Introduction
Every apartment rented to a tenant with a housing subsidy must be inspected prior to lease-up. The Way Finders Inspection Department inspects apartments rented to federal Section 8 recipients. For MRVP certificate holders, the Health Inspector in the town where the apartment is located is responsible for the inspection.
Each party – the property owner, the tenant and Way Finders staff – have responsibilities in this process.
Owner Responsibilities
- Ensure that the unit is ready for inspection. Apartments should be properly turned over between tenants and any repairs completed prior to the first inspection. Failure to do so may result in the cancellation of the inspection.
- Maintain the unit in compliance with HUD’s Housing Quality Standards (HQS): A unit must be in compliance for the Way Finders Contract to begin or continue. For new tenancies, failure to bring the unit into compliance within thirty (30) days of the first scheduled inspection will result in Way Finders’ rejection of the Request for Tenancy Approval (RFTA). After the initial lease-up, inspections will be conducted at least annually as well as in response to tenant or owner complaints or for audit purposes.
- Accomplish required repairs promptly: A determination that a unit under Contract has been out of compliance for more than thirty days will result in the withholding of subsidy payments. Existing conditions that pose an immediate threat to the occupants, if not corrected within 24 hours, will also result in the withholding of subsidy payments. Prolonged noncompliance will result in contract termination and in an unrecoverable abatement of 25% to 100%. NOTE: Subsidy payments will not be withheld from owners due to tenant caused violations.
- Cooperate with Way Finders during the inspection process: Inspectors must have access to all common areas and the basement.
Tenant Responsibilities
- Maintain the unit in safe and sanitary condition.
- Be responsible for tenant (including guest) caused damage beyond normal wear and tear to the unit. A family can be terminated from the program for failure to properly maintain the unit or for failure to correct tenant (including guest) caused HQS violations (i.e. damage beyond normal wear and tear).
- Inform the owner/agent promptly when repairs are needed.
- Cooperate with Way Finders in the completion of all inspections.
Inspector Responsibilities
Inspectors are responsible to inspect each unit objectively and fairly without regard to personal preferences. They should also:
- Identify conditions that present immediate threat to the health and safety of the occupants.
- Identify non-life threatening conditions and allow adequate time for repairs, usually 30 days.
- Identify conditions that may be a violation of Family Obligations (tenant caused violations).
- Identify and report instances of possible fraud or program abuse by Owner or Family.
- Hold and abate payment to owners who do not complete repairs in the allotted time.
NOTE: Regardless of which agency completes an inspection, it is the Property Owner’s responsibility to maintain the property with all applicable state and local codes and a tenant’s right to request an inspection by the local Code Enforcement Agency.
Questions? Contact our Rental Assistance Department:
Email: landlorservices@wayfinders.org
Phone: 413-233-1500
Please understand that we receive hundreds of calls and emails every week, and we will get back to you as soon as we can.