Wausau, WI Building Safety: Door Locking Hardware (2026)

4. A dwelling unit or lodging room where a door has no lock, or the lock does not function, draws a 25 to 75 percent rent abatement, on top of any other penalty. 7, as does a door or its hardware that is hazardous, unhinged, or requires excessive force to open and interferes with egress. Window sash locks that are missing or non-functional add a further 10 to 25 percent abatement on first-floor, basement, or otherwise accessible windows, and 5 percent on other required windows.

A tenant pursues these violations the same way as any other rent-impairing condition: the Inspection and Zoning Division of the Department of Engineering issues a correction order, the city publishes and mails notice of eligibility, and the tenant has 30 days to request a hearing before the Public Health and Safety Committee, which sets the final abatement percentage.