What Do Rental Property Inspectors Typically Look For?
The Basic Business License Safety inspection aims to ensure that rental properties comply with the District of Columbia Building and Property Maintenance Codes. Although the Department of Buildings (DOB) publishes its own one-page checklist, everyone has complained that it is not comprehensive and does not include all the things inspectors may look for at an inspection. Truthfully, there is no checklist that could easily be developed due to the number of pages in the code. That said, we've developed this more in-depth article based on our years of handling inspections and collecting a lot of information about what causes a property inspection to fail.
DISCLAIMER: RentJiffy does not and cannot guarantee that your rental property will pass inspection based on this document. Building codes and regulations change from time to time and without notice to us. Additionally, we are not an architecture firm, contractor, or home inspector, and we cannot provide advice or counsel on how to fix/repair items to meet the code. You should consult your own architect, contractor, home inspector, or handyman to ensure your property meets the most current version of the building codes.
Like most U.S. cities, counties, and states, the District of Columbia has adopted and enforces the International Codes developed by the International Code Council. These guidelines do not cover all of the more detailed electrical, plumbing, and other building codes used by professionals, but they do generally cover the majority of codes that need to be met in order to rent your unit. Below is a list of the current limitations and requirements, as we've experienced, as of the date of this article.
Occupancy Limitations [IPMC 403]
- Dwelling units provide privacy
- Habitable rooms are min. 7 ft wide
- Kitchen passageways are min. 3 ft clear
- Habitable spaces have min. 7 ft ceiling height
- Min. 1/3 of the required floor area in bedrooms with sloped ceilings shall have min. 7 ft ceiling height
- Max. 1 family per unit. No more than 2 unrelated people can reside in any single-unit or single-family house. When three or more unrelated persons live in a single unit or house, it is deemed to be a rooming house and is not covered by a license for a single-family, two-family, or apartment house.
- Room available for food prep., storage & disposal
Address Identification
- Street numbers, min. 3” high in Arabic numerals and contrasting background shall be posted over the main entrance and visible from the public right-of-way (DCMR 12).
- For two-unit properties or Apartment Houses, in addition to the street numbers, each unit door should have a unit # designation in minimum 3" high Arabic numerals and contrasting background, posted on, over top of, or next to each unit door.
- Condominium and Cooperative units should have the unit number in at least 3" high Arabic numerals on a contrasting background, posted on, over top of, or next to the unit door.
Exterior [IPMC 302]
- Premises kept in clean, safe & sanitary condition
- Soil graded to prevent erosion & stagnant water
- The walkways, driveways, and parking spaces are well-maintained. The walking surfaces and steps should be free of cracks or holes.
- Free from (noxious) weeds, tall grass (can be no taller than 18 inches)
- Free from rodent harborage & infestation
- Vents, etc. not discharging onto adjacent property
- Accessory structures maintained
- No inoperative or unlicensed motor vehicles
- No damage or defacement of property
Exterior Structure [IPMC 304]
- Maintained in good repair & structurally sound
- Exterior surfaces in good repair, no unprotected wood
- Structural supports maintained & adequately sized
- Foundation plumb & free from open cracks
- Exterior walls weatherproof & maintained
- Roof, flashing & gutters weatherproof & maintained
- Cornices, decorative brick, etc. in sound condition
- Soffits, overhangs, etc. maintained & securely fastened
- Exterior stairs, decks, porches, etc. maintained & structurally sound
- Chimneys are structurally safe & in good repair
- Handrails & guards fastened & in good repair
- All window & door frames are weather-tight
- All glazing (window panes) free from cracks & holes
- All windows are easily openable & remain open
- Insect screens are provided & in good repair for all openable windows from March to October.
- Doors & locks maintained & operable
- Basement hatchways (bulkhead enclosures) maintained weather & rodent tight
- Basement windows protected against rodents
Grills
- Gas grills are prohibited from roof terraces or combustible balconies within 10’ of combustible construction (DCMR 12)
Storm Drainage [IPMC 507]
- Drainage of roofs & paved areas does not cause a public nuisance.
