Urge all to ask their landlords: #WhenisMyinspection?
New Inspection guidelines for rental units will affect nearly 100,000 renters
Baltimore, MD Baltimore renters and community organizations came together on Thursday morning at Baltimore City Rent Court to inform tenants of their rights under Baltimore’s new rental licensure and inspection criteria and to urge them to ask their landlord, “When is my inspection?”
Communities United is a leading partner in the Renters United coalition and has organized tenants to support of the new law requiring that all of Baltimore’s rental dwellings be inspected and licenced, having added 1-2 unit dwellings to city code that previously only covered buildings with three or more units. The new city ordinance took effect on August 1 and requires that all rental dwellings be inspected so that they can be licenced by January 1, 2019.
The group gathered at Rent Court passed out flyers that read “When’s your inspection?” and detailed what’s on the checklist on the city’s Rental Licensing Inspection Form. Potential code violations on the list includes chipping (lead-ridden) paint, signs of rodents and other pests, insufficient heat, and water leaks or standing water
“Most renters do not know that an inspection of all rental dwellings is now required,” said Zafar Shah of the Public Justice Center, “or what housing code standards must be met.”
“Under the new law, renters have a right for their home to be inspected and to hold their landlord accountable,” said Pernetha Taylor, a member of Communities United. “Had this been the law a few years, I could have pushed for inspection and repairs from my landlord and avoided the health problems I had due to mold, along with huge medical bills.”
The 2015 report survey of Rent Court defendants found that most are black women, living on $2,000 or less per month, without public housing assistance. To lower their housing costs, they have to resort to living in poorly maintained units. Shockingly, nearly 80 percent of surveyed renters were living amidst serious housing code violations at the time they appeared at Rent Court. Over 70 percent of that group reported that they had notified the landlord about those defects.
“We are excited to see the new law take effect,” said Molly Amster, Baltimore Director of Jews United for Justice, an active member of the Renters United coalition. “Educating renters about the law’s requirements is essential to successful implementation which holds landlords accountable to providing habitable conditions in their properties,” Amster added.
New Inspection guidelines for rental units will affect nearly 100,000 renters
Baltimore, MD Baltimore renters and community organizations came together on Thursday morning at Baltimore City Rent Court to inform tenants of their rights under Baltimore’s new rental licensure and inspection criteria and to urge them to ask their landlord, “When is my inspection?”
Communities United is a leading partner in the Renters United coalition and has organized tenants to support of the new law requiring that all of Baltimore’s rental dwellings be inspected and licenced, having added 1-2 unit dwellings to city code that previously only covered buildings with three or more units. The new city ordinance took effect on August 1 and requires that all rental dwellings be inspected so that they can be licenced by January 1, 2019.
The group gathered at Rent Court passed out flyers that read “When’s your inspection?” and detailed what’s on the checklist on the city’s Rental Licensing Inspection Form. Potential code violations on the list includes chipping (lead-ridden) paint, signs of rodents and other pests, insufficient heat, and water leaks or standing water
“Most renters do not know that an inspection of all rental dwellings is now required,” said Zafar Shah of the Public Justice Center, “or what housing code standards must be met.”
“Under the new law, renters have a right for their home to be inspected and to hold their landlord accountable,” said Pernetha Taylor, a member of Communities United. “Had this been the law a few years, I could have pushed for inspection and repairs from my landlord and avoided the health problems I had due to mold, along with huge medical bills.”
The 2015 report survey of Rent Court defendants found that most are black women, living on $2,000 or less per month, without public housing assistance. To lower their housing costs, they have to resort to living in poorly maintained units. Shockingly, nearly 80 percent of surveyed renters were living amidst serious housing code violations at the time they appeared at Rent Court. Over 70 percent of that group reported that they had notified the landlord about those defects.
“We are excited to see the new law take effect,” said Molly Amster, Baltimore Director of Jews United for Justice, an active member of the Renters United coalition. “Educating renters about the law’s requirements is essential to successful implementation which holds landlords accountable to providing habitable conditions in their properties,” Amster added.
4 comments:
How did this get by Elijah the Communist Slumlord?
Slumlords that pay to play are immune.
Needs to be done here!
10:24 PM, yes it does. their stupid system of inspections after the fact are intrusive. it should be done before it is rented. I have lived in other communities that issue a certificate of occupancy between each rental and the system works just fine. but there is always an excuse here why it can't be done.
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