City skyline over Lake Monona, featuring the Wisconsin State Capitol and Monona Terrace. Several construction cranes are visible.
Building Inspection

Common Code Violations

The City of Madison has a minimum housing ordinance. These are some of the common issues we find in rental units. This is a guide for tenants and housing providers. 

Please note the Madison Fire Department handles all elevator inspections and complaints.

Common Issues

Lista de infracciones comunes (PDF).

Flaking paint and rotting balcony wood

Exterior

  • Large amounts of loose, peeling, or missing paint
  • Damaged or missing bricks and/or mortar from chimneys or other masonry
  • Detached or clogged gutters
  • Leaking or deteriorating roofs
  • Rotted or non-weather-tight siding, trim, windows, and doors
  • Accumulated junk, trash, or debris
  • Untrimmed trees or trees with dead wood
  • Trash carts at the front of the property (outside of trash-pickup day)
  • Broken-down vehicles in driveway
  • Run down or broken fences, storage sheds, walkways, and other exterior structures
  • Missing paint or pigment stain from wood structures/surfaces between a house and sidewalk
  • Blocked public sidewalks next to the property
  • Wooden structures or surfaces between the main building and the street not weather tight. Unpainted or untreated with pigmented stain
Uneven and rotting stairs

Stairs, porches, and balconies

  • Missing handrail from stairs with more than three steps
  • Uneven steps on stairs
  • Rotting wood, crumbling construction, or other damage
  • Stairs with open sides or other areas higher that 24" above grade without guardrails
  • Loose or flimsy guardrails
Ceiling water damage

Interior

  • Missing doorbells or intercom at the main door of a multi-unit building
  • Holes, water damage, or peeling paint on walls, ceilings, and other surfaces
  • Damaged floors, including trip hazards or floors with a hard-to-clean surface
  • Broken or damaged stovetops, refrigerators, and appliances
  • Run down cabinets/countertops in kitchens and bathrooms
  • Missing a usable window or ventilation fan in the bathroom
  • Broken or defective heating system (must keep a temperature of at least 67°F at all times)
  • Heating systems without annual service or without missing records of service details
  • Metal water piping systems improperly bonded around the water meter
  • Unclean or cluttered common areas, including basements.
  • Basements with items owned by previous tenants
  • Basements, without two approved means of egress, used for sleeping purposes
Door cracked open

Doors

  • Common area doors in a multi-unit building without a storeroom lock and a self-closer
    • E.g. basement and laundry doors
    • Storeroom locks are also called positive locking guarded latch locks
    • These doors must close and lock automatically
  • Dwelling unit doors missing a keyed, deadbolt lock
  • The deadbolt must have at least a one-inch throw
  • The strike plate must use screws at least 2.5 inches long
  • Main unit door missing a door viewer (peephole), if the door has no window.
  • Sliding doors missing a primary lock, part of the door assembly, or a secondary lock
  • Sliding doors on the first-floor level (or accessible by a tree, balcony, fence, etc.) missing a vent lock
  • Vent locks must secure the door in the open position between one to five inches open.
  • Missing latching hardware and self-closers 
Window exterior

Windows

  • All windows must
    • Have properly working sash locks
    • Open and close properly. The lower sashes of double hung windows must stay up when opened, without the use of a prop.
    • Be free of broken or cracked glass.
    • Be double-glazed (thermopane) or have storm windows from November 15 to April 30.
    • Have properly fitting insect screens from June 1 to October 15. The screens must be in good repair.
  • Windows must have vent locks if
    • The window is at or below the first floor
    • The window is within reach of porches, balconies, trees, etc.
  • Vent locks must let each window lock to stay between one (1) to five (5) inches open
  • The locks, when not in use, must let the window open fully from the inside
Smoke and carbon monoxide detector on a ceiling

Smoke alarms

  • Smoke alarms must be hardwired or tamperproof.
  • Smoke alarms must be
    • in every bedroom (or area used for sleeping)
    • within six feet of the outside of bedroom entry doors
    • on each floor level (including basements)

Carbon monoxide (CO) alarms

  • CO alarms must be
    • on every floor of every unit in one and two dwelling units
    • within 15 feet of bedroom doors of any unit with a fuel burning appliance AND within any other room that has a fuel burning appliance in a building with 3 or more dwelling units smoke and carbon monoxide alarms
Leaking plumbing fixtures in a bath tub

Plumbing

  • Sinks, bathtubs, and showers without
    • Adequate cold water
    • Hot water of at least 120°F
  • Plumbing fixtures not properly installed or leaking
  • Plugged or slow drains
  • Dishwasher drains missing a proper air gap
  • Toilets not working properly or unsecured to the floor
Three pronged electrical outlet

Electrical

  • 3-prong electrical outlets improperly grounded
  • Outlets missing GFCI protection located in
    • kitchens
    • bathrooms
    • garages
    • unfinished basements
    • within 6 feet of a water source
    • outside areas
  • Missing or damaged cover plates
  • Light fixtures not secured and improperly functioning
  • Improperly installed garbage disposals
  • Bathroom with fewer than one outlet
  • Bedroom with fewer than two outlets
  • Extension cords used as permanent wiring

Resources

Was this page helpful to you? * required

Home & Property