New standards for methamphetamine contamination in homes have been released which provide clarity and comfort for many landlords and perspective purchasers.  Along with providing clear guidelines on how testing is to be done, the new standard increases the limit from 0.5 micrograms per square metre to 1.5 micrograms per square metre.

A common occurrence in the market up until now has been when a perspective purchaser has received a positive result back following testing, more often than not these readings are very low and do not represent any actual health risk.  However the vendor then has to undertake and bear the costs of a decontamination clean to satisfy the purchaser or in the case where the purchaser has cancelled to ensure they are not in breach of any warranties under a subsequent sale.  The same situations were occurring as the ends of tenancies and resulting in loss of bond or costs to the landlords.

It is hoped that the new standards will result in less unnecessary decontamination cleans and provide consistent and clear methods of sampling and testing.

A copy of the standard is available on the Standards NZ website.

https://www.standards.govt.nz/sponsored-standards/testing-and-decontamination-of-methamphetamine-contaminated-properties