If you’ve recently received a violation notice from the city of Manchester you will need to resolve it quickly. You are legally required to show new tenants your certificate of compliance and failure to resolve the violation can lead to fees and legal action from the city.
Here’s how to resolve a Certificate of Compliance violation:
1. Understand the Violation
The first step in resolving any Certificate of Compliance violation is understanding what specific part of the housing code you’ve violated. The notice will typically include a reference to the applicable sections of the Housing Code Ordinance. If you don’t understand, you can call the Planning and Community Development Department (PCD).
Phone: 603-624-6450
Email: pcd@manchesternh.gov
2. Make Necessary Repairs or Changes
3. Submit a Certificate of Compliance Application
Fill in an application for certificate of compliance, you can find it here
4. Schedule an Inspection
You do this through the City's Planning and Community Development Department (PCD), which handles housing code enforcement.
Make sure you keep records of all repairs made, including pictures of before, invoices from contractors and any permits you may have acquired, as you’ll need to present these documents during the inspection.
5. Follow Up on the Status
Once you’ve submitted your application, it’s important to follow up with the Planning and Community Development Department to confirm that your Certificate of Compliance is issued. If there are any additional steps or issues that need to be addressed, you will be notified.
6. Prevent Future Violations
Certificates of Compliance last for three years at which point you’ll need to schedule a reinspection. Generally if you keep your building in good shape so that tenants don’t complain to the city, you shouldn’t have to deal with this process for a while.