- Stormwater is discharged away from structures.
Interior Structure [IPMC 305]
- Maintained in clean & sanitary condition
- Structural support maintained & adequately sized
- Interior surfaces are maintained in good condition. Walls should not have holes or gaps present.
- Stairs and walking surfaces are in sound condition.
- Doors fit well, open & close as intended
- There are no doors with locks in the interior of the house that require a key to lock/unlock a lock on one or both sides. The only likely exception may be an approved two-family that has a previously approved fire door that separates the two units within the interior of the property. In that case, this fire door must also have an auto-closing mechanism installed.
- For properties with attached garages, the door that separates the garage from the house must have an auto-close mechanism installed.
Ceiling Height
- The minimum height in habitable spaces is seven feet, which includes living rooms, bedrooms, and other similar living spaces.
- Minimum height in kitchens and bathrooms is 6’8″.
- There is no minimum height for closets, storage, etc… which can and are often placed under a soffit for ac/ducting, etc…
- You can have a support beam, i-beam (as many people do) that is below the 7′ minimum – but no lower than 6’8″ – so long as 4′ on either side of that beam meets the 7′ minimum.
- **Be advised that a property may be "grandfathered" to have shorter ceilings if the ceiling height are within the height allowed based on the building code at the time of building and there has been no substantial renovation.
Bedrooms & Living Rooms:
- The living room is min. 120 sq ft.
- Each bedroom is min. 70 sq ft.
- Access to the bedroom is not through another bedroom.
- No sleeping spaces are in kitchens & unfinished spaces.
Efficiency Units (max. 3 occupants):
- 1-2 occupants: min. 220 sq ft
- 3 occupants: min. 320 sq ft
- The kitchen sink, stove, and refrigerator – each has a clear working space of 30 inches in front
- Separate bathroom (min. sink, toilet, shower)
Stairs [DCMR 12]
- Stair treads in sound condition and not less than required min. width
- Stair risers are not exceeding the max. heights and within variation limits on a single flight
Handrails & Guardrails [IPMC 306]
- Handrails & guards fastened & in good repair
- Continuous handrails on all flights of stairs having three or more risers
- Min. 30 inches, max. 42 inches above the nosing
- Guardrails on open sides of stairs, landings, ramps, decks, etc. more than 30 inches above floor or grade below min. 30 inches high with intermediate rails
Light [IPMC 402]
- Each habitable space has at least one window.
- Glazing shall be min. 8% of total floor area.
- Other spaces have adequate lighting.
Ventilation [IPMC 403]
- Min. one openable window in every habitable space
- Total openable area to be min. 45% of required glazing (see above note under light section)
- Window or mechanical ventilation in every bathroom & toilet room
- Exhaust vents where fumes, gases, etc. produced
- Clothes dryers are exhausted to the exterior unless the dryer is a non-venting type. Clothes dryers to a lint trap box as this is not permissible per fire code regulations.
- There should be no gaps around the laundry exhaust vent where it goes through the wall. In most cases, DC inspectors will require any gaps to be sealed with an appropriate fire retardant sealant.
Bathrooms and Toilet Rooms [IPMC 502, 503]
- Each unit has a bathtub or shower, lavatory, toilet & kitchen sink.
- No bathroom can be used as a passageway.
- All bathrooms have a lockable door.
Plumbing Systems & Fixtures [IPMC 504]
- Fixtures are properly installed & maintained. Bathtubs and sinks are in good repair. They should be free of cracks, chipping, and rust.
- Fixtures have adequate clearance.
- No hazards in the plumbing system to occupants or structure. Hazards may include but not be limited to: undersized piping, inadequate venting, cross-connections, lack of backflow prevention, damaged or worn piping or fixtures, inadequate support, and inadequate water pressure or volume.
