What to do in the case a tenant is growing marijuana in your rented house

3

3beam

Guest
Jurisdiction
Michigan
We own a house in MI and have been renting it to someone for the past few years. We do not live in MI anymore but my parents recently went there for a friend's wedding. My parents scheduled a visit with the tenant to check up on the house and found that he was growing marijuana in the basement.

What are the best steps to take in this issue? Doing some quick searches, Marijuana is a schedule 1 illegal substance and the crime of growing pot alone carries a minimum 4 year imprisonment and $20,000 fine.

Personally we don't really care about what the person does as long as it doesn't affect us negatively. As the landlord and with knowledge that the tenant has broken his tenant agreement and is also committing an illegal act, will we be held legally responsible for any of his actions? We own the house and have paid off the mortgage. Is there any chance that since the action is being done on our property we can be held accountable?

Secondly, we want to be able to rent out or sell the house in the future. If we do not report the situation and he is later caught, what legal implications will this hold?

Thirdly, the tenant has made an offer to purchase the house from us. If we agree to this,will we still be held legally accountable due to the period between which we knew that he was growing marijuana and still owned the house?
 
Sorry, but you've got too many potential legal issues to address within the scope of this website, especially the possibility for forfeiting your house under drug forfeiture laws.

I strongly suggest you get yourself a criminal attorney in the town where the property is first thing tomorrow for starters. Only a qualified criminal defense attorney can advise you of your risks from a criminal standpoint. If he says call the police, you call the police.

Once you get comfortable about the criminal aspects, I suggest you do not sell to this tenant. If he pays you with drug money you might still risk forfeiture. Consult a real estate attorney about eviction for the criminal act and get started on that.

Once you get out from under this problem I suggest you sell the house and get out of the landlord business. As an amateur absentee landlord who needs his parents to check up on his tenant, you have no business owning a rental and are vulnerable to some very bad financial consequences if you keep on doing it.
 
We own a house in MI and have been renting it to someone for the past few years. We do not live in MI anymore but my parents recently went there for a friend's wedding. My parents scheduled a visit with the tenant to check up on the house and found that he was growing marijuana in the basement.

What are the best steps to take in this issue? Doing some quick searches, Marijuana is a schedule 1 illegal substance and the crime of growing pot alone carries a minimum 4 year imprisonment and $20,000 fine.

Personally we don't really care about what the person does as long as it doesn't affect us negatively. As the landlord and with knowledge that the tenant has broken his tenant agreement and is also committing an illegal act, will we be held legally responsible for any of his actions? We own the house and have paid off the mortgage. Is there any chance that since the action is being done on our property we can be held accountable?

Secondly, we want to be able to rent out or sell the house in the future. If we do not report the situation and he is later caught, what legal implications will this hold?

Thirdly, the tenant has made an offer to purchase the house from us. If we agree to this,will we still be held legally accountable due to the period between which we knew that he was growing marijuana and still owned the house?

First rule of Fight Club, don't talk about Fight Club.

You didn't see anything.

I don't know what your parents saw, maybe they no longer remember what they saw. Wink Wink Wink

AdjusterJack gave you great advice, if ANYONE saw something, remembered it, recognized it, or ever saw it.

Who knows, maybe what they saw growing was mold, onions, spices, or even HERBS growing in the basement.

I'm sure neither parent is, or were BOTANISTS, right?

I don't know what you should do, pal.

I'd sell that house in heartbeat, take my money, flush my damn memory, and my parents' memories, too.

I love Michigan.

I enjoy visiting Mackinac Island every summer, or almost every summer.

I don't enjoy their damn winters.

Anyway, it is YOUR call about your house what you do, mate.

Good luck.
 
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