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NOTICE TO OWNER OF RENTAL UNITS

Purpose.

The purpose of this article is to protect the public health, safety and welfare in buildings intended for human habitation and their accessory structures.

Registration of rental dwellings.

(a) Registry of rental dwelling required. All rental dwellings shall be registered with the Fire department.

DEPARTMENT POLICY.

A Rental registration shall expire in 6 months if no inspections have been conducted or scheduled. All compliance inspections shall be completed within one year of Registration.

All Rentals that were certified shall complete Re – Registration and Compliance inspections prior to the expiration of the exiting certificate. The new certificate will be issued from the compliance date or the expiration date of the previous certificate.

Certification of rental dwellings.

(a) Certificate of compliance required. Rental dwellings shall not be occupied without a rental dwelling certificate of compliance or a temporary rental dwelling certificate of compliance.

(b) Issuance of certificate of compliance. The Fire Official shall issue a rental dwelling certificate of compliance for a rental dwelling after the director of the building department finds that the rental dwelling, its units and accessory structures and yards comply with the standards set forth in the currently adopted codes, i.e., building code, the mechanical code, the plumbing code, the electrical code, and the property maintenance code fire and life safety codes and the codified ordinance of Highland Township.

(f) Length of time certificate of compliance is valid. Any new rental dwelling certificate of compliance issued to an owner for a dwelling shall have an expiration date three years from the date of issuance.

Inspections:

(c) Once a date for an inspection is scheduled, the owner and/or responsible local agent shall do all of the following prior to the date of the scheduled inspection:

(1) Inform the tenant or occupant of each dwelling unit scheduled for possible inspection of the date when the inspection is scheduled to occur.

(2) Request permission from the tenant or occupant of each dwelling unit scheduled for possible inspection to provide access to the rental unit in the event that the tenant or occupant is not at home when the inspector arrives.

(3) Inform the tenant or occupant of each dwelling unit scheduled for possible inspection that the owner or the owner's representative is required to accompany the inspector during the performance of all inspections of rental dwelling units, and that the owner or the owner's representative must provide access to the inspector by unlocking the dwelling unit's door in the event that the tenant is not at home.

Punishment.

Any person found guilty of violating this article shall be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not in excess of $500.00 and/or a term of imprisonment 90 days or less.

Disclaimer of liability.

A rental dwelling certificate of compliance is not a warranty or guarantee that there are no defects in the rental dwelling or unit and the city shall not be held responsible for defects not noted in the inspection report.

This inspection of the land use, exterior posture and interior accessories of the structure is limited to visual inspection only. The city does not guarantee or approve by inference any latent, structural, or mechanical defects thereto, or such other items that are not apparent by such visual inspection.

The city shall not assume any liability to any person by reason of the inspection required by the ordinance or the Code adopted herein or the issuance of a rental dwelling certificate of compliance.

This document does not contain the entire ordinance. It is a highlight of your responsibilities as a rental owner.