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Owner's Do's and Don'ts

Do

  • Perform routine management functions including: screening and selecting tenants, maintaining the property, collecting rent and handling tenant complaints.

  • Comply with all requirements of the Housing Assistance Payment contract.

  • Collect only the amount of rent from the tenant which is specified in the lease and/or HAP contract or any interim Notice of Change amendments to the HAP contract.

  • Notify the IHA Section 8 office immediately if the tenant vacates the unit. Landlords are not eligible to receive payments if the tenant is not living in the unit.

  • Immediately report to the IHA if any utilities are disconnected, whether paid for by the owner or tenant (if known). If a tenant or landlord fails to fulfill their obligation to connect/pay utilities as required by the lease agreement, the subsidy will be stopped or terminated.

  • Notify the Section 8 staff of proposed rent increases 60-days prior to the effective date of the increase and request a rent reasonableness determination.

  • Legally evict bad tenants.

  • Obtain judgments for tenant damages or rent not paid.

Don't

  • Fail to sign-up for Direct Deposit of rent payments.

  • Allow a tenant to move in without IHA written authorization and prior to the signing of Housing Assistance Payment contract.

  • Fail to make HQS repairs within 30 days of the initial inspection date.

  • Fail to make emergency HQS repairs within 24 hours of IHA notification of repairs.

  • Collect additional money from the tenant except for the security deposit and the tenant's portion of the rent.

  • Forget to notify the IHA if the tenant moves out.

  • Fail to notify the IHA if there is a change in management or ownership of the property.