- There should be no gaps around plumbing pipes as they go through the wall/floor/ceiling.
Water System [IPMC 505]
- Sinks, laundry facilities, bathtubs & showers have hot & cold running water.
- All water inlets are located above the flood-level rim of fixtures.
- Hose bibs & faucets with permanently attached hoses have vacuum breakers.
Water heaters:
- Adequate combustion air in small rooms
- Temp. & pressure-relief valve & discharge pipe. Discharge pipes shall terminate six inches from the floor.
- Electrical & gas lines are properly installed
- Accessible gas shut-off valve
- Approved vent/chimney; approved material in good condition; adequate slope, clearance & support
- Where a storage tank-type water heater or hot water storage tank is installed in a location where water leakage from the tank will cause damage, the tank shall be installed in a galvanized steel pan or other pans approved for such use.
Sanitary Drainage System [IPMC 506]
- All fixtures are properly connected to the sewer system
- Every stack, vent, waste & sewer line is in good condition
- Sanitary drainage system free of leaks, approved materials, correct slope, free of “patching”
- Fixture vents provided & maintained
- Each fixture has a trap
- Adequate support on all piping
Heating Facilities [IPMC 602]
- Heating facilities capable of maintaining 68°F in all habitable rooms, bathrooms & toilet rooms (Measured 3 ft above the floor, min. 2 ft from wall)
- Portable heaters, gas-fired type, strictly prohibited (DCMR 12)
- If A/C is provided, it is able to yield a temperature of 78 degrees or at least 15 degrees cooler than the outside temp.
Mechanical Equipment [IPMC 603]
- All equipment properly installed & maintained
- All fuel-burning equipment connected to approved chimney or vent
- Clearances to combustibles maintained
- Safety controls maintained in effective operation
- Combustion & ventilation air provided in the space containing fuel-burning equipment
- Energy conservation devices installed are labeled & approved
Mechanical Closets
- All pipes where they may go through a wall or ceiling should have no gaps between the pipe and the wall/ceiling surface. Any gaps should be sealed using fire retardant sealant.
Electrical Facilities [IPMC 604]
- Min. 60-amp service with proper fusing & overcurrent protection
- The electrical panel (fuse or breaker box) must be completely labeled to indicate what each breaker or fuse controls.
- No hazards in the electrical system to occupants or structure. Hazards may include but not be limited to: insufficient receptacle distribution, lack of sufficient lighting, damaged or worn wiring, improperly installed wiring, lack of grounding, inadequate support, exposed conductors, missing cover plates, excessive use of extension cords, overloaded receptacle or circuitry, lack of Ground Fault Interruptor Circuit (GFCI) protection.
- When an outlet is within 6 feet of a water source, it must be GFCI or GFCI-protected.
- Arc-fault circuit-interrupter protection is provided for all 15- and 20-amp breakers supplying electric to 120-volt outlets in family rooms, dining rooms, living rooms, parlors, libraries, send, bedrooms, sunrooms, recreational rooms, closets, hallways, and similar rooms. (For homes where the electrical system was installed before 1999 and there have been no updates to the electrical panel box or breakers, you will likely be grandfathered from this requirement)
Electrical Equipment [IPMC 605]
- All equipment is properly installed & maintained
- Min. 1 lighting fixture in every hall, stairway, toilet room, bathroom, kitchen, laundry & mechanical room
- At least one wall switch-controlled lighting outlet shall be installed in every habitable room and bathroom.
Receptacles (Electrical Outlets):
- Every habitable space has min. of 2 (separated) receptacles.
