[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Commissioners of the Township of Bethlehem as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 11-13-1978 by Ord. No. 6-78 (Ch. 11, Part 1, of the 1988 Code); amended in its entirety 9-18-2023 by Ord. No. 06-23]
A. 
The Township of Bethlehem hereby elects to apply the provisions of the Act of July 27, 1955, P.L. 288, No. 104, as amended, 21 P.S. § 611 et seq. It shall be the duty of every seller and lessor of real property situate in the Township of Bethlehem to comply with said Act, and to obtain a written report prepared by the Code Enforcement Official setting forth the zoning district classification of the property, the legality of the present use of the property as known to the Department of Community Development and set forth in the report, and the existence, if any, of any uncorrected violations of housing, building, property maintenance, safety or fire ordinances known to the Department of Community Development following a property inspection to be performed by the Code Enforcement Officer. Said report shall be delivered by the seller to the purchaser of property at or prior to the time for settlement on the sale and purchase, and by the lessor to the lessee of property at or prior to the lease agreement and delivery of possession of the property. Every seller shall also deliver to the purchaser of the property any notice of assessment for public improvements. Nothing contained herein shall be construed as relieving any person from requirements to obtain a certificate of compliance.
B. 
In the event that any transfer of title occurs without an inspection having been conducted under the requirements in § 196-1A, the buyer is responsible for obtaining the inspection report, to include paying the appropriate fee for said inspection, and certificate of compliance.
A. 
A certificate of compliance shall be issued by the Code Enforcement Officer upon compliance with the Bethlehem Township adopted property maintenance code. A temporary certificate of compliance shall be issued by the Code Enforcement Officer upon compliance with § 196-2B of this article.
B. 
The buyer and/or their agent shall provide to the Department of Community Development a completed temporary certificate of compliance request application indicating the buyer's name, address, date of transfer, and acknowledgement of receipt of the property inspection report.
In the event that a violation of the Bethlehem Township adopted property maintenance code exists in or upon the premises, such violations shall be addressed by either:
A. 
The seller abating the violations prior to the transfer of title; or
B. 
The buyer executing a temporary certificate of compliance request acknowledging:
(1) 
Receipt of the inspection report; and
(2) 
That such buyer shall begin to abate the violations set forth in the property inspection report and shall fully comply within 12 months of taking possession.
Any person violating any provisions of this article shall, upon conviction thereof, be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $1,000, together with costs of prosecution, and, in default of payment thereof, shall be liable to imprisonment for a period not exceeding 90 days. Each day in which an offense shall continue shall be deemed a separate offense.