As a landlord, your rental property, and the health of its occupants, is a top priority. While a property may seem safe and healthy to the naked eye, many environmental hazards may be brewing below the surface that you’re unaware of. Conducting environmental testing ensures that these potential risks are mitigated, and also keeps you in compliance with local regulations and standards.
Depending on where your rental property resides, local city regulations will outline the standards of environmental testing you must go through to remain in compliance. The City of Detroit, for example, lists basic living criteria that rental property owners must comply with, and annual inspections are mandatory. The benefit, however, is that complying with these regulations without violation leads to longer compliance certification periods.
Environmental Testing and Consulting (ETC) offers comprehensive testing services for rental property owners to ensure they are up to code. In order for you, as a landlord, to obtain a certificate of compliance, you must:
- Register your property with the city (this can often be done online)
- Schedule an inspection with a city-approved inspector, such as ETC. If your property was built before 1978, a lead inspection will be required in addition to the Third-Party Rental Inspection – ETC can perform both these inspections in tandem.
- Complete a pre-inspection checklist (ensuring property is clean, electric wires function properly, light switches are in place, etc.)
- Schedule your inspection and wait for the certified inspector to provide their comprehensive write-up after the inspection is completed in order to receive your Certificate of Compliance.
This inspection does not necessarily guarantee you a certificate of compliance, however. There may be adjustments you have to make to your property: electrical repairs, environmental remediation, etc. However, once these changes are made and your property has been re-inspected, you can receive your compliance certificate!
While this certificate is important to you as a landlord wanting to follow city regulations, it most importantly ensures that your occupants are safe and you save money in the long run. While these annual inspections may seem like a hassle, they help keep you informed on the state of your property and any potential hazards or upcoming maintenance that might be needed.