Richardson Rental Inspections

We may add a FAQ or Q&A section.  
Please feel free to leave any comments.

Join Us!
  • Home
    • Re-Inspection Fees
    • Intrusive Inspection
    • History
    • Why do Renters Refuse?
    • Our Properties
    • Owner-Occupied Home
  • Prosecution
    • Administrative Warrant
  • Our Proposal
  • Garland Case
  • Litigation
    • Institute for Justice
  • Renters
    • Rental Map
  • Homeowners
  • Blog
  • Contact Us

Coming Changes to the Rental Registration Program

7/30/2013

2 Comments

 
At last night's work session, the Community Services director presented "enhancements" to the Rental Registration Program.  Based in part on inspection results for 2012, they realized most violations and complaints were about exterior issues and therefore he proposed an option to do annual exterior inspections instead of interior inspections.

Sounds like they still want to enter back yards of private properties, but they at least won't force interior inspections.  This is a great step forward.  

We thank every one who supported our cause!

2 Comments

Executive Session on Rental Registration Ordinance

7/23/2013

0 Comments

 
Last night the council went into executive session with the city attorney to consult on the Rental Registration Ordinance.  The mayor said "Council will reconvene into open session, and take action, if any, on matters discussed in Executive Session," but they never reconvened last night.  
According to the City Council Action, "there was no action as a result of the Executive Session."  

We think the city attorney briefed on the council about the appeal by the landlord who was wrongly charged and convicted by the city attorney/prosecutor.
0 Comments

The City's Response to Landlord's Appeal

7/17/2013

3 Comments

 
The convicted landlord's appeal case is moving at a dinosaur pace.  After asking for a month extension, the city attorney filed the brief below.

-Obviously, the city attorney doesn't think renters have the same constitutional rights as non-renters.

The city attorney argues that the warrant is irrelevant, despite the fact that the city went to the trouble of adding it during the November 2011 ordinance update in order to make the ordinance "arguably" constitutional, and it is, in fact, the city's only specific remedy if the tenant says no to inspection.  The city wants to have it both ways: it wants to have a constitutional ordinance, but then ignores the ordinance in carrying out its inspections.

-For some reason, to clarify the definition of "make the property available," the city attorney goes on and on about the conditions the inspectors look for at every rental property.  

The city attorney keeps blaming the landlord for not walking across the street to her rental after she scheduled an inspection within the prescribed time frame.  (Her tenant was aware of the scheduled inspection and chose not to let the inspector inside HIS HOME.)  If "making the property available" means for the landlord to be at present at the rental, why doesn't the city attorney say so in the ordinance to be absolutely clear?  They might as well add "In case of the occupant's refusal, the landlord SHALL VIOLATE THE TENANT'S CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT AND FORCE ENTRY BY THE CITY INSPECTOR into the occupant's home."  

BTW, most of us landlords don't live across from our rentals, so we're off the hook, right?

-The city attorney also argues that the convicted landlord needed to produce her lease to prove that that she couldn't require her tenant to allow the inspection.  Nothing in any lease overrides the US Constitution, which gives tenants the right to reject inspection.  Nevertheless, the leases some of us use do not allow entry into our rentals by government or any inspectors.  

3 Comments

    Author

    Write something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview.

    Archives

    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.