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On February 4, 1997, and amended on August 6, 2002 and May 6, 2008, the Madison Common Council adopted an Ordinance requiring the Building Inspection Unit to charge a fee for reinspections in excess of one, which are conducted to ensure compliance with an Official Notice. The information below explains both reinspection fees and policies associated with the fees. If you have additional questions please call the Inspection Unit at 266-4551 and ask to speak to a Housing Inspector.

The May 6, 2008 amendment did not raise the fees nor increase the number of fees assessed on any case. Prior to the amendment the first reinspection was free; now, the last reinspection is free.

REINSPECTION FEES           MGO 27.09 (5)(A)
ACTIVITY	FEE
Code Conferences	No Charge
Reinspection resulting in compliance	No Charge
All reinspections not resulting in compliance	$50.00 each
No entry	$35.00 each

DEFINITIONS:

Code Conference:  A visit to a property for the purpose of clarifying work to be done or methods to be used. No reinspection of work completed takes place at a code conference. Conferences generally take place before work starts or while work is in progress. A visit to the site to determine whether work completed is in compliance with codes is a reinspection, not a code conference.

No Entry:  If an inspector visits a property and is unable to reinspect any items listed on the official notice, the reinspections classified as a no entry. No entry situations usually occur after the owner or manager declines to make an appointment far reinspection. See note 1 under General Policies.

Partial Reinspections:  A visit to a property for the purpose of reinspection when some, but not all, items of an official notice are reinspected. See note 2 under General Policies.

Reinspection:  A visit to a property by a code enforcement officer made in order to inspect work that has done to correct a violation of Madison General Ordinance Chapter 27. Reinspections take place after an official notice, verbal or written, has been issued to the owner of the property.

GENERAL POLICIES:

Note 1:    When no appointment has been made with an owner or manager for a reinspection, the inspector will initiate his or her own reinspections, usually by making contact with tenants. Inspectors will show diligence in making reinspection attempts by varying time of day, leaving reinspection cards, attempting phone contact with tenants, etc. Charges for no entry inspections can accrue until a full reinspection of an official notice is accomplished.

Note 2:   Partial reinspections will continue until a full reinspection of all items listed on an official notice is completed. Partial reinspections are the same fee as full reinspections.

Note 3:   Inspector-initiated reinspections may begin as soon as the day after the compliance date.

Note 4:   Reinspection fees will be calculated per case (official notice) against a property and not per property. Each case will have a reinspection fee.

Note 5:   Fees will be charged for reinspections that follow citations or referrals to the City Attorney.

Note 6:   Fees that are not paid by the end of the year will be added to the property tax statement as a special assessment.

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