LegalFix

§ 45-43-3. Definitions

MS Code § 45-43-3 (2019) (N/A)
Copy with citation
Copy as parenthetical citation

(a) “Self-closing and self-latching device” means a device that causes a gate to automatically close without human or electrical power after it has been opened and to automatically latch without human or electrical power when the gate closes.

(b) “Doorknob lock” means a lock that is in a doorknob and that is operated from the exterior by a key, card, or combination and from the interior without a key, card, or combination.

(c) “Dwelling” or “rental dwelling” means one or more rooms rented to one or more tenants for use as a permanent residence under a lease. The term does not include a room rented to overnight guests.

(d) “French doors” means double doors, sometimes called double-hinged patio doors, that provide access from a dwelling interior to the exterior and in which each of the two (2) doors are hinged and closable so that the edge of one (1) door closes immediately adjacent to the edge of the other door with no partition between the doors. “French door” means either one (1) of the two (2) doors.

(e) “Keyed dead bolt” means a door lock that is not in the doorknob, that locks by a bolt in the doorjamb, that has a bolt with at least a one-inch throw if installed after July 1, 2012, and that is operated from the exterior by a key, card, or combination and operated from the interior by a knob or lever without a key, card, or combination. The term includes a doorknob lock that contains a bolt with at least a one-inch throw.

(f)

(i) “Keyless bolting device” means a door lock not in the doorknob that locks:

1. With a bolt with a one-inch throw into a strike plate screwed into the portion of the doorjamb surface that faces the edge of the door when the door is closed or into a metal doorjamb that serves as the strike plate, operable only by knob or lever from the door’s interior and not in any manner from the door’s exterior, and that is commonly known as a keyless dead bolt;

2. By a drop bolt system operated by placing a central metal plate over a metal doorjamb restraint which protrudes from the doorjamb and which is affixed to the doorjamb frame by means of three (3) case-hardened screws at least three (3) inches in length. One-half (½) of the central plate must overlap the interior surface of the door and the other one-half (½) of the central plate must overlap the doorjamb when the plate is placed over the doorjamb restraint. The drop bolt system must prevent the door from being opened unless the central plate is lifted off of the doorjamb restraint by a person who is on the interior side of the door; or

3. By a metal bar or metal tube that is placed across the entire interior side of the door and secured in place at each end of the bar or tube by heavy-duty metal screw hooks. The screw hooks must be at least three (3) inches in length and must be screwed into the doorframe stud or wall stud on each side of the door. The bar or tube must be capable of being secured to both of the screw hooks and must be permanently attached in some way to the doorframe stud or wall stud. When secured to the screw hooks, the bar or tube must prevent the door from being opened unless the bar or tube is removed by a person who is on the interior side of the door.

(ii) The term does not include a chain latch, flip latch, surface-mounted slide bolt, mortise door bolt, surface-mounted barrel bolt, surface-mounted swing bar door guard, spring-loaded night latch, foot bolt, or other lock or latch.

(g) “Multiunit rental complex” means two (2) or more dwelling units in one or more buildings that are under common ownership, managed by the same owner, managing agent, or management company, and located on the same lot or tract of land or adjacent lots or tracts of land. The term includes a condominium, cooperative, or townhome project. The term does not include:

(i) A facility primarily renting rooms to overnight guests; or

(ii) A single-family home or adjacent single-family homes that are not part of a condominium, cooperative, or townhome project.

(h) “Pool” means a permanent swimming pool, permanent wading or reflection pool, or permanent hot tub or spa over eighteen (18) inches deep, located at ground level, above ground, below ground, or indoors.

(i) “Pool yard” means an area that contains a pool.

(j) “Pool yard enclosure” or “enclosure” means a fence, wall, or combination of fences, walls, gates, windows, or doors that completely surround a pool.

(k) “Private club” means country club, golf club, tennis club, yacht club, gym or any similar association or organization that provides services or facilities to its members and that is not usually open to the public.

(l) “Property owners association” means an association of property owners for a residential subdivision, a condominium, cooperative or townhome project, or other project involving residential dwellings.

(m) “Sliding-door handle latch” means a latch or lock that is near the handle on a sliding glass door, that is operated with or without a key, and that is designed to prevent the door from being opened.

(n) “Sliding-door pin lock” means a pin or rod that is inserted from the interior side of a sliding glass door at the side opposite the door’s handle and that is designed to prevent the door from being opened or lifted.

(o) “Sliding-door security bar” means a bar or rod that can be placed at the bottom of or across the interior side of the fixed panel of a sliding glass door and that is designed to prevent the sliding panel of the door from being opened.

(p) “Tenant” means a person who is obligated to pay rent or other consideration and who is authorized to occupy a dwelling, to the exclusion of others, under a verbal or written lease or rental agreement.

(q) “Window latch” means a device on a window or window screen that prevents the window or window screen from being opened and that is operated without a key and only from the interior.

LegalFix

Copyright ©2024 LegalFix. All rights reserved. LegalFix is not a law firm, is not licensed to practice law, and does not provide legal advice, services, or representation. The information on this website is an overview of the legal plans you can purchase—or that may be provided by your employer as an employee benefit or by your credit union or other membership group as a membership benefit.

LegalFix provides its members with easy access to affordable legal services through a network of independent law firms. LegalFix, its corporate entity, and its officers, directors, employees, agents, and contractors do not provide legal advice, services, or representation—directly or indirectly.

The articles and information on the site are not legal advice and should not be relied upon—they are for information purposes only. You should become a LegalFix member to get legal services from one of our network law firms.

You should not disclose confidential or potentially incriminating information to LegalFix—you should only communicate such information to your network law firm.

The benefits and legal services described in the LegalFix legal plans are not always available in all states or with all plans. See the legal plan Benefit Overview and the more comprehensive legal plan contract during checkout for coverage details in your state.

Use of this website, the purchase of legal plans, and access to the LegalFix networks of law firms are subject to the LegalFix Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

We have updated our Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Disclosures. By continuing to browse this site, you agree to our Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Disclosures.
§ 45-43-3. Definitions