[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Commissioners of the Township of North Versailles as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 5-21-1979 by Ord. No. 757 (Ch. 11, Part 1, of the 1987 Code of Ordinances)]
[Amended 6-19-2020 by Ord. No. 1129]
A. 
Any person or entity who hereinafter rents, purchases, owns or otherwise occupies any dwelling in the Township of North Versailles must apply for and obtain an occupancy permit. In addition, if used as a residential rental property, an annual rental license must be obtained in conformance with this and existing ordinances of the Township of North Versailles.
B. 
All owners must obtain appropriate and satisfactory building and safety inspection approval by the Building Inspector or Code Enforcement Officer of the Township of North Versailles prior to said occupancy. Prior to entering into any such premises, occupying the same or making any improvements or changes upon the same, any such person, or his agent, must apply to the Manager of the Township of North Versailles for an occupancy permit. The occupancy permit and building and safety inspection shall be required for every change in occupancy and a new inspection will be required.
(1) 
As a prerequisite to entering into a residential rental agreement or permitting the occupancy of any rental unit, the owner of every rental unit shall be required to apply for and obtain an annual rental license for each unit.
(2) 
The application for the license shall be in a form as determined by the Township.
(3) 
Each license shall have an annual term running from January 1 through December 31 each year.
(4) 
The owner and/or the occupant shall permit a building and safety inspection based on current codes adopted by the Township. This inspection of the premises shall be conducted by the Code Enforcement Officer and/or the Building Inspector at reasonable times, upon reasonable notice.
(5) 
The building and safety inspection certification shall remain in effect during the current occupants' residence in the unit. Any change of occupancy in a rental unit will require a new building and safety inspection.
(6) 
It shall be the duty of each owner of any rental unit to notify the Township, in writing, of any change of occupancy in a rental unit.
(7) 
The owner and applicant must be current with all taxes and fees owned to the Township before any permits or license will be issued.
C. 
Occupancy permit for sale or transfer of ownership.
[Added 9-19-2024 by Ord. No. 1145]
(1) 
Any person, entity, owner, transferor, transferee or subsequent owner of land upon which a structure or building is erected in the Township of North Versailles, prior to any transfer of ownership, must make application for and obtain an occupancy permit from the Building Inspector or Code Enforcement Officer of the Township of North Versailles. No owner or seller of land may convey title to land which has a structure or building thereon without first complying with the provisions of this subsection.
(2) 
The Township of North Versailles will allow an exemption from this requirement in the limited and specific circumstance where the owner of a residential dwelling is transferring ownership to an immediate family member, which includes parent, children, grandchildren, and siblings of the owner, for no consideration, and the owner/transferor is continuing to reside in the residential dwelling subsequent to the transfer.
(3) 
In order to satisfy the requirements of this subsection and enable the sale and closing of a property, a temporary certificate of occupancy may be issued by the Building Inspector or Code Enforcement Officer of the Township of North Versailles while alterations and/or improvements are being made to the building or structure pending its completion. The Building Inspector or Code Enforcement Officer shall make such a determination and issue a temporary certificate of occupancy in his sole judgment and discretion which may include conditions and safeguards to protect the safety of the occupants and the public.
(4) 
All violations and penalties of this subsection shall be subject to the terms and conditions set forth in § 232-5 of the Code of the Township of North Versailles.
(5) 
The fees for such occupancy permits established herein shall be subject to the terms and conditions set forth in § 232-6 of the Code of the Township of North Versailles.
All owners of real estate which are available for rental use by other persons shall have the duty to see that an occupancy permit is obtained prior to the change of occupancy of any dwelling. Said obligations on the owners of real estate will apply irrespective of the number of units for lease or rent. However, it shall not include transient or casual rentals for persons not permanently residing or occupying said premises. However, any occupancy of a premises for a period in excess of seven days shall be presumed to be a permanent occupancy of said premises and the occupier shall be deemed to be a resident.
[Amended 6-19-2020 by Ord. No. 1129]
All such owners and occupiers of real estate must furnish to the Township Manager within 10 days of the signing of a lease or occupancy of any premises, whichever occurs first, a notification of occupancy as defined in the following section.
The notification of occupancy to be completed by each owner, agent, rental agent, tenant or an occupier of any premises shall include the following:
A. 
Address of the dwelling or rental unit;
B. 
Name and address of the owner and rental agent, if any;
C. 
Name and address of the tenant or tenants, including the name of each occupant together with age and relationship;
D. 
Term of lease or rental, if applicable;
E. 
When conveyance of title was made, if applicable.
[Amended 11-16-1987 by Ord. No. 857; 8-15-1988 by Ord. No. 867; 6-19-2020 by Ord. No. 1129]
A. 
Violations.
(1) 
It shall be a violation of this article for any owner and/or his agent to lease, rent or otherwise permit the occupancy of any dwelling under his or their respective ownership and/or control without having first filed with the Township Manager the notice of occupancy and obtaining an occupancy permit as set forth and required hereinabove. It shall further be a violation for any owner or his agent to allow any tenant to occupy the premises, to collect rent or lease payments from any tenants for any dwelling unit without having first obtained a rental license and complied with the obligations of this article.
(2) 
It shall be a violation of this article for any person to occupy any premises as an owner or otherwise without having first complied with this article.
B. 
Penalties. Any person, entity, firm or corporation who shall violate any provision of this article shall, upon conviction thereof, be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $1,000 and/or to imprisonment for a term not to exceed 30 days. Every day that a violation of this article continues shall constitute a separate offense.
[Added 7-16-1979 by Ord. No. 758; amended 6-19-2020 by Ord. No. 1129]
Each application for a permit pursuant to this article shall be accompanied by check, cash or money order in the amount established by resolution by the Township from time to time for all commercial uses, residential uses and/or all residential rental uses.