Cape Coral considering registration program for rental property owners

Things may soon change for both renters and rental property owners in Cape Coral; Southwest Florida’s largest city plans to look at and consider altering the way code violations are reported.

It would place more accountability on property owners, so if there’s a code violation at a rental property, Cape Coral will be able to quickly find the name and contact information for the owner responsible. If this idea passes, rental property owners will have to pay a one-time $35 registration fee, a process that could be completed online or at City Hall.

One local realtor says this could benefit many of her clients who live out of state and don’t have the ability to check up on their property.

“A lot of the clients I work with, they live out of state, and I think something like this would at least give them peace of mind that their property is in good shape,” said Annie Richards with RE/MAX Realty Group. “Because you know, living in Minnesota or Ohio, you don’t know what your house looks like in Cape Coral and you just hope that… if you have a property manager they’re taking care of it, or… you rely on a lawn service or whatever else, so this would just be an extra layer for them to have peace of mind.”

Several cities in Florida already have a rental registration process, including Sanibel and Bonita Springs.

“It’s beneficial in both ways, because, I mean, the people who are renting the unit, they are going to be held accountable for the things that are on their end of the lease agreement,” Richards said. “Sometimes that includes lawn care, sometimes that includes upkeep on the exterior portion of the home, and so there will be a certain level of accountability there.”