Landlord Registry Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Question: Why do we need a landlord registry? Answer: Landlords are currently unregulated. In many cases, identifying the landlord is very difficult and thus it is hard to hold negligent landlords accountable for properties that are negatively impacting their tenants and the surrounding neighborhood. The chronology of events before a property becomes abandoned and thus a financial and public health liability for Marion County has shown in many of those cases that the properties were poorly kept rentals. Property ownership comes with responsibility and when someone rents a property to the public, there are additional responsibilities. Many properties that are poorly kept have owners who are, and at times deliberately so, difficult to track down. The registry seeks to address this issue. Question: Where did the idea of a registry come from? Answer: Residents across the city have complained about having trouble with landlords that were bad actors, leaving their properties in poor condition. This year the state legislature responded by putting into place state law that defines the parameters around which a landlord registry can be instituted via local ordinance. A bi-partisan group of councilors then worked with the city to determine which elements of the state statute could be instituted locally. Question: When does a landlord have to be registered? Answer: Between July 1, 2014 and January 1, 2015, an owner or landlord of a rental unit must submit their registration with the department of code enforcement (DCE). Question: What information is required for the registry? Answer: The registration requires the following information: • • • • • • •
The name, telephone number, and address of the owner(s) If the owner is not an Indiana resident, the name, telephone number, and address of an Indiana resident who is responsible for the rental units An affirmation that the rental units, and any other property titled or registered under the same owner, are not in violation of any applicable Code requirements An affirmation that there are no delinquent taxes or fees owed on this property, or any other property titled or registered under the same owner A form rental agreement, if one exists An affirmation that a standard list of tenant rights provided by DCE which must be given to any tenants occupying the property A statement of the number of rental units on each separate parcel of real property covered by the registration