Monterey County, CA Rental Inspections: Tenant Complaint Process (2026)

15) in the unincorporated area, and to interpret the code and adopt policies and procedures without waiving its requirements. Subsection C requires the Enforcement Official to investigate violations and issue all necessary notices or orders to ensure compliance, and allows those notices or orders to be recorded with the County Recorder, creating a public record tied to the property, not just the current owner. Subsection D is the right-of-entry provision: where an inspection is necessary to enforce the code, or where the Enforcement Official has reasonable cause to believe a condition exists that violates the code and makes the structure unsafe, dangerous, or hazardous, the Enforcement Official may enter the structure or premises at reasonable times to inspect, provided that if the unit is occupied, the official must present credentials and request entry from the occupant.

If the property is unoccupied, the Enforcement Official must first make a reasonable effort to locate the owner or person in control and request entry, and if entry is refused, must pursue the legal remedies available to secure it. 22 as an equivalent to the state's own abatement procedures under Title 25 of the California Code of Regulations.