Posted on October 16, 2014 at 2:01 pm by Dawn Corrigan
Effective with the May 2014 update to our Housing Choice Voucher Program Administrative Plan, the Housing Office has the option to allow landlords to self-certify correction of minor HQS fail items in certain situations. This post offers a brief overview of the self-certification process.
The following items are considered minor HQS fail items that may qualify for self-certification for repair:
| 1. Small holes in walls or ceiling |
12. Cracked or missing outlet plate covers |
| 2. Re-glaze and re-caulk bath tub and/or sink |
13. Anti-tip device on stove |
| 3. Missing or broken door knobs |
14. Non-functioning stove coil |
| 4. Re-hanging closet, cabinet or vanity doors |
15. Missing drip pan(s) on stove |
| 5. Handrails |
16. Weather-stripping |
| 6. Dryer vents |
17. Bolt caps missing on toilet pedestal |
| 7. Faucet handles |
18. Sealing off crawl space |
| 8. Water heater pressure relief valve (overflow pipe) |
19. Pest control/exterminator |
| 9. Water heater wiring connection |
20. Non-primary smoke detectors |
| 10. Furnace filter |
21. Vacuum and steam clean carpet(s) |
| 11. Cracked window |
22. Cords or wires crossing hallway or entry way |
Here’s how it works:
1. If a unit fails an annual inspection with 5 or fewer minor fail items, all of which are found on the list above, then the landlord and tenant will receive an “Annual Failed Inspection – Eligible for Self-Certification of Repairs” notification, detailing the fail items and confirming that the landlord has 30 days to complete and self-certify the repairs.
2. The landlord will complete the repairs and provide documentation to the Pensacola Housing Office. Documentation may consist of receipts for certain services, of photographs showing the repair, or both, depending on what type of fail items appear on the initial fail report.
3. A Pensacola Housing HQS Inspector will review the self-certification documentation provided by the landlord. If the HQS corrections are approved, the inspection will be marked as a pass and the inspection record will be closed. If the corrections are not approved, the inspector will contact the landlord within 2 business days to discuss the disapproved items and what further action is required to return the unit to HQS compliance.
4. If the landlord does not return self-certification documentation with 30 days of the initial failed inspection, the unit will enter an HQS abatement status. Housing Assistance Payments will be abated until the unit returns to HQS compliance. It will be the landlord’s responsibility to contact Pensacola Housing to schedule a reinspection. Failure to do so will result in termination of the HAP contract.
5. Units with self-certified repairs will be included in Pensacola Housing’s Quality Control process. A sampling of these units will be selected for quality control inspections, with proper written notice provided to the landlord and tenant prior to the visit. On occasion, Pensacola Housing may also contact the tenant for independent verification of corrections.
Landlords, please note: The self-certification option is only available for annual inspections during which five or fewer minor fail items are discovered. It is not available for initial (new unit) inspections, or tenant request, owner request, or special request inspections.
We hope this new process will be convenient and user-friendly for our voucher tenants and landlords, while allowing us to uphold Housing Quality Standards throughout assisted units in our community.