What Happens to an Apartment After a Drug Lab Bust?

Whether you are a landlord or a tenant, it’s important to know what steps need to be taken to ensure an apartment is deemed livable and safe after a drug lab bust. Living in such an environment can lead to serious health issues (and major lawsuits). Here are some steps that need to be taken in order to ensure the apartment can be lived in:

Identify the signs

There are several clues when an apartment has been used as a drug lab. These could be evident before or after a drug bust. If you notice any of these signs then you should call the authorities immediately. Look out for empty containers of chemicals and over the counter medications in the trash. Drug lab equipment can often include gas canisters, rubber tubing, duct tape, and protective clothing such as gloves and masks. Speak to the neighbors and ask if they’ve noticed any unusual odors, or the effects of breathing harsh chemicals such as headaches, respiratory problems, and skin irritations.

Hire a cleanup crew

Although the property owner is responsible for the cleanup after a drug bust, it needs to be carried out by a professional hazardous material company. They will have the necessary resources and equipment to safely remove any contamination and dangerous materials. This is the only way to get the property deemed safe to live in again. Steps the cleaning company will take include:

• Proper ventilation of the property

• Removal of contaminated materials

• Washing other materials

• Cleaning plumbing system and ducts

Request an inspection

Once the apartment has been professionally cleaned after a drug bust, it needs to be inspected. A request can be made by the owner or contractor to the local authorities. This inspection will determine whether the property is safe to live in and fully decontaminated. If the inspection is successful the owner will receive a certificate stating that the property can be reoccupied.

Know your rights

As the owner of an apartment used as a drug lab, you need to provide a certificate of decontamination from a state-certified inspector. It depends on the state, but if you successfully decontaminate the property within a short time of learning about its use as a drug lab, you don’t have to disclose this to your potentials tenants. After a certain amount of time, depending on state law, your property could be added to a registry published by the local government.

Whether you’re renting or leasing out a property it’s advisable to be prudent just in case. If you suspect the apartment you’re looking to rent was used as a drug lab then go through the necessary steps to ensure that it’s been decontaminated. After a drug bust, a professional hazardous materials company will have needed to clean the place before it can be deemed safe to live in. This could have negative effects on your health otherwise, or result in legal complications. You can find further information about what happens to an apartment after a drug bust online.