Rental Registry:

This past spring, the St. Louis City Board of Aldermen introduced and passed a rental registry bill. This bill, which became ordinance 71835, requires that all housing providers register each rental property with the St. Louis City Building Division when securing a certificate of inspection. Both the certificate of inspection and the rental registration are required upon first occupancy or when there is a change in tenancy.

When applying for a certificate of inspection, a rental unit provider shall list the following information: 1) the address of the rental property 2) the owner’s legal name, telephone number, address, and email address (there are similar but adjusted requirements for properties held in a corporation, trust, partnership or LLC), 3) if the owner of the property does not reside within a 100 mile radius, an owner’s agent who does reside within said radius must be listed, 4) names, addresses, and phone numbers for those authorized to act in the case of an emergency, respond to inspection requests, and are responsible for lawn care, and 5) a good faith estimate of the monthly rent. St. Louis City will also ask the owner to disclose the number of beds and baths within said unit and if the unit is accessible.

There is no additional fee for the rental license. Additionally, this requirement does not extend to owner occupied units, duplexes in which the owner resides, or spaces occupied by direct family members.

As long as a housing provider has the required certificate of inspection and has supplied St. Louis City with the aforementioned information, the housing provider is in compliance with the new requirements.

Safe Temperatures Bill:

A bill passed in the St. Louis City Board of Aldermen this past spring became ordinance 71839, known as the “Safe Temperatures in Rentals” ordinance. This ordinance will now require rental property providers to ensure that at least one habitable room in every rental be able to maintain a temperature between 68 and 85 degrees beginning on May 1st and ending September 30th, annually. A habitable room is one that is used for living, sleeping, eating or cooking and does not include bathrooms, closets, or utility spaces.

The housing provider must maintain the cooling system provided, be it a window unit, portable electronic air conditioner, or HVAC system, so that it is in good working order. The occupant of the rental unit must be alerted to the availability of the cooling system upon occupancy and provided with instructions to report any issues with the cooling systems provided. The St. Louis City Building Division is responsible for enforcing this requirement as well as addressing and penalizing violations.

So how does a housing provider comply with this new ordinance? Luckily, the answer is straightforward. To comply, provide an adequate cooling system in at least one habitable room from May 1st to September 30th, every year, and ensure that the cooling system is in working order or timely repaired.

Please note:

As of June 11, 2024, both ordinances are in effect, however, the rental registry ordinance has different effective dates for different sections of the language. The fee increase for a certificate of inspection is currently in effect and owners should expect to pay those increased rates. In terms of the rental registry information requirements and the extra paperwork, this will not be required until the St. Louis City Board of Aldermen adopt an additional resolution deeming it technologically feasible or July 1, 2027, whichever occurs first.  

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information is for general informational purposes only. Readers should contact their attorney to obtain advice with respect to any particular legal matter.  No reader should act or refrain from acting on the basis of information in this article without first seeking legal advice from counsel.  Only your individual attorney can provide assurances that the information contained herein – and your interpretation of it – is applicable or appropriate to your particular situation.