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Your Property Maintenance Obligations
A Guide for Tenatns, Landlords and Homeowners

The City of Louisville is committed to promoting safe, clean housing and neighborhoods. Tenants, Landlords and homeowners have certain obligations that help to make our neighborhoods good places to live. This guide lists some of your duties. Check it out! For your own personal safety, it's important to know the law and how it affects your rights and those of your neighbors.

BATHROOM RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY OWNERS must provide the following:

• Bathroom privacy (must have a door and walls);
• A flush toilet;
• A bathroom tub or shower;
• Adequate bathroom light and ventilation.
• Flooring shall be composed of water resistant materials and be impervious to water damage.

TENANTS are responsible for the care and cleanliness of the bathroom and its equipment.

WATER

PROPERTY OWNERS are responsible for the following;

• Hot and cold running water;
• Plumbing equipment connected to City water and approved sewer systems;
• Water heater properly installed, vented and in a safe location.

LIGHT & VENTILATION

PROPERTY OWNERS are required to provide:

• Adequate ventilation in every habitable room;
• One or more windows which can be easily opened directly to the outdoors in every habitable room;
• Ceiling light fixtures in every bathroom, basement, public hallway or other area where artificial light is necessary for the safety and welfare of the occupants.

PROPERTY OWNERS and TENANTS are required to see that window glass is not broken out or boarded. Broken windows and missing inoperable light bulbs are violations of the Existing Structures Code.

FIRE SAFETY

PROPERTY OWNERS are required to provide the following:

• Working smoke detectors;
• Safe exits leading directly to open space at ground level. Exit ways must not pass from one dwelling unit through another.

TENANTS are responsible for the following:

• Keeping all hallways, stairways, fire escapes and exits clear of storage, junk, rubbish and garbage at all times;
• Checking smoke detectors periodically to ensure batteries are installed and the device is operating properly.

OVERCROWDING

The Existing Structures Code prohibits the overcrowding of people into apartments or houses by tenants, landlords and homeowners, by requiring that:

• A minimum share of habitable floor space for each occupant living in a dwelling unit be provided. For example, 150 square feet is required for the first occupant and 100 additional square feet is required for each additional occupant.

CLEANLINESS

PROPERTY OWNERS are required to keep shared or public areas clean.

PROPERTY OWNERS and TENANTS are required to keep their individual premises clean and free from the infestation of insects, rodents and other pests.

ILLEGALLY PARKED/STORED VEHICLES

PROPERTY OWNERS and TENANTS must make sure that the following conditions are met;

• Vehicles are permitted to park in the required front or side yard only on a hard surface or approved semi-pervious driveway that does not exceed 20 ft. in width and that leads to a garage, carport, house or rear yard.
• Vehicles must be parked on hard/durable surfaces such as blacktop or concrete and not on dirt or grass
• No vehicle may be parked on a vacant lot
• No inoperable or unlicensed motor vehicles shall be parked, kept or stored on any premise. (vehicles may be stored in garage or carport with three sides)
• No vehicle shall at anytime be in a state of major disassembly, disrepair, or in the process of being stripped or dismantled.
• Painting of vehicles is prohibited unless conducted inside an approved spray booth.
• The parking of heavy trucks in residential areas is strictly prohibited. Heavy trucks are trucks, including truck trailers and similar vehicles with two or more rear axles.

The owner of the vehicle and the owner of the property are responsible for preventing and correcting this violation.

KITCHEN

PROPERTY OWNERS must provide the following:

• A kitchen sink with hot and cold water.
• A stove (or space and connections for installation);
• A refrigerator (or space and connections for installation) capable of the safe storage of food at temperatures less than 50 degrees (F), but more that 32 degrees (F) under maximum summer conditions;
• Cabinets and/or shelves for the storage of dishes, utensils and food.
• Flooring shall be composed of water resistant materials and be impervious to water damage.

