Testing for radon
The only way to know whether your rental property has radon at unhealthy levels is to conduct short-term and/or long-term radon testing. Fortunately, radon tests are inexpensive and easy to use. The quickest way to test for radon is with a short-term test, which remains in your home anywhere from 2 to 90 days, depending on the device. Long-term tests remain in your home for more than 90 days. Because radon levels tend to vary from day to day and season to season, a long-term test is more likely to tell you your home’s year- round average radon level than a short-term test.
You have two choices when testing for radon:
Do it yourself. The do-it-yourself radon test kits are available in hardware stores, and some laboratories provide kits through mail order. Make sure you get one that meets EPA standards or your state’s requirements — the test kit usually says so on the package. The price of a simple short-term radon test kit starts at about $10 (or about $20 for a long-term kit) and includes the cost of having a laboratory analyze the test. Discounted radon test kits are available from the National Safety Council by calling 800-767-7236.
Hire a professional. For information on the detection and removal of radon, you can contact the EPA National Radon Hotline by calling 800-767-7236 or by visiting the EPA Web site at www.epa.gov/radon.
This Web site has contacts for state agencies that regulate radon, plus information on finding a qualified radon reduction provider.
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If your tests reveal radon in one particular unit of an apartment building, have all the other units tested immediately and notify all other tenants in the building of the problem promptly. Remember that even if your radon test shows low radon levels in one unit, there may be high levels in other parts of the building.
Repairing a radon problem
Fixing a radon problem usually involves repairs to the building. Therefore, you as the building owner, not your tenant, are responsible for having this work done. If your rental property has high radon levels, you can take steps to see that the problem is fixed by installing equipment, such as fans, blow- ers, and ducts, to reduce radon gas levels. The EPA advises that radon reduc- tion costs between $800 and $2,500 for a single-family home with an average cost of $1,200. For a larger rental property, the costs depend on the size and other characteristics of the building.
Radon reduction work generally requires a trained professional. To find out which radon reduction system is right for a building and how much those repairs will cost, consult a professional radon contractor. The EPA and many states have programs set up to train or certify radon professionals. Look online for your state radon office, because it can provide a list of individuals who have completed state or federal programs. It can also provide a list of EPA-approved radon mitigators, or reduction specialists, in your state.
Sexual offenders
Virtually every state has a version of Megan’s Law, legislation which requires certain convicted sexual offenders to register with local law enforcement.
The local law enforcement then maintains a database on the whereabouts of the registered sex offenders, and it often makes this information available to the public.
Megan’s Law is named after 7-year-old Megan Nicole Kanka of Hamilton Township, New Jersey, who was raped and murdered in the summer of 1994 by a convicted child molester who was living in her neighborhood without her parents’ knowledge. Less than 90 days after Megan’s abduction, New Jersey passed Megan’s Law, which required making information about the presence of convicted sex offenders in local neighborhoods available to the public.
In 1996, a federal version of this crime prevention law was passed, requir- ing the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to keep a national database of all persons convicted of sexual offenses against minors and violent sexual offenses against anyone. Prison officials are required to inform convicted sex offenders of their legal obligation to register with state law enforcement authorities. The state agencies are required to inform local law enforcement and the FBI as to the registered addresses for each convicted sex offender.
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Local law enforcement authorities are then permitted to release the collected information as necessary to protect the public, but active community
notification isn’t mandatory.
Unfortunately, states aren’t very consistent in their efforts to maintain and make this database available. The federal law allows each state to decide how to use and distribute the database information. The three options are:
Widespread notification with easy access: This option allows notifica- tion to the public, including methods such as posting the names and addresses on the Internet or on a CD-ROM.
Selective notification with limited access: This alternative allows notification only to those groups most at risk, such as schools and daycare centers.
Restricted notification with narrow access: This option allows access only for a particular name or address.
Although registration is mandatory, often the addresses provided aren’t verified, or the convicted sex offender may move and fail to reregister at his new address. Also, the accuracy of this database can vary widely based on the age of the information.
Some states require property owners or managers to provide a disclosure statement to each tenant advising her of the availability of the Megan’s Law database. Whether you’re required by state law to give your tenant a Megan’s Law disclosure, if you’re ever asked by a prospective renter about Megan’s Law, be sure to refer her to local law enforcement authorities and make a written and dated note of the conversation for your files. For specific infor- mation on the requirements of Megan’s Law in your state, call your local law enforcement agency, contact the Parents for Megan’s Law (PFML) hotline at 888-ASK-PFML (888-275-7365), or check www.parentsformeganslaw.com.
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