Family 'blindsided' after discovering meth contamination in rental home

A Christchurch family say they feel blindsided after discovering the home they've been renting for nearly two years is contaminated with methamphetamine residue at levels exceeding what’s considered acceptable in New Zealand.

Georgia and Dylan Waghorn thought they had found a safe place to raise their three young children when they moved into a Parklands rental property in late 2023, but while Georgia was at a professional cleaning course for work it dawned on her that her own house showed signs of being used for meth consumption.

She engaged a professional testing company, Meth Test Canterbury, which showed there were traces of meth residue throughout the house.

Following a government report in 2018, homes with meth levels above 15 micrograms per 100 cm² are considered to be unsafe, though this threshold is not legally binding. According to Standards New Zealand, a lower level of 1.5 micrograms per 100 cm² is the level required after a former meth lab is decontaminated.

Several rooms in the Waghorns’ report showed meth traces: the lounge 10.4mcg per 100cm², a bedroom 3.0mcg, but of most concern to the family was the kitchen-dining space which was 24mcg – well above the maximum level considered safe.

Georgia said they were horrified by the results.

“We felt really blindsided by the whole thing. It’s terrifying when young kids are involved – there’s no excuse.”

Through caution, the family immediately left the property, abandoning nearly all their belongings.

“We left the house, left everything there, and went to live with our family,” said Dylan. “Eighty per cent of our life has gone to the dump.”

Among the hardest losses were their children’s toys and clothes — cherished items they weren’t willing to risk salvaging.

They’ve since been living with other family members and wearing donated clothes. A friend has set up a Givealittle page for the family to help with replacing clothes and cover their expenses.

A May 2018 report from the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Adviser found there is no clear evidence linking third-hand exposure to meth with any adverse health effects. However, Georgia remains deeply concerned about the risks of the two years of exposure and say she and one of their children were unwell while living at the property.

The family believes warning signs were missed. When they moved in, they say a large security system was being taken down, and the curtains were tacked to the window frames. They also say they had visits from the police during their tenancy, looking for the previous tenants, which raised further suspicions.

The couple have had some of their costs reimbursed by the landlord, but they believe they must be compensated for the time the family spent in the contaminated environment.

“We never would have rented that house had we known it was toxic, so we basically just want our rent back,” said Georgia. The couple continued to pay rent for weeks even after they left the property.

They have applied to the Tenancy Tribunal to help resolve the dispute.

The landlord declined to comment, but sent 1News his own professional test results, which showed very low levels of residue, with only one room slightly above the 1.5mcg standard.

Auckland lawyer Nathan Tetzlaff said discrepancies between landlord- and tenant-commissioned tests are not uncommon, and it’s a matter for the Tenancy Tribunal to determine whose testing is more reliable.

Under current laws, if a tenant discovers pre-existing contamination, landlords may be in breach of their responsibilities under the Residential Tenancies Act.

Tetzlaff deals with many clients in similar situations and said if a tenant finds themselves living in a property that’s above the ‘safe’ level, the onus is on the landlord to fix it.

“The home wouldn’t be compliant with health and safety standards. It would be deemed contaminated. The landlord would then need to take steps to remedy the situation. From the point that the home is contaminated, there might be rent reductions until the property is brought back up to the right standard.”

With methamphetamine use on the rise – having nearly doubled between 2023 and 2024 – the Waghorns believe it’s time for mandatory meth testing between tenancies.

“I’d like to see meth testing become something landlords are required to do between every tenant,” Georgia said.

“You just don’t know what you could be going into or who’s been there before. We want to buy our own home, so we don’t have to go through this again,” Dylan added.

Tetzlaff said getting a baseline test between tenancies is wise.

“It’s pragmatic. It helps tenants feel secure and gives landlords a clear benchmark.”

The Government acknowledged that it’s currently “unclear” what to do when rental houses are found to be contaminated with meth, and that two different views on what are considered safe levels makes the situation more confusing.

It’s currently working of a series of proposed new regulations to better clarify the situation. The proposals include making a maximum acceptable level that is included in legislation, requirements for landlords on when and how to test for meth residue, and what to do with possessions which are left behind in contaminated premises.

Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka said he’s aiming to seek a decision from Cabinet on the regulations before the end of the year.