Real estate agent’s home inspection uncovers crop house

FROM the outside, it appears that nothing is amiss at this suburban family home. But what the tenants left behind has left their landlord in shock.

Former crophouse

A LANDLORD is in shock after tenants living in her rental property used the home to grow cannabis.

Cathy Robbins has a mortgage on the modern family home at Deer Park in Melbourne’s west, located across the road from a park.

In March, her new tenant signed a 12-month rental agreement with the real estate agency Nelson Alexander Essendon.

The agency conducted thorough checks on the rental applicant, who then paid two months rent.

“When we rented it out in March, all the references checked out, the work history — everything,” Ms Robbins said.

“But after the beginning of May there was no rent paid.

“The real estate agent began ringing the property but the phone was disconnected.”

Under Victorian law, real estate agents can only conduct a property inspection three months after a tenant moves into a home, and must also provide written notice of the upcoming visit.

Nelson Alexander sent letters to the Deer Park house, which went unanswered, before sending another one to say they would attend the home with a locksmith in June.

But when they arrived, there was no one home.

The estate agent and the locksmith could not even gain entrance to the house, because the tenants had installed multiple bolts on the door to prevent people getting in. In the end, the real estate agent gained access through the laundry.

Tenants left marijuana behind. Picture: Mark Wilson

Most of the windows had been boarded up and plastic sheets laid down.

Once inside, she could clearly tell the house had been modified to grow cannabis plants.

“You should see what they’ve done to the house — they trashed it, they created a new room and built an extra wall,” Ms Robbins said.

Although most of the cannabis plants had been cleared out, the tenants had left bags of dirt, cannabis stems and leaves behind.

Most of the windows were boarded up, plastic sheets had been laid down over carpet, wardrobe doors dismantled, wires hung from the ceiling and ventilation was installed.

Among the items left at the house was a Victorian driver’s learner permit — whether it was real or fake remains unclear.

Although the name and part of the address was torn off the licence, it said the man was born in 1989 and lived in Springvale.

Ms Robbins’ Nelson Alexander portfolio manager contacted Sunshine police to report the incident.

But because police classified the matter as “civil damage” rather than “malicious damage”, they could not provide a report for the insurance company.

Cathy Robbins has faced delays with her insurance company. Picture: Mark Wilson

The tenants left holes in the wall. Picture: Mark Wilson

When contacted by the Leader, Leading Senior Constable Melissa Seach said police took such matters “seriously” and did investigate crop houses.

“Due to rent not being paid and damage to the property etc, the owner would have to pursue the matter civilly,” she said.

Ms Robbins has also faced delays with the insurance company she has landlord insurance with.

Months after notifying the RACV she was told the matter was still “being sorted out”.

But after inquiries from the Leader the RACV’s general manager of insurance Paul Northey said the RACV arranged a builder to inspect the property on June 16.

“RACV has accepted our member’s claim and acknowledges that in this instance, there were delays in the progress of the claim following the builder’s initial inspection and assessment,” he said.

“Furthermore, due to the circumstances involving cannabis production and malicious damage to the member’s property, a police report is normally required for the claim to progress.”

Mr Northey said to expedite the claim, the RACV would “in this instance” waive the requirement for a police report.

He said they had also advised the builder to start repairs on the property and would cover some of the rent loss on an ex-gratia basis, due to the delays in the claims progress.

Originally published as Real estate agent’s home inspection uncovers crop house