Not to be outdone, Durham is getting ready to introduce its own version of Raleigh's Probationary Rental Occupancy Permit Ordinance (or "PROP"), as a three-year inspection program. According to the article below there would not be a fee, the City of Durham is taking suggestions on how the program is to be structured until year's end, and the program would roll out beginning in July 2012.
If I was a betting man, and I am, I would put good money on this "no fee" program becoming a fee based program within the next five years, and one more tax on local landlords. For that matter if it is a no fee program then everyone pays. The city already has the ability to inspect units where complaints have been made. This coupled with the fact that no one is told who to rent from and where to live, make this program unnecessary at best.
There is currently a bill pending in both houses of the North Carolina General Assembly that would make this program illegal. This bill is H 554 in the House, and S 683 in the Senate.
If you wish to stop this proposed Durham Rental Inspection the first thing you should do is contact your local legislators and let them know you support these bills. The second thing you can do is to contact Durham and give them your input.
Here is the article that ran in the N&O and the Durham News:
Durham to crack down on subpar rentals - Durham County - NewsObserver.com
If you are frustrated by the one-sided slant of this article you are not alone!
It is good news that you develop a new law for rental registration. Gordon Rutty is a good adviser for real estate.
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