Meth Xpert NZ Ltd recognise the excellent work New Zealanders have been doing to slow the spread and flatten the curve of Covid-19 infection with the best interests of all of us at heart.
Sadly, there are those members of society who do not subscribe to this and meth use, and manufacture, will have increased. One of our friends in the police joked with us the other day that the lockdown is four weeks long, but only four days long if you smoke meth. Now whilst that was funny and we laughed, it brought to mind the seriousness of the problem that all homeowners have faced whilst on lockdown. The level four lockdown saw the shutdown of many international illegal drug supply chains there is a huge increase in local meth manufacturing forecast. To mitigate the risk that you may face, you need to take action to protect your assets.
In response to Covid-19, the Government announced additional measures that must be taken to prove that a tenancy termination is required. Essentially, for methamphetamine contamination, it must be proven that a tenant has "Substantially" damaged a property. To prove contamination exists in your property, you must to conduct meth testing to provide the courts (and insurance companies) the burden of proof by establishing who is responsible for the illegal activity. This is why pre and post tenancy inspections are critical for protecting your assets and the reduction and mitigation of your risk.
With the lockdown moving to Level three, property inspections are able to take place again. Health and Safety measures for these processes that will apply are outlined below. Pre-Tenancy and Post Tenancy inspections, along with Property Pre-Purchase Inspections can now be conducted. Many of you will have had no way of knowing what has occurred in your properties whilst on lockdown and if testing determines that methamphetamine contamination is at a "Substantially" damaging level subsequent action will need to be taken on your part to meet the requirements of the Health and Safety Act 1956.
Tenancy Services have put together this guide for you to assist in any action that may need taking surrounding ending a tenancy during Covid-19 requirements. We realise that some of you cannot wait that long as you have insurance obligations to meet and failing to do so will void your insurance policy, meaning that you won’t get a payout in the event that your tenants have been breaking the law during lockdown by using or cooking P.
To ensure that we meet our Health and Safety obligations, when we attend any work for you, social distancing requirements will be maintained. During sampling we ask that a maximum of two other people are in attendance only who maintain social distance practices. This will be explained at the time of attendance by our samplers as required. With the reduction to level 3 comes an increased chance of contamination through contact and traceability will play a large role if any increase in the event of new cases occurring.
Health and Safety Obligations
To ensure that we meet our obligations, we have a contact traceability requirement and ask that all in attendance complete our Covid-19 declaration located here. If this has not been completed prior to attendance, our samplers will have you fill out the form at the job address if you are in attendance.
When you book with us, we will confirm the presence or absence of any illness in the property and ask that you keep us apprised if that situation changes.
Then, when we attend the property, we will again ask you and anyone else there if they are in isolation or unwell.
If a person present at the property is unwell, the methamphetamine assessment will then be arranged to occur a minimum of 14 days in the future.
If all persons present are well, the following steps will be taken;
a) Our team members will maintain a contact radius of 2m b) It is preferable that the property is to be vacant of any persons whilst sampling occurs c) We will use hand sanitizer before and immediately after the assessment d) Will not contact or shake hands with anyone e) As we will not touch anything of yours, we ask that you do not touch anything of ours.
NB: Our team members may implement the employment of a filter or face mask in addition to our usual PPE.