Is Meth Testing Required?
Regular meth testing isn’t a condition you have to meet, but we do recommend it.
We cover up to $30,000 for meth cleaning under our landlord cover. You won’t need to test between tenancies to have meth cleaning cover, but regular tests can come in handy when you want to know when it occurred, or who was responsible.
If you suspect there’s meth contamination at your property and then get a positive test, we cover the test and cleaning costs. You won’t need to show us a full record of past meth tests.
We do however strongly recommend testing in these instances.
When new tenants are moving in
Testing the house in between a new tenancy is a good way to avoid future hearings at the tenancy tribunal. It will help you recognise which tenants caused contamination if you have a positive reading.
When you purchase a property
Real estate agents only have to tell buyers if a property has contamination reading over 15 μg. However, your insurer might not provide cover if the result is over 1.5 μg. You also cannot tenant a property that exceeds 1.5 μg.
A simple meth test before purchasing could save you thousands in future cleaning costs. If you haven’t already, simply ask the agent if the house has any contamination.
If you suspect drug use or manufacture
If you see signs of drug use or manufacture; or if the police have drug raided the property, it’s a good sign to get it tested. Letting a house become contaminated could effect your ability to sell or rent it in the future.
Unlawful Substances Liability Cover
There’s a small section of our cover where testing is required. The Unlawful Substances liability section covers you for losses from controlled drugs you cause to other people (or their things) in relation to your ownership of the house.
An example could be where a past tenant contaminated your rental with meth. A new tenant could then live in the contaminated property and hold you liable for the contamination damage to their belongings. For us to provide liability protection, you’ll need to test before and after each tenancy.
For full details, see page 18 of our policy wording here.
Had a positive meth test at your property?
If you’ve detected meth that you think will be over 1.5 μg, you can make a claim by logging in to your dashboard.
If you have done a meth test at your property that has showed a positive reading, you can make a claim from your initio dashboard log in. For more info on making a meth claim, see our guide here.