- Laundry outlet to be grounded and/or GFCI
- Every bathroom has at least 1 receptacle (the code requires that the receptacles be GFCI-protected for outlets added/replaced or bathrooms renovated after 1974). If a bathroom has no outlet AND the property was built before 1975 AND the bathroom has not been renovated since 1974 then you may be grandfathered and may not have to install an outlet)
- Outdoor receptables should be GFCI outlet or provide GFI protection. (For outlets that existed before 1971 and have not been replaced, may be grandfathered but not guaranteed)
Rubbish & Garbage [IPMC 307]
- Free from the accumulation of rubbish & garbage
- Rubbish & garbage placed in approved containers
- Owner provides leakproof, covered, outside garbage containers
Extermination [IPMC 308]
- All structures free from insect & rodent infestation (Extermination not to be hazardous to human health, precautions taken against re-infestation)
Building Security:
- Exterior and Unit doors equipped with deadbolt
- Locks to open without keys or special knowledge
- Windows within 6 ft of grade are lockable
- Basement hatchways secured against entry
Emergency Escape Openings:
- Maintained based on the building code in effect at the time of construction. In some cases, though, DOB can require an owner to bring items up to the current building code (For example, increasing the size of an egress window).
- Operational without the use of keys or tools
- If a window is to be used as a method of emergency escape, the window opening must be at least 5.7 square feet, that is, at least 20 inches wide by 24 inches high, with an opening no higher than 44 inches from the floor.
- If bars, grills & grates are present, they must be releasable/removable from inside without key, tool, or force greater than that of opening the window.
Means of Egress [IPMC 702]
- Safe, continuous & unobstructed path to the public way.
- Egress doors and windows do not need keys, special knowledge, or effort to unlock from the inside. (This includes storm doors, security doors, and gates)
- Each bedroom must have a means of egress to the exterior of the property and not through another room. If a door leading immediately to the exterior is not available, then there must be a window that allows immediate escape to the exterior. (Make sure the window complies with the requirements noted in the Emergency Escape Openings)
- Exit signs shall be visible and remain illuminated at all times (DCMR 12). (Not required for single-family and most two-family homes.)
- Exiting through another dwelling unit or bathroom is strictly prohibited (DCMR 12).
Fire-Resistance Ratings [IPMC 703]
- Fire-resistance-rated walls, fire stops, shaft enclosures, partitions & floors are maintained.
- The integrity of fire-resistance rating at unit separation walls, rated access corridors, stair enclosures, generator rooms, hoistways, and vertical shafts shall be maintained. No gaps at the top & bottom of fire partitions, separation walls, and other assemblies. No voids, unprotected openings, or unsealed penetration in any rated floor/ceiling or wall assembly (DCMR 12).
- Opening protectives are maintained & operable.
- Fire & smoke barrier doors are not blocked or inoperable.
Fire Protection Systems & Life Safety
- An ABC-rated fire extinguisher should be conspicuously mounted on the wall within the unit. For example, one ideal scenario is inside the kitchen and mounted to a wall. The extinguisher cannot be hidden, such as in a closet or cabinet. However, if the unit has sprinklers, you are not required to have a fire extinguisher.
- All fire detection, alarm & suppression devices are maintained & operable.
- Smoke alarms are located in the vicinity of kitchens, outside of bedrooms, and in each bedroom. In addition, there should be a smoke detector on each floor of the property in the common area, even if there is no kitchen or bedroom. Additionally, a smoke detector is required inside each bedroom. Smoke detectors cannot be within 36" of the outermost point of a ceiling fan blade or within 36" of an air flow vent (supply or return).
- If there are fuel-burning appliances or fireplaces, carbon monoxide detectors must be present on each floor of the property in the common areas and in the vicinity of the fuel-burning appliance(s) and/or fireplace(s) as well as within 10 feet of any bedroom door. Carbon Monoxide detectors cannot be within 36" of the outermost point of a ceiling fan blade or within 36" of an air flow vent (supply or return).
- Alarms are hardwired & interconnected in new construction and in cases where there has been substantial renovations. In existing construction, battery-operated detectors are usually permitted by the inspectors.
- Combination smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are usually permitted by inspectors.
- If required for the building type, fire alarm boxes (pull stations) shall remain operational and unobstructed (DCMR 12).