Fillable Printable Free Housing Inspections Report Forms
Fillable Printable Free Housing Inspections Report Forms
Free Housing Inspections Report Forms
HOUSING INSPECTIONS
October 2013
Over the past seven (7) years the number of Supported Living homes has increased
from 1,394 sites on June 30, 2005 to 1,843 sites on June 30, 2012. Even though we
have increased the number of Supported Living homes by 449 or 24%, we have not
increased the resources for completing housing inspections. In fact, we have
decreased the number of counties in the Kingsport Housing Authority contract to
keep them within their required yearly budget. Consequently, we are becoming
increasingly dependent upon agencies to be considerate of the DIDD Housing
Inspection resources. Your staff time and your agency’s resources are valuable as
well!!! Here are some ideas to make better use of your time and the time of your
staff.
Requests for an inspection are to be made at least 7-business days prior to the
planned move in of a person. Fax or email the attached form to 615-532-9940 or
Betty.[email protected]. After you submit a request you may also want to contact the
Housing Inspector assigned to your agency to give them a heads up that you have a
property to inspect. That way there will be two sets of eyes on your request and
unexpected delays will be more likely to be avoided. True emergencies can be
accommodated, but keep in mind that there are only two (2) inspectors for the entire
state! Failure to plan is not an emergency!
Most frequent reasons for a site failure:
1. At least one working outlet or one working permanently installed ceiling or
wall light fixture.
2. All outlets within 6’ of a water source must have GFCI.
3. All permanently installed ceiling or all light fixtures have covers if they were
designed to have covers. (CFL [compact florescent lamp] bulbs do not
require a cover due to lack of heat produced by these bulbs)
4. The floor is sound and free from hazardous defects, holes, bulges, soft
spot or trip hazards
5. Carbon monoxide detector for homes that have natural gas service
6. Windows are made to open and will stay open without a prop. Windows
are free from breaks and cracks.
7. Emergency evacuation plan
8. Temperature pressure relief valve with a ¾” overflow pipe. (Water heater)
All of these items (with the exception of #4) have been on the list of “most frequent
reasons why a unit fails the housing inspection” since we began doing inspections in
2004. Most are an easy fix. Please pay special attention to these items at you pre-
inspect homes you are considering leasing.
BEFORE THE INSPECTION:
How to prepare for an inspection:
Use the Housing Inspection Check List used by the state inspectors (along
with all required forms for inspections or discontinuation of a site code) is
available on the DIDD web site; www.tn.gov/didd. This list contains the
minimum requirements and should not be construed as “best practice” for
housing conditions.
The Housing Inspection Check List has a number of items marked with a
double asterisk (**). Any one of those items that is listed as a deficiency is an
automatic “fail”. These are critical safety issues and should be addressed
immediately.
The Housing Inspection Check List is relatively short compared with the 2,000
page Life Safety Code book. As always, if you have any questions please call
or email the Housing Inspector assigned to your agency. If you haven’t
already, develop a good working relationship with the person that inspects
your homes.
Our Housing Inspectors continue to report that agencies that have their
maintenance personnel or agency Program Managers pre-inspect homes
have a much higher rate of passing during the initial inspection than those that
are not pre-inspected by someone knowledgeable about maintenance issues
and/or rental property.
Pre-rental criteria: have some “standards” that will be applied to what you will
and will not rent. This applies to the general condition of the home as well as
the ability of the home to meet any specific adaptive needs for the person(s) that
will be residing there.
Initial inspections require the electricity, gas, and water to be on (check outlets,
etc.)
Have an evacuation plan ready for the property (can use copy of apartment
complex brochure with floor plan)
You might want to consider carrying the following items with you for housing
inspections:
1. 9-volt batteries for smoke and CO detectors
2. Spare, battery operated smoke and carbon monoxide detectors (for
properties not yet occupied)
3. Fire extinguisher (for properties not yet occupied)
4. Extra switch and outlet plates/screws
5. CFL (compact florescent lamps) bulbs
6. Paper and pencil to draw evacuation plans
How to coordinate with landlords for needed repairs
What repairs “belong” to the landlord and which ones do not? Know your
lease agreement! Landlords will typically not repair items that are damaged
due to “Tennant Neglect”. Many leases consider failure to report
maintenance needs (water leak) as neglect and therefore the responsibility
of the tenant.
