cleanliness inspections - Landlord Forum thread 354193

cleanliness inspections by Anonymous (PA) on September 10, 2017 @19:22

Once a year, usually in January, I do inspections of all the apartments to change the smoke alarm batteries and make sure the toilets aren't running and the sink trap isn't leaking, etc. But I now have 2 hoarders. I have a clause in my lease that no hoarding is allowed as it is a fire hazard. Emergency personnel need to be able to move around in your apartment and the floors must be able to be cleaned.
How do I tell someone that their apartment needs to be cleaned? Does anyone use a grading rubric for cleanliness? These women clearly don't think their apartments are dirty. Other than the clutter (and probable dirt underneath) they have not broken the lease terms.
Does anyone have a description of "reasonable cleanliness" I can include in my lease? Man, if it isn't one thing, it's another!!!

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Re: cleanliness inspections by Anonymous on September 10, 2017 @20:36	[ Reply ]

"Hoarding" is a mental disorder and a protected class Under the Fair Housing Act. As a landlord you must provide an accommodation by setting reasonable guidelines for the tenants to bring the rental units up to sanitary standards. That means you must devise a plan of action along with the tenants to remedy the hoarding issue. If you fail to do so, that is a clear violation of the Fair Housing laws. You need to acquaint yourself with what a reasonable accommodation is and how to apply it for hoarding. Violations of Fair Housing Act can be into the tens of thousands of dollars and more, so if in doubt, you should contact a local service that can help you deal with the tenants hoarding.

Re: cleanliness inspections by Garry (Iowa) on September 10, 2017 @21:03	[ Reply ]

If you can find any landlord, tenant, legislator, lawyer, or judge in this country, that can define what "normal wear and tear" looks like, THAT is the person who will know what "reasonable cleanliness" looks like. Basically, it's in the eyes of the beholder. Just ask your own kids-----they will tell you if something is clean, or not. All kidding aside, don't get too hung-up on how "clean" something is. As long as there is no infestation of bugs, ants, mice, etc, and no pet feces, food on the floor, a white carper turned black, then let the Ts live as they have been. However, if "stuff" is partly blocking entrances, exits, windows, or stairs, those are fire hazards, and you do have the right to tell they to move the "stuff" or they will be asked to move. You can also raise their rent at the end of their lease, to try to compensate you for the big clean-up job you will be doing once they move out.

Re: cleanliness inspections