Advice PLEASE!! Landlord coming on Monday to 'investigate my power bill'

Okay i'm getting worried.
I live in an apartment in Ontario, Canada and i have a small personal grow that has been designed to be stealthy. It is contained in a wardrobe and has an effective carbon filter. I use only a 250w light and some airpumps for my DWC. The wardrobe does not look suspicious from the outside.
Anyway, I got a call from my landlord today and he said that my power bill is higher than it was at this time last year. I played it cool, offered a couple of very reasonable explanations, and he wasn't too abbrasive or accusing. But he said that the only reason that ever happens with tenants in his building is "if they're growing something other than houseplants". He wants to come in on Monday and have a look around to make sure things arent any 'problems'. I have tried to keep my relationship with my landlord very positive, and therefore I said he could come in on Monday (not in writing, just over the phone).
I'm pretty damn sure I can keep everything contained and the smell should be okay. I can cover up all externally visible evidence within the apartment that there is anything going on. But what do i do if he wants to look in the cabinet? As far as I know, he has no legal right to start opening my personal belongings, even if i did allow him entry. It might look suspicious if i say no, but if i let him look in then i'm ****ed. The plants are like 3 weeks away from finishing. I can't move them anywhere safe. They have to stay. Can anyone give me advice on this situation? What do i do if he motions to try to open the cabinet? Should i make it impossible to open? Should i lock it somehow? Can he go to the cops and get a warrant to search everything in the apartment, including the cabinet, based entirely on his suspicion due to a high power bill? A 250w light on 12/12, two dual output air pumps and a 110 CFM ventilation fan can't be drawing much power. We have a lot of electronics and stuff in the apartment (TV, 350w sound system, 650w computer that runs 24/7, two laptops that are usually running and plugged in, a portable heater, baseboard heating, fridge & microwave, a 100w heat lamp for the bathroom, other miscellaneous gadgets) that could easily account for a high power bill.
My mind is racing right now.. i'm worried... what do you guys recommend I do? Thanks so much

man, that's ****ed up.

Go buy a space heater or two. If you live in a cold area, those heaters eat 1K or 1.5K watts and keep your place warm when he comes over. Say it's cause your girlfriend freaks out about the cold. Be creative but DO NOT LET HIM OPEN your cab.

You also have to keep in mind that this apartment is HIS place, he knows what it looks like and if you are trying to hid something.

If you have some friends, borrow their computers for a few days, plug them in and once he sees you are a computer nut he will leave you alone. Computers use up some decent wattage so I wouldn't worry. If your landlord is cool with you having company, tell him you host LAN parties and you guys pull all nighters playing online games and that's probably what it is that increased the power usage.

I can't get another space heater because extra appliances violate my lease agreement. Im not even supposed to have the one that i already use, but i'm going to keep that one out and visible. I dont think he'll give me THAT much of a hard time about it. I talked to him again and mentioned something that's quite true: theres an outlet in the stairwell between my apartment and the guy next to me, and the guy next to me powers HIS portable heater from it. I asked him about it and he said that when he cuts off all the circuits in his apartment, that heater is still powered. I haven't tested cutting off all the power in my apartment to see if the outlet still works, but i think there's a good chance that it's being powered by my apartment. I also mentioned when talking to my landlord things that have changed since last year: I upgraded my computer from a 350w to a 650w power supply, we now have two laptops, and we're using a space heater. If I added a couple computers in there between now and Monday that might seem kinda fishy. And he still wants to come in and check things out by the sounds of it. He didn't even know whether we were using baseboard heating or not, which i told him we were, and then he didn't remember if our thermostat was centrally controlled in a guarded box (which it is). But now he's thinking about the heaters and shit, so hopefully that's all he will investigate. We can adjust the thermostat through the guard (even though we're not supposed to).. should i set it high? He mentioned that he'll want to check the calibration on the thermostat by setting the temperature and then coming back in an hour and seeing if it is still accurate. Hopefully this is all he intends to do!

As i said earlier, everything looks fine from the outside. I can get rid of all unnecessary equipment and hide away in the back of my closet everything else that i'll need. As far as i can tell my carbon filter is working effectively so there shouldn't be a noticeable smell. I'll allow him to look in the closets if he feels it necessary, but not in the wardrobe. The wardrobe is something i bought after moving in (the apartment was unfurnished anyway) and blends in nicely with everything else in my bedroom. I think he would have to be HIGHLY suspicious and pretty anal if he were to demand access to the wardrobe. What do you guys think? I think I can get through this.. I hope so..

Can't cut them down early?

Sounds like you chose a poor apartment to grow in, a real electric nazi. The no extra appliances shoulda been your first tip off to how things can go w/ this landlord. With that said...