Negotiate with landlords about who will pay for/complete pre-occupancy
repairs, i.e., offer to purchase the GFCIs and ask that the landlord’s
maintenance install them.
Most landlords will be reasonable if you are, too. Cultivate a relationship of
cooperation with landlords. This should be a mutually beneficial
relationship. If you take good care of the landlord’s property the landlord
will usually take good care of you and your needs!
Make sure that something that is reported to be fixed is really fixed! Our
Housing Inspectors continue to report that frequently they will return to a
property for a re-inspection and find that a repair was not made or made but
did not “fix” the problem.
Transitions:
If you are the receiving agency of a property previously managed by another
agency please check with the Transition Office for your region or with Betty
Chester at the Central Office as to the status of the housing inspection before
actually transferring this property. The property must have a current “passed”
inspection to be eligible to receive a site code for your agency.
Site codes do not transfer from one agency to another – they are agency
specific.
Due to a lack of Housing Inspector resources we are only able to complete
inspections every 24-30 months even if the property changes agencies.
If the agency is closing/vacating a home or a person and their home are transitioning
to another agency, the agency must submit a “Supported Living Homes Closure or
Change to New Agency” form to Betty[email protected] Ms. Chester will forward this
on to Fiscal Services (form available on the DIDD web site).
Follow Up Inspections:
Due to limited resources follow-up housing inspections will typically occur 24-30
months after the initial (from the first “passed” inspection) inspection.
It is the expectation that every issue listed as “failed” on the housing inspection
checklist be resolved within 30-days of the inspection. However, only the double
asterisked issues will actually fail an inspection. If subsequent inspections indicate
a repeat violation of a non-asterisked item your agency will have 7-days to resolve
the issue. Failure to maintain the residences of people supported by DIDD can
result in the funding for that location (and everyone receiving funding at that
location) being interrupted until the repair is corrected.
“Tennant Neglect” issues: Make sure that your DSP support people to be good,
responsible tenants! I.E., mold around tub/toilet, water damage, plumbing
problems caused by articles placed into plumbing, replacing air filters on a regular
basis, etc. Help the people you support to be good tenants by taking good care of
the property they live in and reporting needed repairs before they become a
problem.
Monthly “House Check” maintenance list: make sure that maintenance issues are
addressed timely during the year and they will not become “issues” during follow up
inspections! I suggest that you add the reporting of maintenance issues to your
monthly fire drill form. This would be a simple way of keeping the reporting of
regular maintenance needs a part of the home’s routine.
Process for getting a site code assigned to a new address:
1. Agency contacts Betty Chester (615-532-9988 or Betty[email protected]v) to
request an inspection (form available on DIDD web site).
2. Home is inspected and passes inspection. (Site Code is not issued until
the site passes inspection and you cannot bill without a site code.)
3. Information/report from the Housing Inspector goes to:
a. the agency
b. the Regional Office
The Regional Office forwards a request for site code to the
Central Office (Administrative Services). The turn around time
for assigning a site code is usually about 3-5 working days.
Site codes cannot be dated before the request date (no
retroactive sight codes will be issued).
Note: FMRS residences do not require an inspection
conducted by a Housing Inspector and are simply assigned a
site code by Administrative Services at the Central Office.
Please know if one of these sites “accidentally” gets inspected
and does not pass there will be an expectation that repairs are
made promptly in order to provide a safe living environment for
the person(s) supported.
Kimberly J. Black, State Director of Residential Services
615-770-6820 office
Kimberly[email protected]
Sandra Clamp, Housing Inspector
615-210-4784
Ronnie Taylor, Housing Inspector
615-306-8915
Ronnie.R.Tay[email protected]
Darrell Carr, Kingsport Housing Authority
423-392-2536
