New Landlord Rules for Single Family Rentals

makes perfect sense...make it even harder to sell a home than it already is!

Some communities around here are doing similiar things.  The idea is to keep property values up by not letting rentals become too trashy.

I am glad they have something like this to protect renters.  Here in Manhattan, the landlords are not the nicest epople when it comes to having to maintain a rental property because it costs so much money; but they charge you and arm and a leg!  It's only fair!

My city, Lake Worth, Florida, has had a inspection requirement/rental license for many years now. I think it is great. The trouble is getting the landlords to apply for the license.

The city got smart and wouldn't turn on utilities for people if their name wasn't the same as the owner of a property. This worked for a while but if the landlord includes utilities then the city might not know that the home was being rented. You know how it is. the shady among us will find a way to beat the system.

Hi Gary,

I am a preperty manager in Santa Rosa, CA. We are in fear and trembling that financially starved cities like ours will try to impose these kind of inspection requirements to generate more money. That is the bottomline in all of this. The fact is, the Civil Code demands habitability standards before properties can be offered for rent. I make these standards clear to every owner before I take the listing to rent their property. If they are unwilling to meet the standards, well then I suppose such a City Inspection would protect the tenant...but the fact is, if the tenant is not happy, he can not rent, or if he is injured due to deferred maintenance issues, he can sue. We don't need another inspection on the checklist! I hope Santa Rosa does not read this article!

This is just another revenue stream for the government. Requiring a license (fee) and then having the ability to impose fines is another government invasion into our lives and more importantly our wallets.

Are there THAT many sub-standard houses out there that are being rented?? Where?

Here in Colorado the market is different and we dont need additional government control. Although our rental demand is at the highest level it has ever been, we still have a lot of rental inventory, so the tenant has choices in the location/condition of property when selecting a rental.

If the property isnt "up to par" they can (and will) go rent somewhere else. The landlords know that they have to put out a good product to the rental market, or it wont get selected.

The MARKET is correcting any problem here, and imposing licensing requirements and fines is just another way for the government fat cats to pad their pockets and pay for their bloated budgets.

JUST SAY NO TO ADDITIONAL TAXES!

Regardless of financial consideration, a tenant should have a space that is free from health and safety hazards. Regulations should require landlords to provide minimum health and safety standards.

I didn't think of that revenue generating aspect of it but that's correct. You can call it anything you want but it's additonal income to the village. I think these inspections are really a bunch of hooey.

Gary:

I can see the value of this inspection for slum lords.  But most of us landlords who keep our units in good condition.  We do not let problems go unattended.  I hope that does not come to our city.  I can understand why cities would require the inspection. I am sure it is a great revenue generator.

In New York we have something called the Warranty of Habitability that applies to any landlord/tenant relationship (including co-ops).  Thanks for the update.

Hello Gary:

I wish it weren't so. The market should be allowed to take care of this, not another layer of bureaucracy, another tax, and another hoop to jump through.

Dear Gary,

Most cities around here do the same. The inspectors look for functional smoke detectors, covers on electrical outlets, well-maintained decks and other issues that may lead to harm or accidents. Most of my clients pass with flying colors. Some have to get a new battery for the smoke detector, but that is about it. Having a nicer home leads to a better rental experience for both landlord & tenant. Do not understand slum lords, who enjoy kicking out drug cookers & such.

Hi Gary,  Great post.  As a new investor I really appreciate the info.

In our area a CCO (Cert of Continued Occupancy) is required for all landlords.  Plus for the tenant they know they are moving into a home that has been inspected by the town for all code inforcements.  However it takes 2-3 weeks before the inspector can come out and if the home fails the seller has to schedule a reinspection which can delay the tenant taking possession.

No inspection required in my area, yet. It will be another cost factor to include in the rent.