are safe to live
in. If you don’t make the agent aware that
methamphetamine is a real concern to you
the agent is not obligated to tell you about
results that are considered to be safe, with
no health effects (in other words those
below 15 micrograms per 100cm2).
But if you have asked the agent about
methamphetamine the real estate agent
must tell you what they know about a
property and must answer all queries
honestly. If they are aware that a property has
methamphetamine test results either above
OR below 15 micrograms per 100cm2, they
must tell you what they are.
If the local council has been notified
(usually by the New Zealand Police) that the
property has been used as a site for heavy
meth consumption or production, this
should be recorded on the Land Information
Memorandum (LIM).
If you learn that a property has tested
positive for methamphetamine before you
make an offer (and you are still interested
in buying it), your course of action depends
on the level of the result and your appetite
for the work required to put it right. You
can seek advice from a meth testing and
remediation company on the estimated
amount of work required for results above
15 micrograms per 100cm2, and negotiate
with the seller for an according reduction in
price. Alternatively, you can add a condition
to your offer asking the seller to clean and
decontaminate the property to an agreed
acceptable level.
Talk to your lawyer before making an
offer on a property if you are concerned that
it may be affected but you don’t have time
to get it tested. They will be able to advise
you about including a satisfactory test as a
condition of your offer.
Bear in mind that meth testing is not
currently regulated in New Zealand. It may
be a good idea to research the particular
remediation company before you engage
them. Be aware that composite field testing,
where multiple samples taken throughout
a property are combined into a single
sample, can lead to false impressions of
high exposure. This type of testing is not
recommended.
When the meth report came out Sir Peter
Gluckman said people were more at risk
from mould in homes than they were from
meth contamination. His statement is a
good reminder that there are lots of things to
consider when looking for a house to make
your home. Asking questions, weighing up
real evidence is the only way to make sure
you’ll sleep easy with your decision.
Kevin Lampen-Smith is the chief
executive of the Real Estate Authority
(REA). For independent advice on buying
or selling property, check out settled.govt.
nz.