Brookhaven, GA Rental Inspections: Inspection Programs (2026)

The program covers multifamily rental dwellings, meaning structures with four or more rental units under Sec. 16-98. Certified building inspectors approved by the building official under Sec. 16-102 do the interior work. Owners then file the annual code compliance certificate under Sec. 16-99, which requires every unit to be inspected at a minimum every two years, with at least one half of the units covered on each certificate. New multifamily developments are exempt from the interior evaluation for five years after the certificate of occupancy.

Sec. 16-103 says interior evaluations will include, at a minimum, nineteen numbered items. Examples: address numbers a minimum of four inches high with a minimum stroke width of 0.5 inch (item 1), hot and cold water at kitchen, bath and laundry fixtures (item 4), heating that maintains 68 degrees Fahrenheit in habitable rooms (item 6), and electrical service of not less than 60 amperes (item 11). Handrails are required on any flight with more than four risers and must sit not less than 30 inches or more than 42 inches above the tread nosing (item 13). Item 15 sets 70 square feet for a bedroom occupied by one person and 50 square feet of additional floor area for each occupant of a bedroom shared by more than one person. Item 18 requires fire extinguishers within 75 foot travel distance of the most remote location of a dwelling, and item 19 requires sprinkler heads clear and unobstructed.

Sec. 16-104 covers everything outside the units. All premises with multifamily rental dwellings are subject to an evaluation of the exterior, public and mechanical areas under a city-approved policy. The owner receives a report of findings, and compliance must be achieved in the timeframe the report specifies.

An audit is separate: the building official can inspect the interior of units on the certificate when there is probable cause, after written notice no sooner than seven days ahead, weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.