TENANTS are responsible for the care and cleanliness of the kitchen including the stove, refrigerator and all other appliances.

HEAT

PROPERTY OWNERS are responsible for providing and maintaining sufficient and safe heating facilities.

In addition, the Existing Structures Code requires:

• From October 1 to May 1 must maintain a temperature of not less than 65 degrees (F) in habitable rooms, bathrooms and toilet rooms.
• A minimum room temperature of 60 degrees (F) shall be maintained at all times when the outside temperature falls below 0 degrees (F).
• The room temperature measurement shall be measured 3 ft. above the floor near the center of the room and 2 ft. inward from the center of each exterior wall.

TENANTS are responsible for maintaining all heating equipment in a safe and clean condition, and keeping the area free of flammable materials.

ELECTRICITY

RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY OWNERS are required to provide:

• Approved electrical systems capable of supplying safe and adequate electrical service to the property;
• Dwelling units shall be served by a three-wired, 120/240 volt, single phase electrical service having a rating of not less than 60 amperes.
• Every laundry area shall contain at least one grounded type receptacle or a receptacle with a ground fault circuit interrupter
• Every bathroom shall contain at least one receptacle. Any new or replaced bathroom receptacle outlet shall have ground fault circuit interrupter protection.
• All habitable space shall contain at least two separate and remote receptacle outlets
• A service panel with proper over-current devices (fuses or circuit breakers)
• Wiring that is insulated properly and in safe condition.

TENANTS should be extremely careful when using the electrical system. Frequent blown fuses, burnt circuit breakers, sparks from outlets and/or fixtures, and wire that is hot to the touch indicate electrical problems and need to be immediately repaired.

Check your home for the following common electrical violations:

• Makeshift or temporary wiring;
• Electric cords under rugs or other floor coverings;
• Frayed or bare wires;
• Cords placed through walls or doorways;
• Hanging cords or wires;
• Excess or faulty fuses (pennies or other metal materials used under fuses are illegal and extremely dangerous.)

YARDS/PREMISES

PROPERTY OWNERS properties are required to keep shared or public areas of a yard clean and free from safety, health and fire hazards

PROPERTY OWNERS and TENANTS of single family dwellings are required to keep their yard clean and free from safety, health, or fire hazards. All premises shall be maintained free from weeds or plant growth in excess of 10 inches. Grass should be kept cut and bushes trimmed. Trees should be trimmed and kept away from houses and power lines, and all dead wood should be removed.

MAINTENANCE & REPAIRS

RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY OWNERS are required to maintain each house or apartment they live in or offer for rent in a safe, weather tight, watertight and rodent controlled condition.

In addition, the Existing Structures Code requires the following:

Roof/Chimney

• No rafters rotten, broken, sagging
• No rotted, loose or sagging porches or decking;
• No roof covering with holes, leaks or deterioration;
• No excessive leaning, bulging or settling of fireplaces or chimneys;
• No unprotected stove or vent pipes running through combustible walls or ceilings. Exterior/Interior Walls
• No exterior or interior walls, partitions or other vertical supports broken, split, leaning or buckling;
• All exterior siding weather tight with no holes, excessive cracks or rotted boards;
• All exterior walls painted or provided with other protective covering.

Foundations/Floors

• No deteriorated, cracked or structurally inadequate foundation walls;
• No rotted, termite damaged, broken or sagging sills or joists;
• Floor must be reasonably level, smooth, weather tight and free of holes, loose boards, excessive cracks or totted or worn-through sections.

Stairs/Protective Railings

• Stairs structurally safe with no excessive wear, warping, holes or cracks;
• Handrails structurally safe and firmly fastened.

TENANTS are responsible for seeing that all interior and exterior conditions are kept safe and clean. Exit ways and stairs should be kept free from obstructions such as trash, toys, boxes, etc. Damage caused either intentionally or through neglect on the part of the tenant may be the tenant's responsibility.