Half Off on City Rental Registration?

[kernwatch]

I received an undated $10 rental registration bill for my "investment property" in Bflo last week, despite the stated charge on the City website of $20 for a one family house to be billed in January.

Is the city having a half price sale, perhaps because I was recently told that the Rental Registration office has been downgraded, Director David Gilmour having been transferred to inspections?

SEE: http://www.ci.buffalo.ny.us/Home/Cit...alRegistration

Q: Are there any fees?
A: Yes.
The fees are as follows –
Non-owner occupied:
Single $20 / year
Two Unit $40 / year

Q: When are the fees due?
A: The Rental Registry year is January 1st to December 31st. Registration is renewable annually. Bills will be sent in January and will be payable within 60 days.

Yet despite "One Half Off" the bill states some pretty serious penalties:

Failure to register is punishable by up to $1500, or imprisonment of up to 15 days, or both & automatically trigger inspection & issuance of an Order to Vacate occupants

In addtion the bill has rather frightening warnings for noncompliance . . .

"PLEASE NOTE":

building will be inspected if

> Unit abandoned by owner or owner not to be found

> Excessive exterior violations, excessive callback fees imposed or billed

> Unit is on list for delinquent taxes

> Unit has been within 3 months petitioned for inspection by 5 or more persons having personal knowledge of property stating one or more reasons inspection is needed

> Commissioner has probable cause to believe one or more violations making it a serious health, safety or welfare risk to persons living in unit

> Any outstanding debt to City; taxes, user fee, parking violations, license fees, etc
FINALLY

In addition a summons will be issued 60 days after registration due date & $75 fine added to all outstanding registration fees & late charges.

This all sounds very tough. But there is an impression that mostly it is the good landlords who comply with registration law.

What is the compliance rate?

How many non-compliant landlords have been "disciplined"?

For what amounts?

Has anybody been heavily fined or jailed?

OR

Are these uncollected penalties (& un-enforced inspection violations) part of the 2000 unserved warrants?

[joe d.]

I received an undated $10 rental registration bill for my "investment property" in Bflo last week, despite the stated charge on the City website of $20 for a one family house to be billed in January.

Is the city having a half price sale, perhaps because I was recently told that the Rental Registration office has been downgraded, Director David Gilmour having been transferred to inspections?



In addtion the bill has rather frightening warnings for noncompliance . . .

"PLEASE NOTE":

building will be inspected if

> Unit abandoned by owner or owner not to be found

> Excessive exterior violations, excessive callback fees imposed or billed

> Unit is on list for delinquent taxes

> Unit has been within 3 months petitioned for inspection by 5 or more persons having personal knowledge of property stating one or more reasons inspection is needed

> Commissioner has probable cause to believe one or more violations making it a serious health, safety or welfare risk to persons living in unit

> Any outstanding debt to City; taxes, user fee, parking violations, license fees, etc
FINALLY

In addition a summons will be issued 60 days after registration due date & $75 fine added to all outstanding registration fees & late charges.

This all sounds very tough. But there is an impression that mostly it is the good landlords who comply with registration law.

What is the compliance rate?

How many non-compliant landlords have been "disciplined"?

For what amounts?

Has anybody been heavily fined or jailed?

OR

Are these uncollected penalties (& un-enforced inspection violations) part of the 2000 unserved warrants?

I JUST SENT A CHECK IN FOR $200.00 LAST WEEK ...STILL TRYIN' TO FIGURE OUT WHAT I'M GETTIN' FOR IT..EVEN MY COUNCILMAN DOESNT KNOW ..LAST WE SPOKE.
NO ONE CAN TELL ME THE COMPLIANCE FIGURES..WHAT % LAUGHED THIS OFF AND HOW MANY ACTUALLY PAID..AND MORE IMPORTANTLY WHAT WAS THE EFFECTIVE USE OF THESE FUNDS??
I'LL BET THE AUTHOR OF THIS LEGISLATION..FRANCZYK DOESNT EVEN KNOW..AND PROBABLY HIS DISTRICT HAS THE WORSE COMPLIANCE RATE!!