Asheville, NC Rental Inspections: Tenant Complaint Process (2026)

Sec. 4-217(a) lets a complaint reach the code enforcement officer three ways: a petition from a public authority, a petition signed by at least five residents of the city, or the officer's own motion. If a preliminary investigation supports the charge, the officer must issue and serve a formal complaint on the owner and other parties in interest. That complaint lists the alleged violations and sets a hearing date not less than ten, and not more than 30, days after service; owners have the right to answer, appear with counsel, and present evidence, and the formal rules of evidence used in court do not apply. Before issuing a formal complaint, Sec. 4-217(a)(2) also lets the officer send the owner or the owner's agent a simple violation notice with a deadline to fix the problem.

If the housing code coordinator finds after the hearing that the dwelling is unsafe or unfit, Sec. 4-217(b) requires written findings of fact and a served order: a deteriorated dwelling must be repaired, altered, or improved by a set date (or the owner directed to vacate it), while a dilapidated dwelling may be ordered removed or demolished, with either timeline shortened if the coordinator finds imminent danger to life or property. Complaints tied to housing authority-regulated units are processed the same way under Sec. 4-216(4)(b).