[Adopted 7-23-2014 by Ord. No. 414]
This article shall be known and may be cited as the "West Whiteland
Township Rental Property Ordinance."
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
CODE OFFICIAL
The Code Administration Officer or other designated authority
charged with the administration and enforcement of this article, or
a duly authorized representative.
DWELLING UNIT
A building or portion thereof providing one or more rooms
arranged for the use of one or more individuals living together as
a single housekeeping unit and having no cooking or sanitary facilities
in common with any other dwelling unit.
OWNER
An individual, corporation, partnership or other entity having
a legal ownership interest in a residential property.
RENTAL PROPERTY
Any occupied residential property or dwelling unit that is
non-owner-occupied; a residential property or dwelling unit where
individuals other than the owner reside on the property.
TENANT
An individual or entity who occupies a rental property.
TOWNSHIP
The Township of West Whiteland.
This article shall apply to all non-owner-occupied dwellings
within the Township of West Whiteland.
An application for a certificate of reoccupancy shall be filed with the code official at least 10 days prior to reoccupancy of a dwelling unit in a rental property unless exempted under §
250-11.
Unless an exemption is permitted by the code official pursuant to §
250-10 of this article, the code official shall conduct an inspection to determine compliance with the following requirements prior to the issuance of a certificate of reoccupancy:
A. Exterior.
(1) Address posted in accordance with Township standards.
(2) Exterior roof weathertight; doors and windows free of holes or breaks.
(3) Walkways/steps/handrails present where necessary.
(4) Gutters functioning and downspouts discharging appropriately including
proper grading for storm drainage.
(5) Sewer vent caps installed where necessary.
B. Interior.
(1) Sump pump/condensate lines not attached to public sewer.
(2) Electrical system generally in good working order with no visible
defects.
(3) Blow-down pipe properly installed on water heater/boiler.
(4) Dryer vent of proper material and proper length.
(5) Plumbing system in general good working order.
(6) Egress doors hardware in good working order (key out dead bolts prohibited).
(7) Proper fire separation between garage and dwelling if applicable.
C. General life safety.
(1) Smoke detectors (battery operated) located one per level and one
in every sleeping room.
(2) CO detector located in the immediate vicinity of the sleeping rooms
where there is an attached garage and/or fossil-fuel-fired appliances
within or serving the dwelling unit.
(3) Proper shutoff located on all gas lines.
(4) Hand/guard rails installed where necessary.
(5) Pool safety (door alarms and self-closing gates).
(6) GFI receptacles located in every bathroom, countertop, garage, unfinished
basement and exterior.
(7) Fire sprinkler system, if applicable, not obstructed and is turned
on.
After inspection of the rental property, a certificate of reoccupancy shall be issued if the property complies with the minimum requirements set forth in §
250-7 above.
If the code official determines after the initial inspection that a property does not meet the minimum requirements set forth in §
250-7 above, upon correction of all violations, the owner shall notify the code official in writing that the violations are corrected. A reinspection shall be performed by the code official. A certificate of reoccupancy shall be issued by the code official if the property is determined to be in compliance. The fee for reinspection shall be as set forth from time to time by resolution of the Board of Supervisors.
The owner of a multiunit residential property may schedule an annual inspection of not less than 25% of the dwelling units located on the multiunit residential property for a reduced inspection fee as set forth from time to time by resolution of the Board of Supervisors. Upon inspection of said units, if deficiencies from §
250-7 above are noted, a reinspection will be required and the owner will be required to pay a reinspection fee set forth in the fee schedule. Any owner of a multiunit residential property who utilizes the multiunit residential inspection option must still comply with the tenant registration requirements in §
250-5 above including applicable fees.
All common areas of a multiunit residential property shall be
subject to annual inspection pursuant to the West Whiteland Township
Fire Code.