Landlord & Tenant Responsibilities

Your obligations to the tenant should be included in their lease. You must also maintain the unit and your property so that they pass KCHA's inspection process. In addition, you need to:

• Decide which utilities will be included in the rent and which utilities the tenant will pay.
• Make sure that only family members listed on the lease live in the unit.
• Make sure that the family does not own the unit.
• Enforce all tenant obligations listed on the lease.
• Make sure that the total rent for any Section 8 unit is not greater than rents charged for similar units on the property.

You must not:

• Live in the unit.
• Receive any payment other than tenant rent and payments from KCHA while under contract.
• Commit any crime related to federal housing programs.
• Be related to the tenant or their family. (KCHA makes some exceptions for disabled tenants with an approved reasonable accommodation. Contact the tenant's senior housing specialist to learn more.)

The Housing Assistance Payments contract lists your full responsibilities to KCHA.

Tenant Responsibilities

Like any renter, you should list a Section 8 tenant's obligations to you in the lease. This includes the timely payment of rent and utilities. Section 8 tenants must use your unit as their primary home. In addition, no family member may:

• Sublease the unit or live with people not on the lease.
• Damage the unit or property, except for normal wear and tear.
• Let guests damage the unit or property.
• Commit serious or repeated lease violations.
• Commit any crime related to federal housing programs.
• Own or have any interest in the unit. (This does not apply if a family member is part of a cooperative or owns a manufactured home sitting on a leased space.)

Tenants also have obligations to KCHA. Tenants must:

• Notify KCHA in writing when they will live away from the unit for an extended time.
• Notify both you and KCHA in writing before moving out of the unit or ending the lease.
• Let KCHA inspect the unit at reasonable times, after reasonable notice.
• Request KCHA's written approval before allowing additional family members to live in the unit.
• Give KCHA a copy of any eviction notice.

The tenant's Section 8 voucher (PDF) includes their full list of responsibilities.