Nov 8, 2016 2 min read

Several people who own rental properties questioned the Cumberland Township supervisors Monday about an ordinance adopted last month requiring all landlords to register their rental properties.

The ordinance imposes annual registration and licence fees and allows the township code enforcement officer to inspect the building each time a tenant moves out.

Township solicitor Dennis Makel said the ordinance was adopted to make sure all rental properties are maintained in safe, livable conditions. He spoke of instances in which people have been found to be living in houses with no water, sewage or heat.

Though many landlords take good care of their properties, Supervisor Jim Sokol said.

“Some landlords don’t care what their places look like. If someone moves out, they just move somebody else in,” he said.

In response to questions regarding the fees, the supervisors noted they were being imposed only to cover the costs of administering the ordinance.

“We’re not in it to make money; we only want to break even with the costs that we incur,” Supervisor Bill Groves said. “If we find that we have generated too much money, we’ll lower the fees.”

Landlords are required pay a registration fee, which will be waived this month and reduced by half if paid in December. The cost is $50 for single and double units, and $100 for larger buildings, such as multifamily dwellings, boarding houses or transient dwellings.

Once the properties are registered, the landlords must obtain an annual license for each unit. The fee is $50 per unit for apartments, multifamily dwellings and transient dwellings, and $25 per unit for boarding houses, dormitories and hotels, with a maximum payment of $150.

One property owner, Vivian May, said she and her husband take good care of their rental units. But, she said, she knew there were some property owners who don’t maintain their houses.

One of her concerns, she said was the “control” that could be exerted by the code enforcement officer during inspections. A future code enforcement officer, she said, might be someone who doesn’t like her and who would only “nitpick” on inspections.

Groves said the code enforcement officer would have to abide by the ordinance. Code enforcement officer Ann Bargerstock also said the inspections would only make sure the units are habitable, that they are clean, have sewage, water and other basic services and free from any “glaring” building code violations.