(a) The landlord of a multifamily dwelling complex shall inspect each dwelling unit prior to leasing and shall comply with the following.
(1) The inspection of a dwelling unit shall be conducted by the landlord and the unit’s tenant:
a. A minimum of once annually; and
b. When the occupancy of the unit changes.
(2) The landlord shall sign each inspection report, and shall require a tenant to sign the report for the tenant’s dwelling unit. If the tenant disagrees with any notation made by the landlord on the report, the landlord shall permit the tenant to make written comments on the report prior to signing it. The tenant shall also note any discrepancies they have identified with the unit upon move in and the landlord shall initial those noted items. The landlord shall provide the tenant with a copy of the report after it is signed.
(3) The director shall determine which standards established by the minimum building standards code shall be covered by the inspection.
(4) The failure of a landlord to make inspections as required by this subsection (a), to maintain records of the inspections, and to permit inspection of those records pursuant to subsection (b) below shall cause the complex to fail inspection.
(b) A landlord shall maintain reports of the inspections conducted pursuant to subsection (a) above for all dwelling units within the multifamily dwelling complex.
(1) The reports shall either be on a form provided by the director or on a form that complies with the requirements of the director.
(2) A report shall include places for marking whether the dwelling unit complies with the standards set by the director to be included within the scope of the inspection, and shall include the names of all persons occupying the dwelling unit (other than overnight guests).
(3) A report shall also include:
a. The names of designated employees or other authorized persons who shall be assigned to respond to emergency conditions; and
b. A telephone number where said employees can be contacted during any 24-hour period. The telephone number may be for an answering service that has the capability to contact the designated employee immediately. Emergency conditions shall include fire, natural disaster, flood, collapse hazard, burst pipes or violent crime.
(c) The director shall develop and maintain a rental handbook and shall provide each multifamily dwelling complex with a copy of the handbook upon registration.
(1) The handbook shall be entitled, “The Fort Worth Rental Handbook.”
(2) The handbook shall include:
a. Grounds for eviction of a tenant;
b. Who may issue and who may deliver an eviction notice;
c. A tenant’s rights to challenge an eviction notice;
d. The name and phone number of any agencies a tenant may contact for information or assistance to challenge an eviction notice; and
e. The telephone number of the code compliance department.
(3) A landlord shall duplicate the handbook and shall provide a copy to each tenant, either at the time the tenant signs the lease or at the time the landlord conducts an inspection of the tenant’s dwelling unit as provided by this section.
(4) A landlord may provide a tenant with an alternative publication upon prior written approval issued to the landlord by the director.
(d) A landlord commits an offense if the landlord knowingly violates this section.
(Ord. 12791, § 1, passed 12-3-1996; Ord. 13181, § 1, passed 10-2-1997; Ord. 14929, § 1, passed 1-15-2002; Ord. 17827, § 6, passed 10-9-2007; Ord. 19998-12-2011, § 7, passed 12-6-2011)