INSPECTORS CALL FOR GROW-OP REGISTRY

People need to know whether the house they're eying for purchase has a
history as a grow-op, says a representative for the province's home
inspectors.

"As home inspectors, we may see properties we suspect are grow-ops but
it's difficult to prove," said Owen Dicki, president of the B.C.
chapter for Canadian Association of Home and Property Inspectors.

From one municipality to another, there is no consistent way of
identifying former grow-ops. While some cities keep local registries,
others - such as Victoria - don't.

In some municipalities, damage to the house might be simply covered up
rather than properly remediated, Dicki said, adding real estate agents
have no way to know if a house has been misrepresented in the
disclosure statement.

He is calling for a provincial registry, listing all grow-op busts, as
well as information about when any damage was remediated and by whom.

Victoria home inspector, Tony Braid, has identified or suspected about
three grow-ops in his career.

"The problem is that sometimes people who have grow-ops, and there's
serious damage in the walls, do a quick splash and dash," Braid said.

Behind the new paint, mould can lie dormant for a long time before new
owners notice.

Braid, however, has concerns about establishing a registry.

He asked what is the definition of a registry? Two marijuana plants
under the sink is illegal but does no damage to the house, he pointed
out. That house will be forever tarred if listed as a grow-op, he said.

Langford and Colwood have tried to find a happy medium. Those cities
don't have grow-op registries, but have respective bylaws that removes
the occupancy permit for a house busted with a grow-op.

In those cases, the homeowner is required to have the electrical,
plumbing, structural and any mould damage repaired to a professional
standard before the City building inspector permits occupancy again.

Langford senor bylaw officer Lorne Fletcher agreed there is nothing
consistent in B.C. to indicate a property was a grow-op.

"But once health and structural safety issues are address, is (a
former grow-op) still an issue?" Fletcher said.

Randi Masters, president of the Victoria Real Estate Board, doesn't
see the need for a registry locally.

"The Fraser Valley Real Estate Board has taken quite a proactive
stance on this because they have more issues surrounding this," she
said. "We're really not seeing it to the same degree."

- -with files from Edward Hill