A Google map display of prominent grow-ops in the Ottawa area. Common damage in grow-op houses includes hotwired electrical systems designed to steal power, rotting in the walls and stairs due to high humidity and toxic mould.
It’s unlikely for homebuyers to see toxic mould build-up and potential fire hazards listed as features in real estate ads.
But Ottawa officials want this information disclosed to reduce not only the threat to a homebuyer’s health, but to their wallet.
Ottawa Real Estate Board president-elect Rick Snell is spearheading the effort to reveal the locations of dismantled marijuana grow-op houses and drug labs to potential homebuyers.
Snell said the board has been working for three years on ways to disclose the information and together with city and police initiatives has succeeded in having former grow-op addresses published.
“What was happening was that homeowners would find out after they’ve already bought the house, and then they’d have to foot the repair cost,” said Snell.
Since Feb. 1, Ottawa police have posted grow-op and drug lab locations on their website, which will remain available for three months until after the investigation is finished.
Other information includes the date of the bust, the amount of drugs seized and the charges laid.
Snell said having the addresses published is a great first step, but he would like to see the information stay up on the police website permanently.
He said the seller should retain the invoices to show buyers what work has been done.
Grow-op houses are typically structurally altered to improve the conditions for growing plants, said Ottawa Police Insp. Gary Meehan.
This can include hotwiring the electrical system to steal power, which often requires drilling through the home’s foundation to tap into underground hydro lines. High humidity and improper ventilation can cause walls and staircases to rot, and toxic mould to grow.
“The problem with mould is that you have to completely remove whatever the spores are attached to,” said Peter Black, the city’s manager of building inspections.
The city clerk’s office receives a report from the police when a grow-op is busted.
If the property is deemed unsafe, the onus is then put on the homeowner to hire private sector workers to assess and repair the damage before anyone can live in the house. This process can take months.
“It’s up to the owner to weigh the cost of repair against just tearing it down,” said Black.
He said repair costs vary, but a realistic cost would be about $90,000.
Building permit fees also apply, and the city will collect $13 for every $1,000 needed to repair a home.
Another factor is the electricity. At the police’s request, hydro can be cut at the site of a grow-op. Until it’s repaired and reviewed by the Electrical Safety Authority – again at the owner’s expense – the hydro will not be reconnected, said Susan Barrett, manager of communications and public affairs at Hydro Ottawa.
Snell said such potentially steep repair costs need to be considered when negotiating to buy a property.
He said the real estate industry has dealt with similar issues before, such as urea formaldehyde foam insulation (UFFI).
The government banned the further use of UFFI in 1980 because if it wasn’t installed properly mould might grow or formaldehyde gas might seep out causing health risks.
Typically, a disclosure clause for UFFI is included in Canadian mortgage applications.
Snell said buyers should be able to see the history of the home so they can decide whether or not to purchase it.
“Buyers should be informed and realtors should have a mechanism to be informed,” said Snell.
“To do nothing is not acceptable.”
He said that at a local level, the real estate board has set up regular meetings with city staff and police to continue to work on further initiatives to disclose the information.
Meehan said an option they have discussed with the city is to create a database people can search. Until then, Snell said homebuyers should be advised to have properties inspected and get the air quality tested.
“Realtors are taught to see the signs,” he said.
“But if a cover-up’s been done really well, you aren’t going to notice until the mould starts coming through the paint.”
The addresses can be found at www.ottawapolice.ca/en/serving_ottawa/support_units/drugs_main.cfm