With thousands of rental properties in Wareham, the Board of Health estimates about 500 landlords have registered for a new state inspection regulation by the board.

To better Wareham’s rental properties, each landlord must register with the board and take part in a State Sanitary Code Inspection.

“This is the minimum standard of fitness of human habitation, and it’s not being met by the same landlords who rent homes in Wareham,” said Robert Ethier, Wareham Health Agent.

Board member Frank DeFelice estimates there are, as of the week of Jan. 23, at least 300 to 400 landlords who have registered their properties for inspection. Staff member Suzanne Burke estimated there was roughly 500 on Jan. 28.

“At the last minute, there’s usually a rush,” DeFelice said.

Overall, DeFelice estimates there are 5,000 to 6,000 rented properties in Wareham. He said the Board of Health has worked with the Town Assessor’s office to create a study of all of Wareham’s landlords.

Registration will cost $100 per year, and another $25 for any other units at the same address and owned by the same landlord. The deadline to register is Jan. 31. Noncompliance will result in a $100 fine. After that date, letters will be sent to landlords who have not registered.

DeFelice said there was a mailing sent out in tax bills a few weeks ago to all tax payers about the regulations and deadlines. Ethier said fines will be issued to those who don’t comply.

Once registration is completed, the inspection will be scheduled.

The inspection will include checks for: adequate temperature, moisture from leaks, flooring, windows and screens, water supply, electric facility, septic systems, exits, security, garbage/filth, smoke detectors, showers, defects in plumbing and electric and insects and rodents.

When the property passes the state inspection, it will receive a one-year certification.

According to Ethier, if the board had done this earlier, “we wouldn’t have one of the sub-standard housing” situations in the area.

“We have some people living in sheds,” Ethier said.

Ethier acknowledges that tenants may cause the issues themselves” which would cause the property to fail inspection. For this reason, Ethier feels the regulation and its certification will help landlords.

“I see a lot of cases of tenant and landlord disputes in court, and this will help the landlord,” said Ethier.

DeFelice feels all parties can gain from the regulation.

“It helps the tenant because they know they’re renting a certified property,” said DeFelice. “The landlord is helped because once they have this certification, and a problem arises, they know it’s the tenant’s fault.”

For those who do not register the board will locate landlords through complaints from tenants, records from the assessors and collectors office and a list it has of landlords, according to Ethier.

The money generated from the program will be put into a fund capped at $50,000 used to fund Health Department programs. If the fund exceeds $50,000 in a given year, the additional money will go into the town’s general coffers.