What happens if my property does not pass a visual
inspection or dust wipe clearance?
If your property does not pass either a visual inspection or dust wipe
clearance, you must repair the property so it passes clearance before the
tenant can move into the unit.
What do I need to know about repairing the property?
If your property does not pass either a visual clearance or dust wipe
clearance, you must repair the property so it passes clearance before the
tenant can move into the unit.
The federal EPA’s Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) law requires that all
property management firms and landlords engaged in renovation, repair,
and/or painting work in homes and residential buildings, built prior to 1978
must be certified, use trained workers, and follow specific lead-safe work
practices to prevent lead contamination.
When lead-based paint is disturbed during renovation, repair or painting
activities, dangerous amounts of lead dust can be created. Jobs such as
demolition, window replacement, opening up walls, etc., can also release
accumulated lead dust into the home. Even after a typical renovation
cleanup, dangerous levels of lead dust can remain.
If the landlord does his own work on the rental property and or uses his/her
own employees to do so, the landlord must also become an EPA Certified
RRP firm and only use trained and certified workers to do the work. If the
landlord hires a contractor to do the work, the landlord does not need to be
certified, but the contractor doing the work does.
If you hire external parties to do this work, you should ensure they are
certified and use lead-safe work practices. When performing work on an
occupied property, contractors performing the work must distribute a
pamphlet entitled The Lead-Safe Certified Guide to Renovate Right and
obtain a signed receipt from the occupants before starting work.
Once the property passes a visual clearance and dust wipe clearance the
lead risk assessor or dust wipe sampling technician should complete, sign