Tallinn to Crack Down on Owners of Neglected Buildings
Published: 27.01.2012 12:00
A fireman's headache: neglected buildings in the city center are a constant fire hazard for the neighbors
( Photo: Postimees/Scanpix )
The Chairman of Tallinn City Council Toomas Vitsut submitted draft legislation to increase the fines imposed on the owners of dangerous buildings.
According to the explanatory memorandum that accompanied the draft legislation, the current maximum fine of 1,200 euros for persons and 32,000 euros for legal entities, is too low to motivate owners to maintain their properties in good condition.
"In the Tallinn city center alone, there are many neglected and dangerous properties whose owners cannot be reprimanded, because the maximum possible fine is extremely low. There have even been cases in which the owner of the property wanted to pay the fine for the next five years ahead in order to be left alone,“ said Vitsut, explaining the rationale behind the draft legislation submitted to the City Council.
The draft legislation contains proposals for the government to amend the Building Act and the Penal Code in such a way as to increase the property owner's responsibility and to raise the maximum fine to 50,000 euros for persons and 100,000 euros for legal entities.
"These would be the highest fine rates that are to be applied when more lenient measures such as precepts and warnings have had no effect and the infringement continues,“ Vitsut said .
"However, it is also clear that in order for the fine to motivate owners, it should not be too high compared to the cost of fixing the property. In addition, the monetary, cultural, and historical value of the real estate in the Tallinn city center is so high that increasing the maximum fine is entirely justified.“
According to the draft legislation, the proposed amendments would come into effect in January, 2013.
In 2011, the Tallinn Central District administration issued 26 precepts citing infringements of property maintenance rules and 24 precepts citing infringement of the property condition rules. The municipal police force imposed 9 fines totaling 1,340 euros for failure to perform obligations and 23 fines totaling 6,847 euros for violations of the rules concerning the maintenance of neglected buildings, including those in danger of collapse.
Sigrid Maasen