If you dont want to cut them down early, then remove all that crap, freshen up the place w/ some air freshener, cinnamon sticks, w/e. DO NOT let him in that cabinet, if he asks whats in there, tell him you own the building, not my furniture.

Start thinking about moving asap to a new place where you're not disallowed from using electricity/extra applicances.

They're not ready to be cut down, even early. The trichs are all clear from what I can tell.

"if he asks whats in there, tell him you own the building, not my furniture." I like that! hah. I'm going to screw the doors shut before he comes over (in a non-noticeable way) so it wont open even if he just casually tries to open it.

He is an electric-nazi.. my heat and hydro are included in my rent so he's really anal about people using excess electricity. Like i said, we have electric baseboard heating controlled by a single thermostat that is in a 'guarded' box. We can adjust the temperature anyway despite the guard. But he says that he legally doesn't have to heat the apartment any higher than 20 degrees celsius (I've never heard of this legal limit)... so if I have it turned up higher than that its goingn to look bad.. but i guess looking bad for that is better than him knowing i'm growing. So do you guys think i should turn the thermostat up?

bbfarmer,

Forget all the details about your appliances and altering thermostats - your location is finished for growing, there's no two ways about it.

Rip up all the plants, destroy all the evidence, get rid of absolutely everything grow related out of the apartment, and hand in your notice to move out when the dust has settled after this visit.

The crux is that he's not happy about the extra electricity, and that means it's not possible to grow there properly anymore anyway, but then when he went on to say about "growing other plants", that's the point where you put down the bong and start ripping up plants.

I'm sorry to be the bearer of blunt and bad news, but that wardrobe/cab has to be completely cleaned out and containing clothes or personal belongings by Monday's visit, as he will definately want to see inside it, otherwise the pigs will be shutting down your grow instead of you....and I know which I'd prefer.


Peace

You really think he will want to see inside it? It does not look suspicious, and we have kept up a good relationship until now. He will not physically be able to open it when he comes (i will make sure of that). There is no legal obligation for me to show him the contents of my furniture (please correct me if i'm wrong) - wouldn't that be the same as him looking through my pantry and looking the food i eat? Opening my fridge? Or opening up my underwear drawer and looking through it? Thats a serious invasion of privacy no matter how you look at it. What if my girlfriend and I keep her lingerie and our sex toys in there or something? Thats something i'm sure SHE would feel pretty strongly about our creepy old landlord seeing (and i DO live with my g/f). I really do not want to have to take it so far as cutting up my plants 3 weeks before they're finished........ more input would be greatly appreciated! Thanks

I agree, your screwed, the landlord already suspects you are growing and has done you a favor by notifying you of a "grow inspection" As much as it hurts I think you got no choice but to tear down the grow. I mean you could lock the cab, say you have no key to it if he ask to see inside, but if he does ask and you don't let him look, his next stop will likely be to the cops. If you can't tear down and be cleaned up in an hour after the inspection should he inquire about wardrobe, I'd do it now, take your losses and be thankful you missed a bullet.

RR

One more thought, if he's as anal about the power bill as it seems, he likely goes over the power usage records with a fine toothed comb. He may suspect the grow by seeing a jump in useage from your apartment at the same time everyday when your lights kick on. Who knows what kind of detailed power use records he gets from the power company. I would never grow at a location unless I was the only one seeing the power bill.

can u screw it shut from the inside with "L" joints and some screws? so if he did try to open it wouldnt? or maybe a builtinlock like the small circle kind not the latch+padlock(looks suspiciouse) just leave the 2 laptops out and on and the pc on (maybe some download status screen going) and leave ur closets open. make it EASY for him to come in and look without having to touch anything. doors open, stuff away. nice and tidy.
how big is the cab? if its a 250 it cant be that big... 4x4x8? (ft)

all i can say is i hope its in a corner or somewhere 'not easy' (like next to the door) to get to. maybe past the bed and closet... hmmm
what a perdiciment.

are you paying him the money for power or it included in the rent?

id argue that your use dosent matter.
but you already invited him. probably better anyways.

RCMP have very much trained many people to watch out for personal grows and commercial grows. a 250 watt MH will not cause a jump in power, he has to know something dude, seriously..... 250 watts is nothing to what other grows in canada do... it's like a CF to them growers.....

Scrap your grow, that is the ONLY advice, do not look to everything else... scrap it, your growing location is done for like someone else in this thread has stated, you do not want to take a chance, even though the right wing nut jobs have canada, they have become stricter with this shit....

I do not know what your laws are like, but in my state landlords have to call 24 hours in advance and when you invite them in they can look at whatever they want if they wanted too.

