Inspecting Apartments?

June 2, 2010

The Seattle Times ran an article yesterday on some controversial legislation currently being reviewed by the City Council which would mandate city sponsored apartment inspections every few years. I appreciate the City’s efforts to make sure residents live in decent, clean apartments. As a matter of fact, residents have government funded avenues available to make complaints should something in their dwelling not meet state mandated codes. More importantly, they have a wonderful, well balanced market. They can use the Internet (look at the ratings your building has on-line someday) or, by moving out, their pocket book to show that they have no interest in a place with inadequate living conditions.

In some ways, I appreciate the government looking over the shoulder of private enterprises—this legislation however, seems like a burdensome tax that will ultimately be passed on to both landlords and residents. Moreover, a good apartment manager (or management company) should be going through all the apartments every 12-18 months to see how renters are treating their client’s assets.