Inspections For Section 8 Participants
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What are Housing Quality Standards Inspections?
OHA inspects Section 8 units before the lease begins and once a year while the Section 8 tenant lives on the property.
OHA's inspection standards, called Housing Quality Standards (HQS), are basic health and safety standards that are different from housing or building codes. How do I set up a move-in inspection?
Please be on time for your inspection. Remember, if the unit does not pass inspection OHA must re-inspect the unit before the lease & contract can begin. You can move-in after the unit passes inspection and OHA's management has approved the rent amount. If the unit fails inspection, OHA will tell the owner what repairs are needed and will inspect the unit again after the work is done. Remember that you will need to pay the owner the security deposit and your part of the first month's rent before you move-in. NOTE: You should not move-in until the unit passes inspection and the owner and OHA have agreed on the rent. If you move-in before it passes inspection you will have to pay all of the rent until the unit is approved.
Will I sign a lease with the owner?
Yes. You will sign a Lease Agreement (sometimes called a Rental or Tenancy Agreement) with the property owner. The Agreement may be an OHA form or the property owner's form. The lease is your legal contract with the owner so make sure you read it carefully and understand what you are agreeing to. Always ask questions if you don't understand or if you have concerns.
What is the term of the lease?
The lease term is normally for one year. By signing the lease you are agreeing to stay there and pay rent for one year. The owner is agreeing to rent to you and not to raise the rent or change the terms of the agreement for one year. Shorter lease terms (such as 6 months) are available if you and the owner agree to it and if the shorter term is market practice.
The Lease Agreement will automatically become a month-to-month agreement after the initial term (usually one year). If you and the owner prefer to renew the lease for another one-year term you can agree to this by signing a new lease and contract for another year.
Can the owner and I agree to end the lease early?
Your lease is your legal agreement with the owner. If you do not abide by the terms of the lease you could be evicted and you could also lose your Section 8 Voucher.
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Fill out the Request for Lease Approval (RLA) form with the owner once he or she has decided to rent to you. The RLA is the pink form you were given when you received your Voucher. Signing the RLA does not require either you or the owner to sign a lease agreement but you will not be able to schedule more than one inspection at a time.
Check to make sure the unit is completely ready by carefully going over the 
Bring the RLA, the Inspection Checklist, your Voucher, and your valid government-issued identification to the OHA office at 1805 Harrison St. to schedule an inspection.
Call the owner to let him or her know when the inspection will be. It's a good idea to call again a couple days before the inspection to make sure the place is ready and the utilities are on.