According to an article in today’s Dominion Post:
“Kiel and Emma Moore-Jones bought their house on Te Moana Rd, Waikanae, on January 12. They moved in six days later, with plans to renovate.
“However, people living nearby warned them that same day that the home’s former residents might have smoked methamphetamine, or ‘P’.
“The shocked couple tested the house that night, which confirmed contamination.
“They moved their belongings out of the home the next day and had been staying with family ever since.
“Further tests showed the clean-up would cost about $20,000. But instead the couple plan to demolish the house, fearing it would forever be known as a “meth house”.
You feel sorry for people who find themselves in this situation, although the issue isn’t much different from that of asbestos contamination. If there is any reason to suspect something, then the realtors should inform the prospective purchasers.
Like all occupations, there are good and bad realtors; the bad ones being those who don’t want to know about problems that might affect their sale and thus commission.
You can make a house purchase subject to an inspector’s report, but again there are good and bad home inspectors, the bad ones being those who don’t do a thorough job, or just don’t know enough about what they should be looking for.
This is another issue where we would be very interested in stories readers have.