We rely on citizens to help protect our community by preventing and eliminating health hazards. Here’s a simple guide to our nuisance complaint process:
Determine if the nuisance is health-related.
Check if the condition poses a threat to public health. While an issue may bother you, it may not qualify as a public health nuisance. Visit our Public Health Nuisance Regulations to see if it qualifies as a public health nuisance.
Address concerns with the responsible party.
Attempt to resolve the problem directly by discussing it with the person or entity causing the nuisance. If these efforts fail, you may proceed with filing a complaint.
File a complaint.
Submit it online or in writing. Phone complaints are only accepted in emergencies (e.g., total loss of heat during freezing weather).
Complete the complaint form with property directions and detailed information about the nuisance. Provide your signature, address, and phone number for further communication. Signed complaints receive priority. We will investigate anonymous complaints as time allows.
Complaints are usually handled in the order received with a typical turnaround time of one to two weeks.
Investigation Process
After we receive a complaint, a health inspector will visit the property. Public health officials have the legal authority to inspect the property, even if the situation where “No Trespassing” signs are posted. Unannounced inspections are preferred to assess the conditions accurately. In the case of housing complaints, we may need the person filing the complaint to be present so we can access the home.
The inspector will evaluate the complaint based on their observations and any additional information provided. Hearsay is not evidence, but the inspector will consider all relevant information. If it is determined a complaint is valid, we will share the findings with the person making the complaint (unless it’s an anonymous complaint or no contact information was provided).
Invalid Complaints
If no public health nuisance or regulations violations are found, we will mark the complaint invalid and close the complaint.
Valid Complaints & Correcting Violations
If we identify a public health nuisance or violations, we will take appropriate action to address the issue. First, we will send the property owner a Notice of Violation. This notice requires the property owner to fix the problem by a deadline, depending on the type of nuisance.
Next, we will follow up after the deadline to ensure the issue has been fixed. If fixed, the case will be closed and made public.
If the problem isn’t fixed by the deadline and the property owner isn’t cooperative, we may refer the complaint to the Board of Health. The Board of Health will review all cases referred and may declare a public health nuisance. If the property owner remains uncooperative after the Board of Health declares a public health nuisance, the case may be referred to the Clermont County Prosecuting Attorney for legal action.
