(a)Rules. The Commissioner of Public Safety may adopt rules to prescribe standards for the health, safety, sanitation, and fitness for habitation of rental housing that the Commissioner determines are necessary to protect the public, property owners, and property against harm.
(b)Inspections.
(1)After adopting rules pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, the Commissioner shall design and implement a complaint-driven system to conduct inspections of rental housing.
(2)When conducting an inspection, the Commissioner shall:
(A)issue a written inspection report on the unit or building that:
(i)contains findings of fact that serve as the basis of one or more violations;
(ii)specifies the requirements and timelines necessary to correct a violation;
(iii)provides notice that the land
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(a) Rules. The Commissioner of Public Safety may adopt rules to prescribe standards for the health, safety, sanitation, and fitness for habitation of rental housing that the Commissioner determines are necessary to protect the public, property owners, and property against harm.
(b) Inspections.
(1) After adopting rules pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, the Commissioner shall design and implement a complaint-driven system to conduct inspections of rental housing.
(2) When conducting an inspection, the Commissioner shall:
(A) issue a written inspection report on the unit or building that:
(i) contains findings of fact that serve as the basis of one or more violations;
(ii) specifies the requirements and timelines necessary to correct a violation;
(iii) provides notice that the landlord is prohibited from renting the affected unit to a new tenant until the violation is corrected; and
(iv) provides notice in plain language that the landlord or agents of the landlord must have access to the rental unit to make repairs as ordered by the Commissioner consistent with the access provisions in 9 V.S.A. § 4460;
(B) provide a copy of the inspection report to the landlord, to the person who requested the inspection, and to any tenants who are affected by a violation:
(i) electronically, if the Department has an electronic mailing address for the person; or
(ii) by first-class mail, if the Department does not have an electronic mailing address for the person;
(C) if an entire building is affected by a violation, provide a notice of inspection directly to the individual tenants, and may also post the notice in a common area, that specifies:
(i) the date of the inspection;
(ii) that violations were found and must be corrected by a certain date;
(iii) how to obtain a copy of the inspection electronically or by first-class mail; and
(iv) if the notice is posted in a common area, that the notice shall not be removed until authorized by the Commissioner; and
(D) make the inspection report available as a public record.
(c) Penalties. If the person responsible for a violation does not comply with the requirements and timelines specified in an inspection report issued pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, the Commissioner may impose an administrative penalty that is reasonably related to the severity of the violation, not to exceed $1,000.00 per violation. (Added 2021, No. 181 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. June 7, 2022.)