The Fire Inspection Division ensures all buildings and rental properties are properly maintained and comply with state and local building and fire codes. This division conducts on-site inspections, issues permits, approves occupancy and inspects fire disaster scenes.

Fire Inspections
952-949-8356

Rental Housing Inspections
952-949-8335

Licensing of Rental Property

As of March 2, 2006 the City of Eden Prairie requires all rental property to be licensed and inspected to protect the public health, safety and welfare of its citizens. Below are two subdivisions from one of the City Codes that apply to the licensing of rental housing.

SECTION 5.72 LICENSING OF RENTAL HOUSING

Subd. 1. Purpose. It is the purpose of this ordinance to protect the public health, safety and welfare of citizens of the City who have as their place of abode a living unit furnished to them for the payment of a rental charge to another by adopting licensing regulations for all rental dwellings in the City.

Subd. 3. License Required.  No person, firm, partnership, corporation or other legal entity shall operate a rental dwelling in the City without first having obtained a license. The license is issued each year and is valid until the date of expiration.

Once a rental property owner has filled out a Rental Housing License Application and paid the appropriate fee they will receive a Rental License Certificate to post at their rental property or properties. This is an annual process and the rental property owner is required to fill out this application each January and send it in with the required fee as long as they are renting property in the City of Eden Prairie.

Inspections

The goal of the fire inspection staff is to visit each complex once a year and inspect every individual unit every four years. These inspections are conducted with property representatives present and the goal is to work with property owners, managers and tenants to ensure all fire and building safety codes are met.

Single Family Dwelling Rentals – Fire Inspectors work with property owners and the tenants to schedule inspections. These inspections normally take 15-20 minutes.

Multi Family Dwellings Rentals (Apartments) - Fire inspectors work with property managers to schedule inspections of the buildings common areas and individual apartments. We schedule apartment inspections at the same time property managers are conducting their inspections to help reduce the inconvenience on the tenants.

Common area inspections of all the buildings can usually be done in a day and the individual apartment inspections normally take 5-10 minutes per unit.

Common Inspection Violations Found

Single Family Dwelling Rentals
Cigarettes and other smoking material discarded improperly inside and outside of property
Small and improper items used for ashtrays
Smoke detectors not working, disconnected or batteries removed
Fire wall (Sheet-rock) removed or compromised in attached garage
Too much storage
Exits blocked or compromised
Door from garage to house is not self closing or missing self closer
Extension cords used for permanent use
Flammable fuels improperly stored
Items stored closer than 36 inches in front of electrical panels, sprinkler valve systems, furnaces and hot water heaters
Electrical outlet and switch covers missing

Multi Family Dwellings Rentals (Apartments)
Cigarettes and other smoking material discarded improperly inside and outside of property
Small and improper items used for ashtrays
Smoke detectors not working, disconnected or batteries removed
Barbeque grills on apartment balconies
Lighter fluid, propane tanks and other flammable liquids stored on balconies
Too much storage
Storage in parking garage stalls
Exits blocked or compromised
Items hung on or blocking sprinkler heads
Entrance/Exit doors not self closing
Trash-room doors and trash-shoot doors not self closing or latching
Self closing fire doors propped open
Emergency lights not working
Emergency Exit lights not working
Extension cords used for permanent use
Flammable fuels improperly stored
Items stored closer than 36 inches in front of electrical panels, sprinkler valve systems, furnaces and hot water heaters
Electrical outlet and switch covers missing