A. To commence a health and safety inspection prior to settlement or transfer of a property, the seller should submit a request to the City of Reading Property Maintenance Division on a form prepared and provided by the Property Maintenance Division. If the property has not transferred to a new owner after 24 months of the date of the health and safety compliance letter, any property with a health and safety compliance letter that remains for sale for more than a twenty-four-month period, while owned by the original applicant, shall undergo a new health and safety inspection at half price.
B. To commence a health and safety inspection after settlement or transfer of a property, the Property Maintenance Division shall, within 15 business days of notification from the Recorder of Deeds, notify the new owner of the health and safety inspection. The Property Maintenance Division will, without unreasonable delay, inform the seller or the buyer of the date, time and cost of the inspection as per the City of Reading Fee Schedule.
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C. An inspection of the property shall be performed and billed to determine compliance with minimum health and safety standards and requirements as per the current allowable use. The bill includes the first reinspection, but further reinspections will be billed according to the Fee Schedule. These minimum health and safety standards shall not prohibit citations for other significant health and safety hazards that may be identified by the inspector during the inspection:
(1) Each dwelling unit must have an operational (working) smoke detector installed in all common areas, including the basement, every designated bedroom and every finished attic space as required by the Property Maintenance Code.
(2) Each dwelling unit must meet fire standards and have sufficient egress as per the Property Maintenance Code.
(3) Each dwelling unit must have an existing acceptable 60 ampere service, or a minimum 100 ampere three-wire electric service must be installed for the dwelling as required by the Property Maintenance Code.
(4) Each dwelling unit must have kitchen countertop receptacles, laundry and bathroom receptacles must be ground-fault-circuit-interrupter protected, as required by Property Maintenance Code.
(5) No basement or attic may be used for habitable bedroom units except by authorization, approval or variance of the City Zoning Hearing Board and shall comply with the requirements of the Property Maintenance Code.
(6) All properties must be supplied with clearly identifiable numbers (minimum of three inches tall) outside the property, in clear view of the street, designating the street number of the property as required by the Property Maintenance Code.
(7) The property must have a sufficient number of storage containers for solid waste.
(8) The exterior of the property shall be in compliance with the Property Maintenance Code.
(9) All properties must be free from infestation of insects or vermin as required by the Property Maintenance Code.
(10) All properties must have the proper permits, licenses and zoning permits if being used for anything other than single-family owner-occupied purposes.
(11) All sidewalks, walkways, stairs, driveways, parking spaces and similar areas shall be kept in a proper state of repair, and maintained free from hazardous conditions as required by the Property Maintenance Code.
(12) All foundation walls shall be maintained plumb and free from open cracks and breaks and shall be kept in such condition so as to prevent the entry of rodents and other pests as required by the Property Maintenance Code.
(13) Every exterior stairway, deck, porch and balcony, and all appurtenances attached thereto, shall be maintained structurally sound, in good repair, with proper anchorage and capable of supporting the imposed loads as required by the Property Maintenance Code.
(14) There shall be no illegal sewer/water connections, as defined under the applicable City policies.
(15) Every handrail and guard shall be firmly fastened and capable of supporting normally imposed loads and shall be maintained in good condition as required by the Property Maintenance Code.
(16) All other parts of the City of Reading Property Maintenance Code.
D. The Property Maintenance Inspector performing the inspection has the right to request assistance from another inspector or department of the City of Reading, including but not limited to a property maintenance inspector or a trades inspector. In evaluating the inspection, the inspector has the right to review records of other City departments or divisions.
E. At any time after the receipt of the health and safety inspection report, the Property Maintenance Division may undertake such further actions or inspections as it deems appropriate consistent with the applicable ordinances of the City of Reading, including, but not limited to, a full inspection for any applicable codes compliance and/or the issuance of a notice of violation based upon the health and safety inspection report to repair or remediate or otherwise correct any deficiencies indicated in the health and safety inspection report within such time as may be set forth in the notice of violation.
F. Failure to appear for inspection. If the owner or authorized agent cannot be available at the proposed time, said owner or authorized agent shall provide no less than twenty-four- hour written notice to the Property Maintenance Division. Upon failure to give such written notice or upon failure to gain entry, an administrative fee will be assessed against the owner failing to supply written notice to appear. If the property owner or authorized agent fails to appear for the second scheduled inspection, an administrative fee will be assessed against the property owner. If the property owner or authorized agent fails to appear for the third scheduled inspection, the Property Maintenance Division shall assess an administrative fee and may placard the subject property and/or promptly seek an administrative search or inspection warrant from a court of competent jurisdiction by supplying all necessary affidavits and testimony in support thereof. Refer to the City of Reading Fee Schedule for appropriate fees.
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2. Editor's Note: See Ch. 212, Fees.
3. Editor's Note: See Ch. 212, Fees.