chris: A drug is any chemical compound or substance that can alter the structure and function of the body. Yes I would consider alcohol a drug too, and yes I would be more hesitant to rent a property to an “alcoholic” (not just the weekend or occasionaly drinker, but true alcoholics). I don’t want to make this into a political argument. I’m not saying “all” people who use drugs don’t pay rent; what I said is that people who use drugs are “more” likely to have issues paying the rent. Additionally, if landlords knowingly have tenants who use drugs there are many practical and legal issues the landlord could face.
- Anyone who is injured or annoyed by drug dealers, be it other tenants or people in the neighborhood may sue the landlord on the grounds that the property is a public nuisance that seriously threatens public safety or morals.
– Local, state, or federal authorities may levy stiff fines against the landlord for allowing illegal activity to continue.
– Law enforcement authorities may seek criminal penalties against the landlord for knowingly allowing drug dealing on the rental property.
– In extreme cases, the presence of drug dealers may result in the government confiscating the rental property.
– A drug dealing environment can make it difficult to find and keep good tenants, and the value of the rental property will plummet.
I rent my properties based on an individual basis and you can typically tell which tenants are and are not going to have issues based on their rent and credit history, and additionally their character. I would not, not rent a property to someone simply based on the fact that they sometimes smoke pot or drink alcohol, but it would at least in my case play a role in the decision making because of the aforementioned legality issues and the practical issue that these tenants (not you) are more likely to have issues paying the rent.