San Bernardino, CA Rental Inspections: Tenant Complaint Process (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- § 15.26.140, Complaint-Based Inspections
- Trigger
- Any complaint alleging a code violation
- Independent of
- Scheduled biennial/annual inspection cycle
- Voluntary option
- Owner or occupant may request inspection
- Nuisance declaration
- Noncompliant rental is a public nuisance
Summary
San Bernardino code enforcement can inspect any rental property at any time in response to a complaint alleging code violations, independent of the scheduled inspection cycle. Owners and tenants can also request a voluntary inspection to confirm compliance before a dispute escalates, and a confirmed violation can be pursued as a public nuisance.
COMPLAINT-BASED INSPECTIONS. Nothing contained in this chapter shall prevent or restrict the city's authority to inspect any rental property in response to a complaint alleging code violations or violations of applicable laws and to pursue all remedies permissible under this code or applicable laws.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-2: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. MC-1666, passed 8-5-2026).
Full Breakdown
060, and applies even to a property currently enrolled in the self-certification program. 150, lets a property owner or occupant voluntarily request an inspection to determine whether the rental complies with applicable laws, without waiting for a complaint or the scheduled cycle. 30 to force correction once a complaint-based inspection finds a violation. 170 clarifies that criminal, civil and administrative enforcement can proceed individually or together, and none of them relieves the owner of the underlying maintenance obligation. 040, a tenant complaint about pests, unsafe interior conditions, unrepaired structures or unmaintained landscaping can trigger a complaint-based inspection under this section even outside the normal inspection schedule.
Violations & Fines
A violation confirmed through a complaint-based inspection is enforced the same way as any other Chapter 15.26 violation: notice and an order to correct under § 15.26.090, followed by an administrative citation under Chapter 9.92, up to $100, then $200, then $500 within a year, if the owner does not comply, or prosecution as a misdemeanor or infraction under § 15.26.180 and § 1.12.010.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a tenant force an inspection of a rental in San Bernardino?
Does a complaint-based inspection replace the regular inspection?
Can an owner request an inspection voluntarily?
What can the city do if the complaint reveals a real violation?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in San Bernardino
California rules heatmap·Compare San Bernardino to another location·View the California rental inspections overview
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Tenant Complaint Process in Nearby Cities
How other cities in San Bernardino County handle tenant complaint process.