Marijhuana Grow Ops - What You should know
Are you sure that the house you are buying wasn't previously used as a Grow House ?
You might think that the type of property used for this type of operation will be a secluded detached home where no neighbours will see or suspect that something dodgy is going on.
We've seen all types of homes used for this purpose, from the secluded, to the urban, and even townhomes.
I've even heard about tenants leaving and the owner finding heating lamps and plants still up in the attic !
If a home is found out to be a grow operation, the City will put a large bright sign right on the door of the house, until it has been fixed and inspected and liveable once again.
An increasing number of houses in communities across Canada are used as indoor marijuana growing operations, or “grow ops”.
The houses undergo significant structural changes in order to be used to grow the plants. These changes can compromise the integrity and inhabitability of the house, and can require major repairs and renovations to correct.
The average cost to repair a home previously used as a grow op is $41,000, according to the Insurance Bureau of Canada.
The Ottawa Real Estate Board successfully lobbied the City of Ottawa and Ottawa Police Services to create a “Grow Ops Registry” where the addresses of houses that have had search warrants executed and drug operations dismantled are published online. This service began February 1, 2008.
Read this consumer Brochure about Grow Houses
Contact the Ottawa Police if you suspect a home is being used as a Grow House.
