Picture of the types of chemicals used to make meth
I am concerned that I have purchased a meth lab home. Our neighbor recently informed us that our basement had been used as a meth lab in the past. I have talked to our County Sheriff, the local Health Department, State Police, Drug Task Force investigator, and even had the local Fire Department come to our home. No one was able to give me any useful information about what we should do. I was told that a HAZMAT team could test for hazardous chemicals, but can not reach them. No one is taking our situation seriously.
There are still chemicals in our basement that are commonly used in meth labs. I am a soldier in the Army and want to go talk to my JAG officer, but I can’t exactly do that until I get more information together.
The home we purchased in Carroll County, Maryland was from a private seller. We have been living in the house for the last year. The couple we purchased the home from have owned the house for a long time. They bought the home as an investment property and rented it out to a few people over the years. At one point, their children lived here, and our neighbors think it was their son who was doing drugs. The children were eventually kicked out of the house because they had neglected the property itself. Our neighbors have told us that the County would have to mow the front lawn because it was so out of control. I think it would be difficult to prove that the seller had any actual knowledge of any possible meth lab in our home.
Part of the disclosure statement, in accordance with Maryland law as of Oct 1, 2005, reads:
Section 10-702 also requires the owner to disclose information about latent defects in the property that the owner has actual knowledge of. The owner must provide this information even if selling the property “as is.” “Latent defects” are defined as: Material defects in real property or an improvement to real property that:
(1) A purchaser would not reasonably be expected to ascertain or observe by a careful visual inspection of the real property; and
(2) Would pose a direct threat to the health or safety of:
(i) the purchaser; or
(ii) an occupant of the real property, including a tenant or invitee of the purchaser.
I have seen meth residue test kits available online. Do you think these are reliable? We are not 100% sure that a meth lab existed here. The only information we have is what our neighbors have told us, plus some chemicals in our basement which a drug task force investigator told me were often used in meth labs.
Considering all of the circumstances, you have a legitimate concern that you may be living in a contaminated meth lab home. If I were you, I’d have the home professionally tested by someone certified to do meth lab testing. If the testing shows that the house is contaminated then you at least have testing results that will hold up in court. I’d talk to some lawyers about the situation and let them guide you about any legal action you can take against the previous owners. Best of luck to you and a sincere thanks to you for your military service. May God bless and keep you safe.