Published December 2000

Meth scene can put tenants, property at risk

Many residential property owners are shocked to find that drug use among their tenants now carries the risk of shutting their property down for a stretch of time from chemical exposures involved in the drug’s manufacture. Recognizing the signs of drug use among tenants may be the key to protecting property owners’ investment.

The Residential Landlord/Tenant Act of Washington is the rule book of how tenants and landlords (or their management agents) interact. Yet, it does not go so far as to allow landlords control over many of the private behaviors of tenants in their properties.

While drug use is considered an illegal activity and grounds for terminating a tenancy in most cases, what’s new about the drug situation is that the manufacture of some of today’s drugs can bring with them a new risk to the actual physical property.

Methamphetamine labs have become a popular way to manufacture this now widely known “club drug” often referred to simply as “meth.”

In 1999, Washington ranked second behind California for meth-lab busts in the United States, according to the FBI, making it a serious issue for our state from a social perspective. On a per-capita basis, the prevalence of meth in Washington is extraordinarily high.

Meth labs can be as small as the kitchen area of a studio apartment or as large as a warehouse. A combination of ingredients — all of which can be purchased at most drug or hardware stores — is all it takes to “cook” meth. It is unlikely the typical duplex owner would have any idea there were drugs on her property unless she knew what to look for.

Meth labs can leave toxic substances in the carpet, walls and ceiling long after the tenant has moved and the mess has been cleaned up in a customary fashion. In some cases, a hazardous-waste team must be involved, which can be costly and take time, thereby leaving an otherwise rent-ready unit off the market until the health department gives the OK. For renters, this means fewer units to choose from in an already tight rental market. It’s a problem for everybody.

The indications of whether a tenant is cooking meth in his or her apartment require some understanding of the process. Some of the ingredients and tools often show up in the trash bins or on the back porch. Two-liter pop bottles, cans of Toluene, camping fuel, surgical tubes or used coffee filters with no coffee stains are good indicators.

Rock salt, sulfuric acid and acetone are other ingredients that sometimes show up in the trash bin and should send landlords and managers a strong message of what’s happening inside.

Another indicator is the sign of other drugs. The “date rape” drug known as GHB is nearly perfectly clear and often stored in pop bottles by users for this reason. A depressant, GHB gives users a feeling much like alcohol, but without the hangover, making it popular among the club drug crowd. Often, people with GHB and these other drugs have access to or can manufacture meth.

To determine whether a pop bottle is filled with soda or GHB, shake it. Soda will settle, while GHB will leave foam on top. And take note of where the bottle is stored. People often store GHB in closets and other “safe” places out of the reach of others.

The potential health effects to someone exposed to the chemicals used in cooking meth can be quite substantial. Nausea, headaches and other symptoms are the most commonly identified. But it is the risk to tenants and the potential for expensive cleanup costs and lost rent that are significant enough for landlords to act if they are made aware of drug use or dealing on their properties.

Meth labs, in particular, present the biggest risk today and, with proper examination, often can be identified.

With Washington ranking No. 2 in the country, it’s an issue worth getting educated about.

Tom Hoban, president of Coast Management Co. in Everett, can be reached at 425-339-3638 or by e-mail at tomhoban@coastmgt.com.

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