Code Enforcement Groundhog Day

[Jeff G.]

I have a property in Akron, OH that I freshly rehabbed about two years ago. At some point the tenant called Code Enforcement over some minor gripes instead of contacting the PM and expressing his/her concerns. Code Enforcement came by and could see the place was freshly rehabbed, so there wasn't much to cite. But, of course, they found something to send me a written notice over.

It was a handful of small stuff, no big deal. I had the PM get in touch with the contractor and he addressed the "issues" fairly quickly. Then the problems started...

Code Enforcement would schedule a time to come by only to ghost my PM. Apparently this happened several times. Eventually the PM could no longer reach the code enforcement person and everything just went to VM. After several months of trying to get code enforcement to clear us and not getting any response from there end, and escalating to a superior who apparently did nothing, we considered the matter closed. We've fixed the handful of items they listed.

Unfortunately, two or three weeks ago I got an email from a code enforcement about this now year old citation. The tone of his email implied he had been unable to reach my PM after "several attempts." Well, apparently there weren't "several attempts" he'd just caught her at an inopportune moment and it took her all of about 30 minutes to call him back. After some back-and-forth an inspection was scheduled only for the code enforcement agent to... wait for it... wait for it... ghost my PM.

At this point, I've advised my PM to communicate with code enforcement in writing as much as possible and to continue to document their no-shows, etc. I also asked her to try to schedule the next inspection at the start of their workday to make it difficult for the inspector to claim to have been delayed by some other matter with any sort of credibility.

Is anyone else here dealing with these kinds of shenanigans? How do I exit this Groundhog Day-like endless loop?

[Brendan Taylor]

Quote from @Jeff G.:

Quote from @Brendan Taylor:

Yep. Been here before with Akron code and got a complete run around. Basically, I was lied to but of course this all happened over a phone call. Cost me a few thousand. 

Get EVERYTHING in writing. Do not communicate in any form other than email.

How long did it take you to resolve things? This has been an issue for over a year. I've done my part. Akron is just dragging its feet. I'm not sure what their problem is. The issues, such as they were, have been fixed.

My situation was a little different so I can’t really answer your question. It was an active rehab and involved a permit that was needed, then wasn’t needed, and then was needed again. They were quick with the inspections though. 

I would get an inspection scheduled in writing and if they don’t show you keep throwing that in their face if it becomes an issue again.