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Larwill puts cap on how long owners have to fix rental units |
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Monday, March 17 2008 |
By CHRIS MEYERS
Staff writer
Larwill landlords will have a maximum of 30 days to fix any problems at their buildings that are in violation of the town’s rental ordinance, following a change to the ordinance.
Town council members have been trying for the past several months to find a way to better enforce the local rental ordinance and improve living conditions for tenants.
Thursday’s unanimous vote to change the ordinance and put the 30-day-max on repairs helps add some enforcement to the ordinance.
The town has a rental inspector it contracts with to do inspections of rental units, which cost $50 per inspection, which was changed from $25 per inspection in the past.
Any violations not fixed within 30 days can mean that the owner may have to file a new application to have the property be a legal rental unit.
If a violation is found and is not the fault of the tenant, the landlord or owner of the home, must complete the needed repairs within 30 days and pay the inspection fee.
If however, the inspector doesn’t find any problems or finds that they were caused by the tenant, then the renter must pay for the inspection and fix the problems.
Owners of properties to be inspected must also pay a $50 fee if they don’t show for an appointment.
Council members have frequently heard complaints in the past year from tenants saying their landlords either won’t fix problems or cannot be reached to be notified of the problems.
Any tenant in town can pick up and file a complaint form at the town clerk’s office requesting an inspection regarding living conditions at local rental units.
According to the town’s rental ordinance, it was created to address “the serious and, at times, life threatening problems posed by substandard living conditions to the health and safety of all Larwill residents in all types of homes.
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, March 19 2008 )
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