He is looking for a grow, not looking in your underwear, he will be looking in stuff like bigger places that people use to grow.

If you want to continue growing you have to move out and get a different place where you are in charge of your bill.

Dude, it's either you cut it down or he will have you thrown out and the pigs will be rippin through your whole apartment and you will be sitting in jail and your GF.

You have a good choice and the option is right in front of you, but you do not want to take it.... you can always pick up and grow another day.... but once you been marked you are marked for good...... take your chance while you got it....cut down the grow why think otherwise.... or think about this..... think about sitting in a jail, going through court dates and trying to pay for an attorney and going through probation.....

or fines...
cause I got busted a few years ago and I went through all of that, but the pigs ripped my grow down......

so please, take the chance you have and heed that warning.... rip it down dude!

Yes i plan to screw it shut in such a way that it will not be openable by him and it wont be visable. The wardrobe is 4ft wide, less than 2ft deep, and about 6-8ft high. It is not visibly apparant from the outside that it has been modified.

The hydro is included in my rent as i said, so that is the basis of his problems with the electricity usage.

I like the idea of leaving all the closet doors open for him so he doesn't even have to touch anything to open them. I will certainly do that to help things out. I hope things will be okay. I may make the decision to take things down beforehand... but I'm not ready to make that decision yet. More input would be helpful

^seconded by me.

bbfarmer, dude - he'll definately be looking for a grow and whether it's an invasion of your privacy or not, you've broken the law and used his premesis for illegal purposes, not only that but you've involved your girl too, so you're not only acting for yourself but for someone else too.

Now, after ripping up the grow and cleaning the flat, be nice and friendly with the landlord, even though you're p!ssed off with losing your plants, and you'll get a good reference from him and the chance to grow again.

Think of it this way - it's like a company offering you the chance to resign before they sack you...take the hint and opportunity, and do yourself (and your gf) a big favour.


Peace

blueberryfarmer said:

Yes i plan to screw it shut in such a way that it will not be openable by him and it wont be visable. The wardrobe is 4ft wide, less than 2ft deep, and about 6-8ft high. It is not visibly apparant from the outside that it has been modified.

The hydro is included in my rent as i said, so that is the basis of his problems with the electricity usage.

I like the idea of leaving all the closet doors open for him so he doesn't even have to touch anything to open them. I will certainly do that to help things out. I hope things will be okay. I may make the decision to take things down beforehand... but I'm not ready to make that decision yet. More input would be helpful

Click to expand...

You're in denial, it's clear, but you're going to have to rip that grow down in the next few days whether you like it or not, as you've got your girl to think about.

Time to face reality man. We've told you what to do, and given you all the reasons and explanations why. Now it's time to stop posting in this thread, start dismantling the grow and pissing the landlord off with more electricity usage (remember the reference for the next (grow) rental), smoke a joint and think you've done it for the better good.


Peace

......

Tear those plants down now, he has done you a BIG favour by giving you loads of warning. Save the immature buds for hashmaking or cooking. Make sure there is NOTHING to be found, not even an air pump and most certainly not a 250w light. Don't tell him you are gonna move out, just start looking for a new place and only tell your landlord when you have found somewhere to move to.

blueberry farmer - dude. move your grow. no need to kill it. it's micro. it should be doable, surely you have some close friend or family that would be willing to help you out with this and split the harvest. when he (landlord) comes over, just have like every electric appliance (tv, stereo, washing machine, dishwasher,etc.) going that you can and he may think you're a wasteful idiot, but he's got nothing. don't get any bright ideas about bringing back the micro cabinet either. find a new place to live and get the power in your name. you were always gonna have problems with this situation. it just won't work.

tracy

I would just either move the cab to a friends house or tear it down. He is looking for a grow. After you have taken it down i would give him hell for even trying you like this with a 250 watt grow. I mean my xbox 360 has more juice than that. how does he not know you just got a new game console. I would move even if i didnt have a grow if he tried me like that.... Then i would run up as much power as i can untill you move. I mean turn everything you have on and make him pay as much as he can.

PW

The thing about the power usage is, i was growing at this time last year too (the time he's comparing the electricity usage with)... we've just got other shit using our power as well... ****.... you guys seem so certain... you have no idea how much money and time (that doesn't come easily to me) i've invested in this whole setup... this would only be my second harvest. **** i dont know what to do...

dude u have heard it from everybody else, u gotta ditch the plants or move them...it totally sucks, no doubt about it...but seriously man it just isn't worth it...chalk it up to experience man, years from now u can have a laugh about it...for this weekend though u gotta man up for u and ur girl and get that shit outta the house! be strong, be smart and stay safe!