Landlords

WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR MY UNIT TO BE RENTED?

The unit must meet HUD Housing Quality Standards (HQS) and the rent must be acceptable within HUD Fair Market Rents and market rate comparable.

HOW DO I MAKE A UNIT AVAILABLE TO VOUCHER HOLDERS?

You may list your unit on the SC housing search website. You may also advertise in the newspaper with the phrase “will accept Section 8”.

WHAT DO I DO WHEN A VOUCHER HOLDER IS INTERESTED IN MY UNIT?

LANDLORD SCREENS TENANTS

You must screen the prospective tenant carefully to insure you are making a good selection. When one of our families contacts you, we can only certify to you their income eligibility for the program. We cannot provide a reference as to their expected behavior as tenants. You may use any or all of the following screening procedures:

*Credit Check *Landlord Reference

*Criminal Check *Home Visits

We encourage all of the above screening methods as long as you do not discriminate. Discrimination includes any tenant selection based on race, color, religion, ancestry, sex, country of birth, handicap, or family status. The prohibition against discrimination based on family status makes it illegal, in most circumstances, to refuse to allow children to live in a residential unit.

REQUEST FOR TENANCY APPROVAL

When you have selected a tenant, he/she will have a “Request for Tenancy Approval” form for you to complete. When the tenant submits the form to our office, a housing representative will contact you to schedule an inspection.

INSPECTION

The unit will be inspected to insure that it meets HUD Housing Quality Standards (HQS).

LEASE AND CONTRACT

After the unit passes inspection and the rent has been approved, the landlord and tenant enter into a lease for an initial term of one year. The Housing Authority and the landlord sign a Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) contract through which the rent is assisted on behalf of the tenant.


**LANDLORD RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES**

*Maintain your property in good condition.

*Enforce tenant obligations under the lease.

*Set reasonable rules about use of unit and common areas.

*Comply with equal opportunity requirements.

*Do not enter unit without tenant’s permission and proper

notice except for emergencies.

*Comply with terms and conditions of lease and HAP contract.

*Take action through Magistrate’s Court to evict when tenant violates the lease.