Bartholomew County, IN Rental Property Rules: Repairs & Habitability (2026)
Key Facts
- Enforcing agency
- Bartholomew County Health Officer (§152.002)
- Kitchen sink & water
- Required, hot & cold water connected (§152.015(A),(D))
- Private bathroom
- Toilet, lavatory, bathtub/shower required (§152.015(B),(C))
- Heating
- Must adequately heat all habitable rooms (§152.032)
- Condemnation
- Unfit dwellings placarded, vacate within 30 days (§152.116-117)
- Violation penalty
- Up to $500 per violation/day (§152.999)
Summary
Bartholomew County's Minimum Housing Standards, Chapter 152, require every rental dwelling unit in unincorporated Bartholomew County to have a working kitchen sink, a private toilet and lavatory, a bathtub or shower, hot and cold water, and heating capable of warming every habitable room, enforced by the County Health Officer under section 152.002. Units that become unsanitary or unsafe can be condemned and placarded as unfit for human habitation under section 152.116.
§ 152.015 DWELLING UNIT REQUIREMENTS. ... No person shall let to another for occupancy any dwelling unit for the purpose of living, sleeping, cooking or eating therein, which does not comply with the following requirements. (A) Every dwelling unit shall contain a kitchen sink in good working condition and properly connected to a water and sewer system approved by either the State Board of Health, the Health Officer or Building Commissioner having jurisdiction over the area in which the dwelling is located. ... § 152.032 HEATING FACILITIES. Every dwelling shall have heating facilities which are properly installed, are maintained in safe and good working condition and are capable of safely and adequately heating all habitable rooms, bathrooms and water closet compartments in every dwelling unit located therein.
Full Breakdown
002 to inspect dwellings and premises for compliance and to enter, with reasonable cause and proper credentials, at proper times. 015 requires every dwelling unit let for occupancy to have a kitchen sink connected to approved water and sewer service, a private room with a flush toilet and lavatory, and a bathtub or shower, all supplied with both hot and cold water, plus adequate garbage disposal and a safe water supply; where public sewer is unavailable within 100 feet, a private sewage system meeting Chapter 52 is required.
036 add ventilation, heating, electric service, lighting and screening requirements: every habitable room needs an openable window or mechanical ventilation, every dwelling needs heating capable of adequately warming all habitable rooms, bathrooms and water closet compartments, and usable electric service must be properly installed and maintained. 050 requires every foundation, roof, exterior wall, window and door to be weather-tight and in good repair, every plumbing fixture to be free of leaks affecting health, and every premises to be graded to drain properly. 117 until the Health Officer gives written approval to remove the placard.
Violations & Fines
Section 152.999 fines any person who violates a provision of Chapter 152 up to $500 upon conviction, and treats each violation, and each day after the abatement period the Health Officer sets, as a separate offense. Occupying or re-letting a dwelling that has been condemned and placarded as unfit for human habitation before the Health Officer approves removal of the placard is itself a violation subject to that penalty.
Frequently Asked Questions
What must a rental dwelling unit have in unincorporated Bartholomew County?
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bartholomew County
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