Pingree Grove CHAPTER 11 RENTAL HOUSING INSPECTION PROGRAM § 10-11-3

A. Registration required: It shall be unlawful for any person, individual, firm, trust, partnership, association, corporation or other legal entity to lease or allow occupancy of any "rental dwelling unit", as defined hereafter, for any consideration within the corporate limits of the Village without first registering with the Village as provided in this chapter. The owner shall also be required to submit a copy of the written lease in effect at the date of registration.


B. Validity: Registration is valid from January 1st until December 31st of the calendar year following the calendar year that is identified within the registration form. The Village Manager or designee may extend a registration for a period of time not to exceed one year, if the property owner has demonstrated to the Village Manager or designee continued compliance with this chapter.


C. Inspection required: Rental dwelling units shall be inspected by an employee or agent of the Village for compliance with this code. After the initial inspection, following the effective date hereof, which must not reveal any violations, a rental dwelling unit may continue to be leased until the next mandatory inspection.


D. Inspections authorized: The Village is hereby authorized and obligated to conduct inspections of any and all rental dwelling units within the Village to determine compliance with the standards and regulations set forth in this code, as amended. All inspections shall occur at reasonable hours except in emergency situations where the life, health, and/or safety of any individual occupying the rental dwelling unit is threatened.


E. Frequency, notice of and entry for inspection:


1. All rental dwelling units shall be registered for inspections by the employees or agents of the Village at least once every two (2) calendar years.


2. Inspections may occur more frequently, provided there is:


a. Reasonable suspicion to believe that there exists within such rental dwelling unit conditions or conditions associated with such rental dwelling unit which present a threat to the health, safety, welfare or general comfort of the resident(s) of such rental dwelling unit; or


b. A complaint lodged by the resident(s) of the rental dwelling unit to be inspected; or


c. A request made by a prospective resident accompanied by the consent of the owner (or owner's agent) of a rental dwelling unit to be inspected; or A request made by the owner or owner's agent.


3. The Village Manager or designee shall serve written notice to the owner or the owner's agent and the occupant of the rental dwelling unit of the date and time of any inspection to be conducted under this section, by mailing such notice by first class mail at least five calendar days prior to the date of inspection, except in those situations described in subsections (e)(b)(i), (ii) or (iii), of this section. In the case of multiple owners of the same property, notice to any one of the owners shall comply with the notice requirement under this section.


4. Entry.


a. The Owner or Owner's Representative shall provide the Village employee or agent of the Village conducting the inspection, with access to all common areas and vacant units on the rental housing property.


b. The Owner or Local Contact Representative is responsible for obtaining the consent of the tenant of the rental dwelling unit for the Village Manager or designees' entry to inspect the unit. If the tenant does not consent to the entry for inspection, the Village Manager or designee is authorized to seek an administrative inspection warrant from a court of competent jurisdiction authorizing the inspection. If a tenant or occupant of a rental dwelling unit refuses to allow the inspection, the Owner is not in violation of this section.


F. Identification of rental dwelling unit and designation of owner's agent:


1. Any person owning, managing, or supervising any rental dwelling unit or rental housing property shall, within 30 days of assuming ownership, management or supervision of any rental dwelling unit, inform the Village on a form approved by the Village of such residential dwelling.


2. Every owner of any rental dwelling unit who does not reside on the premises of such rental dwelling unit shall appoint and designate an individual to act as an agent on their behalf. Every owner shall notify, in writing, the Village and each occupant of the rental dwelling unit of the name, address, and telephone number of the agent. Such written notice shall contain the signature of the agent accepting appointment and designation as agent of the owner.


3. Any individual, who is appointed and designated as agent of the owner, shall reside within a 75-mile radius of the municipal limits of the village. An owner of a rental dwelling unit may act as their own agent provided they meet the residency requirements set forth herein.


G. Fees.


1. A bi-annual fee for inspection of any rental dwelling pursuant to this chapter shall be $250 per townhome/condominium unit and $275 per single-family dwelling relative to Section 10-ll-3(c).


