New law requires that CO detectors be disclosed on seller disclosure form
A recently enacted Pennsylvania law requires homeowners to disclose on their seller disclosure form whether their property has carbon monoxide (CO) detectors installed, and requires the installation of detectors in certain rental properties. While 2010 changes to the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code require certain properties to have CO detectors, they are not universally required for all homes. The new law doesn’t change this, and does not require any seller (or buyer) to install a CO detector – it simply requires sellers to inform buyers whether a detector is present or not. Rental properties are also affected by the bill. Owners of multifamily properties that have a fossil fuel-burning heater or appliance, a fireplace or an attached garage are required to install a CO detector “centrally located” and “in the vicinity of the bedrooms and the fossil fuel-burning heater or fireplace.” The owner is responsible for installing the detector and repairing/replacing it between tenants, but while the property is occupied the tenant is explicitly responsible for all upkeep, including periodic testing and battery replacement. Further, if the unit fails during a tenant’s tenure, the tenant would be responsible for repair or replacement. As originally proposed in the last legislative session, this bill would have required a point-of-sale inspection for CO detectors and imposed further responsibilities on landlords. PAR and PROA (the Pennsylvania Rental Owners Association) engaged on the issue throughout the legislative process in order to reduce the burden to property owners.
Source: PAR Just Listed, 12/9/2013