MIDDLEPORT — New regulations pertaining to maintenance and repair of rental units in Middleport now include a requirement that prior to a new tenant moving into a rental unit, that unit and the real property on which it is located, must pass inspection.

Middleport Village Council amended the original ordinance relating to inspections on rental units with a third reading and adoption at its recent meeting.

For the required inspection service between tenants there is a $25 fee. The amendment further states that either a landlord or a tenant can request an inspection of any rental unit at any time. A $25 fee for this inspection will be charged to the one who requests the inspection.

The village’s 2009 property maintenance code was further amended to provide that when the building inspector finds that repairs are needed at a rental unit, the landlord will be allowed 30 days to perform the repairs and then is responsible to contact Mike Hendrickson, building inspector, for a re-inspection which comes with a fee of $15. If after 30 days the building inspector finds that repairs have not been completed, the premises must be vacated, and there will be a fine of $100 imposed upon the property owner. That fine will continue to be imposed every 30 days thereafter until the building inspector finds repairs have been performed and the rental unit passes inspection. Extensions of time for major repairs may be permitted at the building inspector’s discretion.

The amended ordinance also provides that water service will not be turned on at a rental unit until that unit and the real property on which it is located has passed inspection, and it has been confirmed that a rental permit has been issued.

Hendrickson said that the routine annual inspection is covered by the annual $20 rental permit which property owners paid in January.

In a letter to landlords, Hendrickson said that inspections are put in place to “provide safe and sanitary living for the tenants and also to provide information to landlords on prospective tenants.”

He noted that a database on tenants will be kept on file providing a resource of background information for property owners to use. That database is currently being developed, and landlords are urged to participate by providing information on present or past tenants such as how the apartment was left and/or were there any overdue bills.

An emphasis of Middleport officials is on improving the quality of rental property in the village through enforcement of the maintenance ordinance.