Versailles Rental Registration Ordinance draws questions ahead of Council Meeting
Property owners and residents are raising questions after the Town of Versailles published a new rental registration and inspection ordinance that will require rental properties within town limits to be registered and periodically inspected.
The ordinance, adopted by the Versailles Town Council at the July meeting and first published in the July 30 edition of The Versailles Republican, establishes a Rental Registration and Inspection Program intended to improve public health and safety by ensuring rental properties meet minimum housing standards. It also states the program is designed to help preserve established neighborhoods by reducing the conversion of homes into transient or short-term housing, encourage property maintenance to prevent neighborhood deterioration, and promote homeownership within the community.
Under the ordinance, owners of rental properties will be required to register their properties with the town and, in most cases, submit their properties to inspections. While the ordinance establishes a registration process, it currently sets the annual registration fee at $0.00 per parcel containing rentals.
The ordinance does, however, require inspection fees of $125 per building, plus $25 for each rental unit for routine or additional inspections. Property owners who fail to pay the inspection fee within 30 days of receiving notice would be in violation of the ordinance. The ordinance also provides exemptions for certain rental properties from routine inspections and inspection fees. Property owners are encouraged to review the complete ordinance, published in the Legal Notices section of today’s edition of The Versailles Republican, for details regarding those exemptions and other requirements.
According to the ordinance, inspections will evaluate items such as structural safety, plumbing, electrical systems, heating and cooling equipment, smoke detectors, windows and doors, and other habitability standards. Property owners generally must receive 72 hours written notice before an inspection. The ordinance outlines procedures for additional inspections and violations if such are found.
While town officials have said the program is designed to improve housing conditions and protect tenants, some local landlords say they were caught off guard by its adoption and have concerns about how it will be implemented.
Jessica Beach, who owns rental properties, said after just recently becoming aware of the ordinance she spoke with one of her tenants and advised them of some of the requirements.
“What? I have to be registered with the city like I’m a sex offender?” was the response Beach received from her tenant.
Beach believes the ordinance raises privacy concerns for tenants. One specific concern, she said, relates to victims of domestic violence.
“The ordinance is a major invasion of the tenants’ rights to privacy and it gives town officials more access than what the property owners are granted,” Beach told The Versailles Republican.
Beach also questioned the adoption of the ordinance stating, “The way the town council passed this ordinance without providing any notice to the property owners and residents of Versailles is unimaginable. Decisions that directly affect the community should be made through a transparent process, with adequate public notice and an opportunity for residents to be informed and heard. Bypassing those fundamental principles undermines public trust and raises serious concerns about accountability.”
Owen Menchhofer also expressed concerns about the program, particularly regarding its implementation.
“One of the things that concerns me is who is going to be doing these inspections. Is the town going to have to hire a new employee?” Menchhofer questioned.
Menchhofer described the ordinance as “a total government overreach.”
He also noted that Aurora adopted a similar ordinance in 2025 and believes it is the only community in an adjoining county with a comparable program and that no other towns in Ripley County currently have a similar ordinance in place.
The ordinance is expected to be a topic of discussion during the next Versailles Town Council meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 11. Residents and property owners may have an opportunity to ask questions about the registration process, inspection procedures, exemptions, fees and enforcement of the new requirements. The complete ordinance is published in today’s Legal Notices section of The Versailles Republican.
