Rental Inspection Rules Get Tougher in Romeoville

on Wednesday passed a rental inspection ordinance with a bit more teeth than its predecessor.

In the past, property inspections were required anytime a new lessee moved into a residence. Now, anytime there is turnover — like an old roommate moving out and a new one moving in — a rental will have to be re-inspected, according to village attorney Rich Vogel.

Trustee Ken Griffin pointed out that it may be hard to enforce the new rule.

“How will we know when someone moves in?” he asked.

According to Village Manager Steve Gulden, in many cases, the village will have to rely on landlords to notify them when new residents move in. The village will also be on the lookout for new names on utility bills, and residents are encouraged to let officials know about new tenants moving into rental properties.

Landlords will also face harsher penalties for failing to show up to scheduled inspections in the form of a $50 rescheduling fee, up from $30.

Noak said the inspections are done to make sure properties are safe and up to code.