Starting this Friday (9/1), the town of Conway is kicking off a new rental license and inspection program. Basically, if you're renting out your place, you need to get a license for it. They've already got a few folks signing up, and they're aiming to start inspections next week or so.
Here's the deal: if you're a property owner, you've got two options. Option one is filling out a form, paying $375, and having the fire department inspect your rental based on a safety checklist. If you pass, you'll get a three-year rental license. Option two, available till the end of the year, involves a $125 fee and a self-affidavit form confirming your place is up to safety codes.
Starting next year, the self-affidavit option is out, and everyone needs to go through the inspection process. The inspections are about stuff like having working smoke alarms, proper exits, safe heating, and more.
Fire chiefs from different areas will be doing the inspections. There were some folks who didn't quite like this plan during public discussions, worrying it could make the housing crisis worse. But the town officials are aiming for safety without making things harder for renters or landlords.
The whole idea behind this is to make sure rental properties are safe because there have been cases of dangerous situations in rentals elsewhere. The town of Durham has been doing something like this for a while, and they found a bunch of safety issues during inspections.
Got questions? Contact Nicholas DeVito, the Conway Zoning Officer, for more info - (603) 447-3811, ext. 231 or ndevito@conwaynh.org.