Kenner, LA Rental Inspections: Tenant Complaint Process (2026)

The administrator of the Division of Housing Improvement, within the Department of Inspection and Code Enforcement, may inspect any dwelling or dwelling unit in Kenner on his own volition or after a tenant or other party files a written and signed complaint, under Sec. 5-69. The administrator keeps a record of the inspection and any violations found. Inspectors carry identification and may enter during reasonable hours under Sec. 5-66; in an emergency involving potential loss of life or severe property damage, that time limit does not apply. Refusing to admit the administrator is itself unlawful under Sec. 5-67, and if an owner or tenant still refuses entry, the administrator can obtain a search warrant from a municipal court judge under Sec. 5-68.

Once defects are documented, Sec. 5-70 requires the administrator to serve the owner, agent, or other parties in interest with a written complaint listing the defects and a notice of hearing, set not less than ten days nor more than thirty days after service. The owner may file an answer and testify at that hearing. Under Sec. 5-71, if the administrator then finds the unit unfit for human habitation, the order requires it vacated and closed, a placard reading that the building is unfit for human habitation posted on the entrance, and the Kenner Police Department enforces eviction if the order is ignored. If the unit merely violates minimum housing standards short of unfit, the order instead directs repair, alteration, or improvement. An owner who disputes the administrator's findings may appeal to the Board of Building Standards and Appeals within thirty days under Sec. 5-72, and the order is suspended pending that appeal.