Landlords/Agents

ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

We understand, as the Homeowner, you may not be residing in the property. If your property is within the designated program scope, it is still eligible for improvements that reduce interior noise levels within living spaces. These treatments may include door and window replacements, weather stripping, and ventilation.

This document is a supplement to the Homeowner Handbook for landlords and their agents (attached). As a landlord, you have certain obligations to your leaseholders. To ensure proper assignment of responsibilities, the program will not assume the obligations of landlords expressed in state law or in lease agreements.

The Logan RSIP will provide architects, engineers, and contractors, as well as the materials and labor to complete the attenuation improvements.

You will be responsible for managing tenant communications and access to homes.

Keeping Your Tenants Informed

PROGRAM PARTICIPATION PHASE-IN

To help ensure that participation in the Logan RSIP is a positive one for the tenants and for you the landlord, a well-thought-out process to discuss expectations is required. We recommend that you use a strategy similar to the one following:

  • Discuss your decision to enroll in the Program with your tenants and be sure to get their support.
  • Announce the Program to all tenants in the form of a letter; Require tenants to sign a copy stating their acknowledgment of the announcement.
  • Educate employees/agents on how to field questions regarding the Program.
  • Equip your employees/agents with the information to become familiar with the necessary aspects of the Program.

TENANT COMMUNICATION PLAN

The objective of the communications plan is to develop and implement a tenant relations plan to provide tenants and building occupants with pertinent Logan RSIP information. The plan should incorporate the following:

  • The establishment of communications by the Property Manager with tenants during the progress of the Program.
  • Identification of the type, and the timing of each tenant event coordinated by the property management staff.
  • The objectives and goals of home entries conducted by the property staff and Program team.

 TENANT COMMUNICATION TOOLS

  • It is best to have a clearly organized communication plan when talking to tenants. The sample forms located below are available for your use.
  • Tenant Orientation Meeting: Gather with tenants to discuss the Program and its goals. Remember, the Program is improving the habitability of their housing unit. You can refer to your Homeowner Handbook to review process and goals with your tenants.
  • Listing of Program Events: A listing of Program events that will require tenant communication. Events to consider are: Program orientation, engineering visits, pre-construction measurements, and construction activity.
  • Notice of Intent to Participate in Program: Letter to announce Program and its intent to tenants. See sample letter [PDF]
  • Notice of Entry: Letter to announce landlord’s intent to enter tenant’s premises. See sample notice [PDF]
  • Scheduling Postcard: Tenant reminder for events scheduled by landlord. See sample postcard [PDF]
  • Status Updates: Meet with tenants or create a central posting area where they can receive updates on Program information and procedures (use of site, sequence of work, schedule of work).

Managing Unit Access

LANDLORDS RIGHT OF ENTRY AGREEMENT

The tenant has a reasonable right to privacy. However, the landlord has the right to enter rented premises after giving tenants reasonable notice in order to make needed repairs (or assess the need for them). The balance between the tenant’s right to privacy and the landlord’s right of entry can usually be reached by a fair and reasonable agreement between the tenant and the landlord.

In this case, you are requesting access for needed upgrades or improvements that reduce interior noise levels within the living spaces. By using the communication tools outlined, and by describing the Logan RSIP benefits, it is our experience that you and your tenants can reach an agreement on entry based on mutual courtesy and respect.

MANAGING THE RIGHT OF ENTRY

In order to be sure that the landlord/tenant agreement is maintained, you will be the single point of contact granting access to the premises and securing them when our work is complete. This process gives the tenants confidence that someone they know will be entering and locking their premises.

The Logan RSIP will require that you have an agent on site while contractors are performing the work to ensure necessary access to complete the work while you maintain the landlord/tenant agreement. Note that this process does not prohibit the tenant from being present during implementation of Logan RSIP activities.

TENANT PROTECTION MEASURES

It is important that in the process of your granting the Logan RSIP access to your tenant’s premises, the work does not constitute a breach in your warranty of habitability. We have carefully crafted protection measures in our agreements with engineers and contractors to ensure the premises are safe and livable.

The Logan RSIP is committed to performing work continuously during normal working hours until completed with the least inconvenience to residents. We understand tenants will occupy portions of premises during the entire construction period for conduct of their normal operations. Logan RSIP contractors will cooperate with your staff in scheduling construction operations to minimize conflict and to facilitate tenant usage.

The contractors will conduct work efficiently to minimize inconvenience to residents in occupied homes. They are required to take precautions to protect residents and the public from injury from construction operations. They will keep the premises free of debris and construction materials resulting from installation work. The contractors will be exclusively responsible for damage they cause to grounds, plantings, buildings, and any other facilities or property.

PROGRAM MILESTONE RESPONSIBILITY MATRIX

The following table provides a basic outline of specific milestones and responsibilities. The list is not meant to be complete. We encourage the landlord to modify the list as needed to meet their specific requirements.

The plan will be to perform work continuously during normal working hours until completed with least inconvenience to residents. Please notify tenants of their responsibilities and the construction status in their units. Homeowners or tenants should remove drapes, curtains, and any other encumbrances within the work area; remove rugs from floors, and remove furniture away from work areas.

LEAD HAZARD NOTIFICATION

To protect families from lead paint exposure from paint, dust and soil, Congress passed the Lead Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992, known as Title X. If you would like to read more information about Title X click here. This act relates to all housing built before 1978.
 

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN TO YOU?

Since the Logan RSIP treatments could disturb old paint or cause dust, you must give every tenant a copy of the booklet “Protect Your Family From Lead In Your Home” and have them sign the EPA’s “Disclosure of Information” document. By doing this you are not admitting to having lead paint on your property, you are just complying with HUDs and EPAs disclosure rules to help with lead paint information.

The EPA booklet is also available electronically by clicking here.
The EPA Disclosure of Information form can be found by clicking here.