About the Good to Go Rental Inspection Program

Good to Go Rental Program

Lynchburg Residential Rental Inspection Program is for existing rentals and short-term rentals (Airbnb, etc.) within the rental inspection district. Staff maintains a database of residential rental properties.

Landlords/owners are expected to maintain Lynchburg rentals as habitable and Good To Go before occupancy. If the rental is currently non-owner occupied, the owner/landlord and tenants are assumed to have diligently maintained and provided occupants/tenants with a dwelling unit that meets the Virginia standardization of habitation and property maintenance building code requirements. Without habitable standards these conditions can lead to a decline in neighborhood quality of life, neighborhood appearance and the value of real estate.

The Good to Go rental inspection program is designed and intended to prevent property deterioration and neighborhood blight in designated rental inspection districts and to promote safe, decent and sanitary residential rental dwelling units for citizens by requiring property building maintenance and continued compliance with applicable building regulations.

Do I need to register my rental unit? These census tracts are in the rental program area:

  • Daniels Hill Census Tract #4
  • Rivermont Census Tract #4
  • Down Town Census Tract #5
  • College Hill Census Tract #6
  • Dearington Census Tract #6
  • Garland Hill Census Tract #6
  • Tinbridge Hill Census Tract #6
  • Miller Park Census Tract #7
  • Diamond Hill Census Tract #11
  • White Rock Hill Census Tract #19 (formerly 12&13)
  • Fairview Heights Census Tract #19 (formerly 12&13)
  • Seminary Hill Census Tract #19 (formerly 12&13)
  • Tyreeanna Census Tract #19 (formerly 12&13)
  • Winston Ridge Census Tract #19 (formerly 12&13) 

View the rental program area on My City Services.

Residential Rental Property Inspection Program History

  • In 1991 City Council directed Community Development to develop a residential rental property inspection program.
  • Council adopted an ordinance in 1993 creating the program and seven inspection districts with an effective date of January 1, 1994.
  • On March 8, 2005, Council updated the ordinance based on changes made during the 2004 Virginia Legislative Session. One of the changes allowed the City to adopt a $50 inspection fee.
  • Council revised the ordinance in 2008 to allow the City to revoke property compliance if issued a bad check and allow code officials to seek an inspection warrant if access is denied to the unit.
  • In 2013, Council combined the seven rental inspection districts into six districts based on 2010 Census data; the size of the inspection area remained the same.

What Our Plans Say

  • The City’s Comprehensive Plan 2013-2030 highlights residents’ concerns about poorly managed rental housing and the Residential Rental Property Inspection Program as a tool to protect neighborhood integrity.
  • The City’s 2010-2015 Consolidated Plan is a plan required by the federal government that defines a strategy for our community development and housing needs. Our plan identifies the rental inspection program as a means to provide decent housing for low-to-moderate income neighborhoods by reducing the number of rental property code violations.
  • The Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing finds the City’s supply of decent and affordable housing remains inadequate and recommends continuation of the Rental Inspection Program to improve and preserve the existing affordable housing stock.
Residential Rental Property Inspection Program primary objective is safe housing. Many of the rentals involve conversion of older and blighted homes that are repaired enough to meet basic codes and move tenants in. This program is proactive and provides a means to identify issues that may go unnoticed by tenants and landlords. Addressing violations at their onset prevents more substantial neighborhood issues, infestations and blight.Various reasons, including landlord retaliation, may prevent tenants from complaining. • Staff serves as a resource for landlord and tenant.

View the City Code that addresses rental property.  

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