How Wausau Handles Rental Property Rules: A Practical Guide
Wausau maintains 127 local ordinances across all categories, and 2 of those deal specifically with rental property rules. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Wausau falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.
Repairs & Habitability
Wausau lets tenants abate part of their rent when a landlord fails to fix a 'rent-impairing' housing code violation on time. The Public Health and Safety Committee sets the abatement percentage under Wausau Municipal Code § 16.04.037, up to 95 percent of the periodic rent.
Key details: Maximum abatement: 95% of periodic rent. Filing deadline: 30 days from notice. Decision body: Public Health and Safety Committee. Penalty: $150-$900 forfeiture per day. Effective date: Orders since April 1, 2012.
Violating § 16.04.037, including a landlord's failure to reimburse a tenant after an authorized abatement or to disclose an outstanding violation before signing a lease, carries a forfeiture of not less than $150.00 nor more than $900.00 per offense, with each day of continued noncompliance treated as a separate violation. The city can also refer enforcement to the City Attorney for court action.
Rental Registration
Every owner of a residential rental unit in Wausau must register current contact information with the Division of Inspection and Zoning and pay a $10 one-time fee, then update the file within 30 days of any change under Wausau Municipal Code § 16.04.030.
Key details: Registration fee: $10.00 one-time. Update deadline: 30 days after any change. New-owner deadline: 30 days after transfer. Filed with: Division of Inspection and Zoning. Penalty for noncompliance: $25-$200 per day.
Wausau treats failure to register, or to keep the registration current, as a violation of Title 16 of the Municipal Code. Under § 16.04.040, anyone who willfully violates the housing code, including the registration requirement, faces a forfeiture of not less than $25.00 nor more than $200.00 per violation, and each day the violation continues counts as a separate offense.
The Bottom Line
Wausau's rental property rules rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Wausau is broadly strict or permissive.
These rules come from Wausau's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.