Unit Inspections
All units participating in the Housing Choice Voucher program must be inspected prior to occupancy using Housing Quality Standards (HQS). To review a list of basic standards for an acceptable unit, please click here.
The unit should be ready to move in when the inspector arrives. He/she will cite any repairs needed in accordance with federal regulations. Once the repairs have been made, the landlord should contact the inspector for a re-inspection. The unit must pass inspection prior to the lease date.
Once the unit passes inspection, a PHA Representative will contact you and the prospective tenant to come to the office (100 Broad Street in Providence) to sign the lease and the Housing Choice Voucher (“Section 8” or “HCV”) contract.
Out of State Landlord Requirements
Landlords residing out of the State of Rhode Island are required by law to file paperwork with the Secretary of State’s office to designate a local agent to act on your behalf. Paperwork can be filed in the municipality in which the unit is located.
More Information
For more information about becoming a landlord to a PHA voucher holder, please contact the Office of Leased Housing at 401-709-1600.
Lead Poisoning
RI Law requires that owners of properties built before 1978 disclose information about known and potential lead hazards before the lease of a residential property. To comply with the law, landlords should keep copies of all lead inspection reports and certifications, include a lead disclosure statement in your lease, and provide tenants with copies of the EPA’s Protect Your Family from Lead booklet and document that it has been received and reviewed. Because of this law, the PHA requires a valid Lead Conformance Certificate for any property built before 1978 (unless the property is owner-occupied). Once received, your PHA Representative will schedule a unit inspection.
More information about lead hazards for landlords can be found at the Department of Health.