Fill out the Request for Tenancy Approval (RTA) form with the owner once he or she has decided to rent to
you. The RTA is the pink form you were given when you received your Voucher.
Signing the RTA does not require either you or the owner to sign a lease
agreement but you will not be able to schedule more than one inspection at
a time.
Prior to your inspection, please check to
make sure the unit is completely ready by carefully going over the Tenant
& Owner Inspection Checklist and Lead Paint Disclosure.
These are the most common
reasons that inspections do not pass:
- All repairs and renovations are have not been completed prior to inspection
- All utilities have not been turned on (gas,
electricity & water)
- Smoke detectors (one per floor) are not installed and working
- All appliances are not in-place* and
working
*If you are supplying the stove or
refrigerator and it is not in-place at the inspection, the inspection will be
marked inconclusive and verification will be required.
Bring the completed RTA, the
Inspection Checklist, the Lead Paint Disclosure, your Voucher, and your valid government-issued
identification to the OHA office at 1540 Webster Street to schedule
an inspection.
Call the owner to let him or
her know the date and time of the inspection. It's a good idea to call again a
couple days before the inspection to make sure the place is ready and the
utilities are on. You and the landlord must be present and on time of the
inspection.
Remember, if the unit does not pass
inspection OHA must re-inspect the unit before the lease & contract can
begin.
When can I move
in?
You can move-in after the unit
passes inspection and OHA's management has approved the rent amount. If the
unit fails inspection, OHA will tell the owner what repairs are needed and will
inspect the unit again after the work is done. NOTE: You should not move-in
until the unit passes inspection and the owner and OHA have agreed on the
rent. If you move-in before it passes inspection you responsible for the
entire rent until the unit is approved.
Will I sign a lease with the owner?
Yes. You will sign a Lease Agreement
(sometimes called a Rental or Tenancy Agreement) with the property owner. The
lease is your legal contract between the tenant and the owner. OHA is not a
party to the lease.
What is
the term of the lease?
The lease term is normally one year.
By signing the lease you are agreeing to stay there and pay rent for one year.
The owner is agreeing to rent to you and not to raise the rent or change the terms
of the agreement for one year. Shorter lease terms (such as 6 months) are
available if you and the owner agree to it and if the shorter term is market
practice.
The Lease Agreement will
automatically become a month-to-month agreement after the initial term (usually
one year). If you and the owner prefer to renew the lease for another one-year
term you can agree to this by signing a new lease and contract for another
year.
Can the owner and I agree to end the
lease early?
HUD regulations permit the PHA to prohibit any elective move by a participant family during the family’s initial lease term. They also permit the PHA to prohibit more than one elective move by a participant family during any 12-month period. However, such prohibitions, if adopted, do not apply when the family or a member of the family is or has been the victim of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault or stalking and the move is needed to protect the health or safety of the family or family member. Exceptions will be considered on a case by case basis for families that submit a valid Mutual Release signed by the owner.