Union City Council Passes Ordinance Establishing

CITY OF UNION NEWS RELEASE

FOR RELEASE:CONTACT:

Feb. 22, 2006John Applegate, 836-8624

Union City Council passes ordinance establishing

pre-home-sale inspection

Goal is to maintain strong property values, quality of life in Union

Union councilmembers on Jan. 23 passed an ordinance requiring a pre-sale inspection and certificate of occupancy before a property is sold. The legislation becomes effectiveFeb. 22, 2006, and affects all properties in Union, including residential and business properties.

“The goal is to help ensure high quality of life and strong property values in the City of Union,” said Union City Manager John Applegate. “But first and foremost are the health, welfare, and safety of the residents of the City of Union. These basics need to be protected, and this legislation will help with that.”

Before selling or transferring a property, an owner will need to request a pre-sale inspection conducted by a City code official. The inspector will note any exterior repairs or other exterior work necessary to eliminate any unsafe or hazardous conditions in order to comply with the City’s Fire, Zoning, and Property Maintenance codes and other City ordinances. Inspection will include the condition and placement of storage sheds, fences, etc.

Several communities in MontgomeryCounty have already adopted this kind of legislation, including Oakwood, Huber Heights, and Englewood.

The inspection and list of needed repairs will be part of the process of issuing the required certificate of occupancy. The inspection will cost sellers a total of $50 for both the initial inspection and re-inspection after violations have been repaired. If the code official has to make more than two inspections of the property, then there would be a charge of $50 per additional inspection.

To obtain a certificate of occupancy, in addition to all noted repairs being completed, all outstanding water and sewer bills for the property also will need to be paid in full. Additionally, all unpaid charges owed to the City of Union related to the property (other than those assessments that have become liens as a result of legislative action by the City of Union, such as sidewalk, mowing, and curb and gutter assessments) will need to be paid in full.

The inspection requirement will not unnecessarily delay the closing process. Inspectors must complete inspections within 14 days of application for inspection by the seller. The seller is responsible for making repairs to correct any defective aspects of the property unless the new owner is willing to formally assume such responsibility by signing a Transfer of Responsibility Agreement. A copy of this agreement would be kept at City offices.

Occupancy certificates are valid for one year after issuance or60 days after the premises is transferred to a new owner, whichever occurs sooner.

“This new requirement is important for our community,” Applegate said. “We feel it will increase the value of properties and reduce zoning violations. Plus, home buyers won’t be stuck with any ‘surprises.’”

Buyers should still have their own interior and exterior inspections conducted.

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