Owego Village, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 162 (eCode360 ed. 2026) § 162-7

A. All residential rental units shall be inspected and certified by the Code Enforcement Officer of the Village of Owego, who shall determine compliance with and administer and enforce all applicable provisions of this article. On and after the effective date of this article, residential rental unit occupancy permits shall be valid for 30 months from the date of issuance. The vacancy of any residential rental unit or change in ownership of any rental property shall invalidate said permit even if said vacancy shall occur within said 30 months. B. Except as otherwise provided herein, it shall be unlawful and a violation of this article to rent, lease, or otherwise allow the occupancy of any residential rental unit without the inspection and certification as required herein. This provision shall include but not be limited to written or unwritten residential rental leases, agreements or licenses or pursuant to a recorded or unrecorded agreement or contract for the sale of residential rental units. C. Upon inspection, said residential rental units shall comply with all applicable provisions of this article, including but not limited to the following minimum requirements: (1) Adequate heating units capable of maintaining 68 degrees from September 15 to May 30 of each year; nonvented heaters, such as any fuel-fired units (i.e., kerosene, propane or natural gas), shall not be the primary source of heat. (2) Adequate supply of hot and cold water. All plumbing fixtures shall be in good working order. (3) Electrical equipment, wiring and appliances shall be installed and maintained in a safe and approved manner. Extension cords shall not be used in place of permanent wiring. Electrical wiring and equipment shall be protected against excessive current by properly rated over-current devices. Disconnect panel(s) must be labeled. Electrical outlets and switches shall be properly mounted, covered and in good working order. (4) Mechanical appliances including, but not limited to, stoves and furnaces shall be in safe and working condition. Gas service shall have black iron pipe supply lines through floor penetrations. (5) Smoke detectors shall be installed, operational and properly placed, to include one smoke alarm in each bedroom, one smoke alarm in hallway outside of bedrooms (if two-story) and on each story including basement. Recommended placement is on the ceiling. If smoke detectors must be on a wall, they shall be no closer than four inches from ceiling or no further than 12 inches from ceiling. One carbon monoxide detector shall be installed, operational and properly placed at each level of occupancy. In the event of new construction, all smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors shall be hardwired. D. The specific reasons for noncompliance shall be specified in writing in a notice and order from the Code Enforcement Officer. The notice and order shall be provided to the owner or landlord or the owner's agent. Occupants or proposed occupants of residential rental units shall have the right to inspect the residential rental unit occupancy permit in which they have an interest at no cost. (1) The Code Enforcement Officer shall have the right to inspect all or any part of the residential rental unit(s) as required herein and/or upon complaint, except that the owner or owner's agent or occupant thereof shall have the right to insist upon the procurement of a search warrant from a court of competent jurisdiction by the Code Enforcement Officer or his or her designee, in order to enable such inspection. The officials charged with conducting the inspection shall be required to obtain a search warrant whenever an owner, owner's agent or occupant refuses to permit a warrantless inspection of the premises after having been advised that he or she has a constitutional right to refuse entry of the officials without a search warrant. (2) The Code Enforcement Officer charged with conducting the inspections shall make such inspection, access and circumstances permitting, within 10 business days of receipt of a request from the owner, agent or occupant. (3) An owner or owner's agent shall file with the Code Enforcement Officer a request for such inspection and the issuance of a residential rental unit occupancy permit by regular mail or in person at the office of the Code Enforcement Officer within 60 days of the effective date of this law or within 60 days of any change in ownership. In the event a residential rental unit becomes vacant, an owner or owner's agent shall file with the Code Enforcement Officer a request for inspection and issuance of a residential rental unit occupancy permit within 30 days of such vacancy. (4) Nothing herein shall be construed to limit the right of the Code Enforcement Officer to inspect any property at any time. If, after issuing a residential rental unit occupancy permit, the Code Enforcement Officer receives a complaint alleging a violation of this article, other than a violation that creates an imminent hazard to the public health or to the physical or mental health of the occupants of the rental property, the Code Enforcement Officer shall make a good faith effort to notify the owner or owner's agent of the complaint by either telephone or regular mail before conducting an inspection under this article, and shall provide to the owner or owner's agent one working day to explain what steps the owner or owner's agent is taking to correct the violation. The Code Enforcement Officer may take steps necessary, by inspection or other means, to assure that the violation is corrected. (5) No residential rental unit occupancy permit shall be issued unless the residential rental unit is an authorized use pursuant to zoning and until all other applicable provisions and requirement of the Code of the Village of Owego and all other applicable laws, rules and regulations are complied with and met. (6) No owner or owner's agent shall collect rents during any period of noncompliance with the provisions of this part which would otherwise be due and owing for the rental of premises unless and until he or she shall have complied with the provisions herein. Nothing herein shall be construed to prevent an owner or owner's agent, upon receipt of a residential rental unit occupancy permit, from receiving the equitable value of the occupancy of the premises from the earliest date of occupancy, but in no event shall any recovery of rents be in excess of the agreed rent. (7) These provisions shall not apply to owner-occupied single-family dwellings and dwellings designed and used exclusively for occupancy as hotels, motels, transient homes or establishments of like nature.