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Rental Inspection Procedures and Pre -Inspection Checklist Notes <br />Here's a bullet -point summary of suggested changes to the rental inspection procedures: <br />• Extend Certificate of Compliance: Move to a four-year certification cycle unless a tenant <br />i Z- files a complaint about conditions. <br />=r • Background Checks: State law already makes property owners responsible for vetting <br />• property managers; redundant police -level checks should be removed. <br />• Clarify Landlord Responsibilities: Landlords should not be held accountable for criminal <br />activity in rental units —focus inspections strictly on health, safety, and fire codes. <br />• Ripped Carpeting: Should not trigger annual inspections unless it creates a direct safety <br />hazard. <br />• City Cost Reductions: The city should not bear the cost of mailing inspection notices to <br />tenants; this responsibility should fall on landlords. r -- c I)`c Q v� - g <br />p Y <br />• -E: Liability in Complaint Inspections (Page 3, Section 8): The city should not send <br />inspectors based on tenant complaints if it implies the city will step in to fix the issue. <br />• Photography in Units (Page 5, Section 10): Inspectors should only take photos with <br />explicit verbal consent from both the tenant and landlord. <br />• Criminal Activity Determination (Page 5, Section 11): Inspectors may not have adequate <br />training to assess criminal activity; liability concerns and potential discrimination issues <br />need to be addressed. <br />• . No Closet Entry: Inspectors should not enter or open closets unless there is a clear <br />structural or safety issue. <br />• No Roof Access: Inspectors should not climb onto roofs: to prevent unnecessary wear <br />and tear on roofing materials and to ensure inspector safety -evaluations should be <br />o ground level. Iri3pe4wS � � roc_) -e c <br />conducted from <br />Scoring System Consideration: Implement a standardized grading system rather than a <br />pass/fait approach to create consistency and fairness in inspections. <br />Possible Eliminations or Simplifications: <br />I. Overlapping Interior Evaluations: <br />o Walls & Ceilings: The Ramsey checklist includes "free from holes" and "free from <br />water damage." simply require them to be in good repair. -3 Consolidate under <br />"Must be in sound condition and free from damage." <br />o Sleeping Room Floor Space: The Ramsey checklist repeats square footage <br />minimums already covered by building codes. -> Eliminate specific <br />measurements and reference building code standards instead. <br />o Kitchen Usage Restriction: Ramsey prohibits using kitchens as sleeping areas, <br />which is already covered by fire and zoning codes. -3 Remove as redundant. <br />Z. Carpet and Flooring Requirements: <br />o Ramsey flags "torn carpet" as a trip hazard that could trigger an inspection. Only <br />"floors must be in good repair." -3 Remove "torn carpet" unless it presents an <br />immediate safety hazard (e.g., large holes, unsecured sections). <br />3. Detailed Smoke/CO Detector Instructions: <br />o Ramsey specifies placement rules in extreme detail (e.g., "within ten feet of <br />bedrooms"). Compliance with state law and manufacturer instructions. -> <br />