MICHIGAN
The East Lansing City Council will discuss the necessity of all-trade inspections for rental houses and apartments in the city at its work session tonight.
Under city rules, each rental home is given an all-trade inspection every ten years, no matter the condition of the house.
The extensive inspections, which bring in plumbing, building, mechanical, electrical and fire inspectors to check the safety and efficiency of the house, are billed to the building's owner - often at a costly price.
"Most of the houses are in good shape, and I can't personally see why we should put an expense on a landlord that has good inspections every year," Councilmember Bill Sharp said.
Sharp estimated that an all-trade inspection could cost up to $3,000.
With the proposed changes, all-trade inspections only would be administered under certain conditions.