Property Owners & Property Managers

Forms

Property managers and owners are required to notify the Inspection Division when there has been a change in ownership or contact information. Please use the below forms to keep information updated:

• Rental Housing Registration - Used for registering new rental dwellings, requesting a pre-sale or pre-conversion inspection, and to update contact information
• Remove From Rental - Used when a property is no longer going to be a registered rental property or it will be under different ownership/management

Below are additional forms that may be needed:

• Fuel Burning Appliance Certification(PDF, 542KB)
• Appeal Application(PDF, 27KB)
• Knox Box Rapid Entry Information(PDF, 426KB)

Inspection Guides

Our goal is to partner with each property owner/manager to help their inspection be successful. We have created a few checklists and guides that explain what our inspectors will be looking for during the inspection. 

• Single Family Rental Inspection Checklist(PDF, 336KB)
• Single Family Rental Inspection Guide(PDF, 1MB)
• Duplex Rental Inspection Checklist(PDF, 106KB)
• Multiple Family Rental Inspection Checklist(PDF, 113KB)

Pre-Sale Inspections

The City of Ames offers a pre-sale inspection to help potential buyers determine what concerns a property may have with rental code compliance. This inspection is identical to a typical rental inspection and results in a buyer or seller receiving a list of items that would need to be corrected prior to issuance of a Letter of Compliance. If, after the inspection, the buyer or seller is no longer interested in registering the property we will remove the property from registration and assess a special inspection fee of $56.10. Should the customer want to continue with the rental process then a re-inspection would be scheduled after the closing date to confirm the property complies with the Rental Code. In this case, the new owner would be assessed the annual rental registration fee.

Registration Fees

All rental owners are billed a registration fee annually in May. The billing period is for July 1st of the previous year through June 30th of the current year. If a property changes ownership within the year, the person that owned the property for more than 6 months will receive the invoice. The rental fee schedule can be found in Appendix L  of the Ames Municipal Code.

Please contact us with questions regarding the registration and inspection processes.

515-239-5153

inspections@cityofames.org