HQS pre-inspection: the items that commonly fail (and how to catch them first)

A failed Housing Quality Standards (HQS) inspection costs you a re-inspection wait, and sometimes weeks of lost rent. Many failures are things a 20-minute pre-walk would have caught. Below are the items that come up again and again in failed inspections — drawn from the standard itself (24 CFR 982.401 and HUD's inspection form HUD-52580), not from a count we have made — grouped the way inspectors look for them.

This is a practical pre-inspection checklist based on the HQS performance requirements. It's not a substitute for your PHA's official form or local variations — treat it as the "what usually fails" list.

Life safety (automatic fails)

• Smoke detectors — one on each level and near sleeping areas, powered and beeping on test. Missing or dead detectors are a common fail, and the easiest one to prevent.
• CO detector where there's gas or an attached garage (many jurisdictions).
• Egress — every bedroom has an operable window or door to outside; nothing painted or nailed shut; security bars have quick release.
• Handrails on stairs with 4+ risers; guardrails on elevated porches/decks.
• Electrical hazards — no exposed wiring, no missing cover plates, no open junction boxes; GFCI near water in newer units.

Kitchen

• Stove/oven and refrigerator present and working (all burners, oven heats, fridge cold).
• Sink with hot and cold running water and a working drain.
• Adequate storage and prep space; no leaks under the sink.

Bathroom

• Flush toilet, sink, tub or shower — all functioning with hot/cold water.
• Ventilation: openable window or working exhaust fan.
• Privacy door that closes.

Interior conditions

• Walls/ceilings free of large holes, severe cracks, peeling paint (pre-1978: any deteriorated paint is a fail — chipping paint on a windowsill will do it).
• Floors sound, no trip hazards, no loose or missing tiles.
• Windows: no broken glass, lock on ground-floor units, screens where required.
• Doors: exterior doors lock; interior doors present.

Building systems

• Heating adequate and safe (no unvented gas heaters, no space heaters as primary heat).
• Water heater with pressure relief valve and discharge line; no rust streaks/leaks.
• Plumbing: no active leaks, no sewer odor.

Exterior & site

• Roof, gutters and foundation without obvious defects; steps and walkways sound.
• No accumulated trash, no infestation evidence.
• Utilities on and in the tenant's or owner's name as required.

How to run the pre-walk

Rate each item Good/Fair/Poor with a photo on anything marginal. Turn every Poor (and any life-safety Fair) into a work order today — those are the ones that fail. Re-walk before the PHA date and keep the completed report in the unit's file; if there's a dispute later, you'll have the dated evidence.

Sitesui includes a Section 8 / HQS pre-inspection template; findings become work orders in one tap.