2. In addition to the inspection contemplated by Section 10-ll-3(g)(a) a fee of $75 for the first reinspection pursuant to Section 10-ll-3(e) and each subsequent reinspection until such violation is corrected.


3. Any reinspection fees remaining unpaid after two weeks shall be a debt due and owing the village from the owner of the rental dwelling unit and, as such, may be collected in accordance with applicable law. In addition, the owner shall also be responsible for the Village's cost of collection, including court costs and reasonable attorney fees. If there are two or more owners of a rental dwelling unit who owe such debt to the Village, such debt shall be a joint and several obligation to the Village due from such owners.


H. Inspection Checklist.


1. Dwelling Units inspected via this program are subject to the following inspection checklist.


Rental Dwelling Interior Safety Inspection Checklist:


- All smoke detectors shall be maintained and operable at all times, and shall not be older than 10-years past the manufacturer's date.


- GFCI-protected outlets are required in Kitchen and Bathrooms


- All carbon monoxide detectors shall be maintained and operable at all times, and shall not be older than 10-years past the manufacturer's date.


- Building front/rear doors shall latch and lock, and be weather-tight


- All interior/exterior lights must be operable. Common area lighting is important in crime prevention


- All interior wall/ceiling surfaces shall be in good repair


- All appliances must be operable and in good repair


- The main boiler and water heater must be operable, properly vented, leak-free, and supplied by rigid black pipe with shut-off and drip leg for each appliance


- All units and common areas shall be free of any insect or vermin infestation (A contract with a licensed exterminator may be required)


- All plumbing must be maintained and intact without leaks. All faucets must be maintained in good repair


- All interior habitable spaces must be able to be maintained at a minimum of 68°F at all times in the winter months


- No combustible storage or closets permitted under stairs


Unit-Dependent Checklist:


- The utility room must have a code-compliant source of combustion air and a locked door, applicable to the dwelling unit


- Common area fire extinguishers (2A10BC) must be properly mounted with current inspection tags in multi-family units


- A current boiler certificate from the office of the State Fire Marshal shall be posted in the utility room, if applicable, in the dwelling unit


- Fire extinguishers are located in the hallway outside and in each bedroom, if applicable to the dwelling unit


- All balconies shall be structurally sound, safe, and with code-compliant guardrails


- All chimneys must have a screened cap to prevent rodents


- Building address numbers shall be clear post on the front/rear of each building, or visible from the road and/or parking lot


I. Penalty.


1. Penalty. Any person who violates any provision of this section shall be subject to a fine of not less than $75, nor more than $750, for each offense, unless specified otherwise within this chapter. A separate offense shall be deemed committed on each day that a violation continues. All violations of this section are hereby determined to be a nuisance which may be abated or enjoined by the village. Nothing in this section shall exempt the village or any person from seeking civil remedies against any person who is in violation of this section.


2. Preservation of other rights and penalties. This section shall not be construed so as to restrict the right of the village to inspect any property, nor to seek penalties for violations of other provisions of this code. The Village shall be entitled to enforce this Section 10-11-3
by injunctive relief in addition to any other remedy.


3. In the event any violation is enforced through a court or administrative hearing proceeding, all such penalties shall be in addition to all court or hearing costs. Any administrative hearing shall be scheduled no less than 21 days from when a person is issued a citation for a violation of any section or subsection of this Chapter. If a person is found liable at an administrative hearing and fails to pay the imposed fine, along with any applicable court and hearing costs, within ten (10) days of the hearing date, the fine shall increase by twenty-five dollars ($25.00) on the eleventh (11th) day following the hearing. If the fine and any applicable court and hearing costs remain unpaid within twenty (20) days of the hearing date, the fine shall be increased by an additional twenty-five dollars ($25.00) on the twenty-first (21st) day following the hearing.


(Ord. 2026-O-10, 5-4-2026)