Beardstown — Ch. 5 Art. VIII Rental Housing Inspection § 5-89
Notice of inspections
Operative Text
(a) The inspection of rental units shall either be by consent or pursuant to an administrative warrant. If the appropriate consent has not been given to enter or inspect a rental unit, no entry or inspection shall be made without the procurement of a warrant from the Circuit Court of Cass County. The court may consider any of the following factors, along with such other matters that it deems relevant, in its decision as to whether a warrant shall issue: (1) Eyewitness account of violation. (2) Citizen complaints. (3) Tenant complaints. (4) Plain view violations. (5) Violations apparent from city records. (6) Property deterioration. (7) Age of property. (8) Nature of alleged violation. (9) Conditions of similar properties in the area. (b) Commencing December 1, 2001, all rental units shall be inspected at least once every five (5) years. Notice of the date of inspection shall be mailed to the landlord and tenant thirty (30) days prior to the date of inspection. (c) If a complaint is received regarding a rental unit, however, the city may inspect the premises even though it may, or may not, have already been inspected. (d) Nothing in this section shall prohibit the city from inspecting any rental unit more frequently then every five (5) years.
Under Beardstown Ch. 5 Art. VIII § 5-89, rental units must be inspected at least once every five years, with the first cycle beginning December 1, 2001. Inspections may only occur with the occupant's consent or through an administrative warrant issued by the Circuit Court of Cass County, which may weigh factors such as citizen complaints, property deterioration, and the age of the property. Complaint-driven inspections can happen at any time, regardless of whether a unit has already been inspected within the five-year window.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 5-89, compliant rental property operators generally ensure they receive the required 30-day mailed notice before any scheduled inspection and understand that consent to enter is a prerequisite — absent consent, the city must obtain an administrative warrant from the Circuit Court of Cass County. Operators also keep records current with the city, since violations apparent from city records are among the factors a court may consider when deciding whether to issue a warrant. Because complaint-driven inspections can occur outside the regular five-year cycle, maintaining properties in good condition year-round is consistent with the obligations this section establishes.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 5-89 establishes that tenants have a right to 30 days' advance written notice before a scheduled periodic inspection, and that no entry may occur without either their consent or a court-issued administrative warrant. Tenants should be aware that filing a complaint with the city can trigger an inspection independent of the regular five-year schedule, which may be a relevant avenue when habitability concerns arise. Tenant-rights organizations familiar with Beardstown's rental housing code can help explain how these inspection rights interact with other protections under Ch. 5 Art. VIII.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 6, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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