§ 10-9. Responsibilities of owners and occupants.

(a)

Generally. The relative responsibilities of the owners, operators and occupants of places of habitation shall be as follows:

(1)

Public areas. Every owner of a dwelling containing two (2) or more dwelling units shall be responsible for maintaining in a clean and sanitary condition the shared or public areas of the dwelling and premises thereof.

(2)

Cleanliness. Every occupant of a dwelling or dwelling unit shall keep in a clean and sanitary condition that part of the dwelling, dwelling unit and premises thereof which he occupies and controls.

(3)

Rubbish and garbage. Every occupant of a dwelling or dwelling unit shall dispose of all his rubbish and garbage in a clean and sanitary manner by placing it in the supplied storage facilities. In all cases the owner shall be responsible for the availability of rubbish and garbage storage facilities.

(4)

Infestation. Every occupant of a dwelling containing a single dwelling unit shall be responsible for the extermination of any insects, rodents or other pests therein or on the premises; and every occupant of a dwelling unit in a dwelling containing more than one (1) dwelling unit shall be responsible for such extermination whenever his dwelling unit is the only one (1) infested. Whenever infestation is caused by failure of the owner to maintain a dwelling in a rodent-proof or reasonably insect-proof condition, extermination shall be the responsibility of the owner. Whenever infestation exists in two (2) or more of the dwelling units in any dwelling or in the shared or public parts of any dwelling containing two (2) or more dwelling units, extermination shall be the responsibility of the owner.

(5)

Plumbing. Every owner or operator shall be responsible for providing adequate operable plumbing facilities, including an adequate water heater, and for maintaining such facilities in efficient operating condition; every occupant shall be responsible for exercising reasonable care in the use of such facilities and for maintaining such facilities in a clean and sanitary condition.

(6)

Heating. Every owner or operator shall be responsible for providing adequate operable facilities and appliances supplying heat throughout the dwelling unit, rooming unit or lodging unit in compliance with the standards of fitness; every occupant shall be responsible for exercising reasonable care in the use of such facilities and appliances.

(7)

Care of premises. No occupant shall willfully destroy, deface or otherwise impair any of the facilities or equipment of the owner on the premises which he occupies and controls, or any part of the building itself.

(b)

Responsibility for violations. Every owner shall remain ultimately responsible for violations of responsibilities imposed upon him by this chapter or any other ordinance, although a similar responsibility may also be imposed upon the occupant and although the occupant may have agreed to bear the responsibility imposed by ordinance upon the owner.

(Code 1977, § 12-6; Ord. No. 2001-45, § 7, 6-19-01; Ord. No. 2014-05, § 2, 2-18-14)

Editor's note

Formerly § 10-6.