Schaumburg revises inspection policy for rented houses

In light of the number of foreclosures in recent years and the rising age of Schaumburg's housing stock, village officials Tuesday revised a program for the inspection of rented single-family homes and increased the annual fee of landlords.

While the prior program inspected only the interiors of such homes on a complaint basis, the new version will inspect the inside and outside of all rented homes upfront and then every three years afterward.

Due to the increased work required, owners who are renting out their single-family homes will see their annual license fee rise from $60 to $100.

Assistant Director of Community Development Matt Frank said there are about 300 rented single-family homes in Schaumburg, but that number increased by roughly 50 during the past year.

He said one of the main reasons for revising the inspection program is to ensure that the village's housing stock remains sound for future buyers and renters.

The village is considering hiring the firm B&F Construction Code Services of Elgin to do the inspections. The currently suggested cost for a three-year cycle of inspections is $31,350, but Frank said that amount hasn't yet been finalized.

A time frame for the first wave of inspections also hasn't been identified, but Frank thought each inspection could likely be done within an hour. But every landlord and tenant will be given sufficient notice to arrange a mutually agreeable time for the inspection.

The previous program, driven solely by complaints from people with firsthand knowledge of problems inside a single-family home, was in place for three years before Tuesday's revision.

During that time, the village's own code enforcement inspectors completed 55 interior inspections of rented single-family homes.

Among the things the inspections will look at are the proper function of heating, ventilating and air-conditioning systems; working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors; plumbing fixtures being kept in good repair; the absence of painted-over electrical outlets; all structures and fixtures kept in good repair; and the maintenance of all landscaping.