As local home buyers, we know what happens if you ignore code enforcement notices on your home. The answer is, nothing good. If someone tries to tell you how to beat code enforcement, you’re better off not taking their advice. You could end up with a court case and expensive fees for ignoring the notice.
Some of the most common residential violations include electrical problems, pests, remodeling violations, and reroofing, all of which can be addressed by a sell my house fast home buyer.
Here’s What Happens if You Ignore Code Enforcement
What Happens if Your House is Not Up to Code?
When someone reports your home to code enforcement, their information is kept confidential. The Complaints & Violations Section will respond to the complaint, investigate, and resolve the issue.
First, Code Enforcement verifies if the property owner has a permit and runs a property background report. Then, a field inspector visits the property to investigate whether a violation has indeed been committed.
If the inspector finds that a violation does exist, they will issue a Notice of Violation (NOV) or Order to Stop Work, depending on the situation at hand. A case is then created and a parcel tag is placed that details the specific Code Violation.
If there is no evidence that the owner is attempting to resolve the violation within a certain period of time, a lien may be placed against the property. The lien will stop the owner from refinancing or selling the property.
A Code Violation Courtesy Notice may be sent after this time period, informing the owner of what happens if you ignore Code Enforcement.
How long do enforcement notices last? You may have up to 30 days to resolve the problem or appeal the notice.
Photo Credit: Sac County
Can You Ignore a Code Enforcement Notice?
If you’re contemplating what happens if you ignore an enforcement notice, consider the penalties you may face.
According to the Code Enforcement Division, failure to resolve a code violation on your property can lead to the following penalties:
- Criminal or civil cases filed by the City Attorney
- A monthly monitoring fee of $305 in addition to a $400 enforcement response fee for each time a building inspector is called
- A penalty up to $1,000 for the first violation and up to $5,000 for every 30 days for each violation thereafter
- Fees will continue to accrue until the case is closed
What’s The Best Way to Resolve a Code Enforcement Notice?
If you are served with a home code violation from Code Enforcement, we recommend that you take the following steps to resolve the issue:
- Research the problem – The notice will inform you of what the problem is. You can research how to fix the problem online, or contact your County for more information.
- Obtain proper permits – If you do not have proper permits for your property, it is best to get them if you wish to keep your property.
- Pay to fix the problem – You can pay someone to fix the violation for you.
- Close the case – Work with the appropriate permitting and tracking agencies to gain necessary clearances to close the code violation.
If these steps are not feasible for you, you should consider selling a house that needs repairs. Local home buyers like 800-BUY-KWIK purchase properties as is – no repairs needed!
You can see that what happens if you ignore Code Enforcement is nothing good. You’ll likely spend more money in the long run if you try to ignore a Code Violation against your home or property.
