Are you a landlord looking to rent out your property to Section 8 tenants? If you haven’t considered accepting housing vouchers, you should know that there are benefits to participating in the program.
In addition to helping with the lack of affordable housing in New Orleans, there is also…
- Guaranteed Rent: Section 8 vouchers provide landlords with a reliable source of income because the payments are made by the government.
- Low Vacancy Rates: Section 8 voucher holders tend to stay longer than non-voucher tenants, which reduces turnover rates and allows landlords to maximize their rental income.
Once you’ve made the decision to accept vouchers, preparing your property for a Section 8 inspection is an important step in the process. Doing so can help ensure that your application is approved and that the new tenants will have a comfortable, safe place to call home. When the inspector visits your property, they will come armed with a checklist of items that the house must pass in order to be accepted into the program.
Common improvements or repairs that landlords should take to prepare their properties for a Section 8 inspection
- Ensure all appliances are in working order.
- Check the plumbing to confirm it is functioning properly.
- Check for any safety hazards or code violations that need to be remedied.
- Make sure the exterior of the property is in good condition and free from damage, such as broken windows or missing shingles.
- Ensure any necessary structural repairs have been made and that there are no areas of obvious damage or decay throughout the property.
- All stairs and raised porches must have handrails.
- No peeling or flaking paint is allowed (interior and exterior)
- Kitchens must have a stove with an oven, a refrigerator, a sink, and a space to store, prepare, and serve food.
- Bathrooms must have ventilation.
- Functional smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors are mandatory.
