Licenses required for East Dundee rental property owners

Hoping to improve and maintain the condition of both commercial and residential rental properties, the East Dundee village board gave the thumbs-up to a measure requiring that all rental properties be licensed.

The resolution, which the board unanimously approved Monday, also allows the village to require routine inspections of these properties, which Village Administrator Bob Skurla said will likely improve the quality of the buildings and individual dwelling units.

"What we want is a regular inspection program so we can document and catch things early on," he said.

Rental license terms last for one full calendar year. The fees for a rental license, which accounts for routine inspection, are $100 for a single-family home, $75 per unit in a multifamily building and $115 for a nonresidential building, according to a fee ordinance also approved by the board Monday.

Skurla said the benefits of frequent inspections extend beyond keeping up appearances. Many code violations could be considered health and safety issues, such as disconnected sprinkler systems or fire alarms.

It's common for commercial properties to have many features that should be checked regularly, Skurla added, such as backflow preventers that protect water from contamination.

"If they failed, it could be worse than not having (the preventer) at all," he said.

Additionally, with 150 new rental units developed in River Haven Place and Gardiner Place, Skurla said, it's difficult to maintain every rental property without a system in place.

"This (resolution) allows us to maintain and upkeep the quality and standards of our rental properties around East Dundee," Skurla said.

If any property fails to meet its requirements upon its routine inspection, the village would then reinspect the building after the owner fixes the violation. This would cost the owner $75.

The village also has the ability to suspend or remove the rental license if a property doesn't meet all of its requirements, according to the resolution.

"If (rental property owners) have a business in town that is not abiding by our standards, we can suspend or lift a license as a sanction until they remedy the problem," Skurla said.

The new ordinance also requires residential property owners to inform tenants of a building's maximum occupancy, and a crime-free housing clause must be added to their leases.