Code Enforcement
Phone # (315) 468-1679
Fax # (315) 468-1473
Rental Inspections
On June 17, 2008, the Board of Trustees adopted a local law establishing a Real Property Rental Registration and Inspection Program for the Village of Solvay. This New Rental Law requires that all rental properties including one-family residences be registered and inspected.
The program has a fee payment of $50.00 for each rental unit (registration fee is $25.00 & inspection fee is $25.00) the fee payment is for a 3 year period. Failure to pay registration and inspection fees will result in charges being levied against and added as an additional tax upon subject property.
Also, please see Rental Property Registration Forms for Property Owners.
Apartment Inspections:
Exterior:
Does the site have any of the following violations?
1) Debris
2) High grass or weeds
3) Unlicensed vehicles
4) Are fences and out building in good condition?
5) If there are any IG or Ag pools are they clean & secured?
6) Does a fence enclose the pool? If so, then any gate within this fenced area, must be self-closing & self-latching.
Exterior-Buildings
1) Roof – any holes or sags?
2) Siding – hanging or missing pieces?
3) Paint – extreme peeling paint?
4) Are all porches or deck structurally sound
5) Do all stairs have hand railings and/or guard railings around landing 30″ or higher off grade?
6) Does the site smell: garbage or animal?
7) Any there any broken or missing windows or doors, including basement hatchways?
8 ) Are there any cracks or missing blocks in the foundation walls?
9) Does the foundations have any bowed or heaved walls?
Interior
1) Is the building structurally sound?
2) Do all stairs have hand railings and/or guards railings around landing 30″ or higher off the floor?
3) Is the interior clean?
4) Is there a clear pathway to all area in the house and to all exits out of the building?
5) Is there any hanging electrical wiring?
6) Every apt. must be able to have some type of heat supply that can maintain a temperature of 68%F between Sept. 15th and May 31st.
7) Have there been any complaints about any electrical issues?
8 ) A tenant can allow the Code Enforcement Officer in their apartment and any common areas they are have permission to utilize like basements and/or storage spaces.
Kitchens:
1) Are they clean?
2) Are there any electrical outlets within 6ft from a sink, if so the outlet should be a ground fault interrupted (GFI).
3) The sink must have hot water.
Bathrooms:
1) Clean?
2) Must have an outlet. If no outlet and one are added the outlet must be GFI.
3) Bathrooms must have venation to the buildings exterior by either an openable window or an exhaust vent (the room can have both).
4) Are there any plumbing problems?
5) Are the sinks and toilets working properly?
6) All sinks must have hot water.
Habitual Spaces:
1) All common halls must have proper lighting.
2) All exit-ways must have an exterior light at the entranceway.
3) All habitual spaces must have an emergency exit.
4) All habitual spaces must have 8% light and 4% ventilation of the room’s size.
5) Habitual spaces cannot be overcrowded.
6) Habitual spaces must meet the minimum standards for room sizes, width and ceiling heights.
Bedrooms:
1) A Smoke Detector is required in very bedroom and outside the bedroom area (NOTE: sometimes the proximity of a bedroom requires a smoke detector to be in a kitchen).
a. A Smoke Detector is required on every floor level, including a basement (crawl spaces and attics do not require them).
2) A carbon monoxide detector is required in every apartment and is required to be located on the lowest bedroom floor level.
a. An additional Carbon Monoxide detector may be required if the there are any solid fuel fired burning appliances (furnaces/stoves) and/or equipments (hot water tanks), fireplaces/stoves and motor vehicle related occupancies located on a different floor level then the lowest bedroom level (example: basement).
b. Carbon Monoxide detectors are only exempt from a residence, if the residence is completely free of any of the solid fuel burning appliances, equipments, etc.
4) Every bedroom must have an emergency exit (the exit can be a window so long as it’s large enough to get out of in an emergency).
5) Bedrooms must meet the minimum standards for room sizes, widths and ceiling heights.
6) Every bedroom must have at least 8% light and 4% ventilation of its room’s size.
7) Bedrooms can’t be over crowded.
8 ) Bedrooms are prohibited in some basements (because they can’t meet minimum codes &/or safety requirement.
Hot Water Tanks:
1) The overflow value must be at least 6″ off the floor.
Laundry Rooms:
1) All outlets must be GFI