[Added 8-4-2009 by Ord. No. 2009-12]
This article is enacted to further the public health, safety,
morals and general welfare of the Borough of Chester
The following terms, whenever used or referred to in this article,
shall have the following respective meanings for the purposes of this
article, unless a different meaning clearly appears from the context:
That portion of a dwelling rented or offered for rent for
living or dwelling purposes in which cooking equipment is supplied
and includes all privileges, services, furnishings, furniture, equipment,
facilities and improvements connected with the use or occupancy of
such portions of the property. The term shall not mean or include
public housing or dwelling space in any hotel, motel or established
guesthouse, commonly regarded as a hotel, motel or established guesthouse,
as the case may be in the community in which it is located.
Includes any building or structure of one or more stories
and any land appurtenant thereto, and any portion thereof, in which
three or more units of dwelling space are occupied or are intended
to be occupied by three or more persons who live independently of
each other or in which two units of dwelling space are occupied by
two or more persons who live independently of each other in cases
where none of said persons is the owner of the premises.
The holder or holders of the title in fee simple.
All individuals, associations and corporations who have interest
of record in a multiple dwelling and who are in actual possession
thereof and any person authorized to receive rents payable for housing
space in a multiple dwelling.
A.
It shall be the duty of every owner or party in interest and every
tenant or prospective tenant of multiple dwelling within the confines
of the Borough of Chester who shall hereinafter rent housing space
to any tenant in such housing unit to file with the Borough Property
Maintenance Inspector on the form as prescribed, supplying the following
information:
(1)
The name of the person or persons to whom the housing facilities
are being rented.
(2)
The number of square feet of the total area actually being rented
to the tenant and number of square feet of area to be used as sleeping
quarters and the number of square feet in other habitable rooms.
(3)
The number of rooms being rented to each tenant, including the square
footage of each room.
(4)
The number of persons to occupy the area being rented.
(5)
The landlord's or agent's name, address and telephone number.
(6)
The monthly rental for each unit.
(7)
The names and ages of the persons to occupy the area being rented,
except that persons 18 years and older may use the designation "adult."
B.
The owner or its agent and the tenant, verifying the information
contained in said form, shall sign the registration form.
The filing of the registration form in accordance with the requirements of § 183-54 and payment of an inspection fee of $25 per unit shall constitute a valid, legally registered dwelling unit within the Borough of Chester and for purposes of legal proceedings in connection thereof.
The name, address and telephone number of the owner(s) or its
agent shall be posted in a conspicuous location in the ground floor
hall in each dwelling affected by this article.
The owner and tenant shall file the completed certificates,
respectively, with the Borough Property Maintenance Inspector within
15 days of occupancy of any apartment.
It shall be the duty of the owner or its agent to supply to
each tenant a copy of this article and any amendments thereto, as
well as a copy of such administrative rules and regulations as shall
be in effect at the time the premises are rented and a tenant registration
form, except that in the case of tenants in place at the time this
amendment is adopted, the owner or its agent shall have 15 days from
the effective date to serve on each tenant a copy of this article
and such rules and regulations as shall be concurrently approved by
the Borough Council, as well as a tenant registration form.
The Borough Council may by resolution, from time to time, accept
recommendations from the Borough Property Maintenance Inspector and
make and adopt such written administrative rules and regulations as
may be necessary for the proper enforcement and interpretation of
this article and to secure the intent thereof. Such rules and regulations
shall not be in conflict with the provisions of this article nor any
other ordinance of the Borough of Chester, nor shall they have the
effect of waiving any provisions of this article or any other ordinance.
Such administrative rules and regulations shall have the same force
and effect as the provisions of this article, and the penalty for
violation thereof shall be the same.
Any violation of this chapter by either the owner(s) or the tenant by the refusal or failure of either to file the said certificate or to sign the same shall be punished by upon conviction, a fine as set forth in § 1-17 of the Code of the Borough of Chester.
The penalty here and above shall be printed in full on the certificate
so that both the owner(s) and the tenant may be fully apprised of
the penalty to be imposed by the failure to comply with the provisions
of this article.
The certificate of registration shall stand as a certificate of compliance as required by § 183-15 et seq., if the certificate of registration was received within two months of the required annual inspection date.
