Ok, so the stringer in the attached photo passes the “minimum 5-inches wide” requirement, but surely this can’t be right. I’ve checked the books and mired through the internet and don’t see where stringer repairs are mentioned. Surely this can’t be right. There’s some decay noted on other portions of the stringer, but surely this can’t be right.
I would have cut a new stringer, Anthony, especially with decay/rot in other portions of that stringer.
Looks like something fell and damaged the middle stringer. What you see is how they “fixed it” to sell the house. The proper way would have been to sister or replace the middle stringer with a new one. How wide was the stairs?
Someone went to the trouble to preplace the treads and couldn’t be troubled with a stringer in the throes of death! Write it up! Definitely a defect.
Oh, it’s definitely a write up. I was looking for something to base it on other than “it looks bad”. I’ve had this problem before where I wanted to back up my opinion with a resource, it’s the educator in me. I can definitely word it to express my concerns I just thought there might be a standard I’d overlooked somewhere. Thanks guys.
Not repaired to best practices
With additional decay/rot and insufficient connectors on the same stinger that was repaired, the structural integrity of that stringer was not corrected.
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It cant be, and stop calling me Surely
Just another crappy bandaid. The stringer should have been replaced.
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Happy home oner repair, And proud of it, It was his first time using tools, 
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Weekend warriors lol. They were replacing old treads and broke those steps off. Don’t ask how I know, lol 40 some years ago.Probably not skilled enough to cut new stringers. Needs replaced
I’d call it a “poor quality repair performed by those lacking adequate skills”.
With the treads removed it would have been easy for a real carpenter to replace the stringer.
As long as the remaining stringer has adequate residual strength its not dangerous, since the treads seem to be supported. But it’s ugly and amateur.
Most of the time you guys are quick to point out that it isn’t our place to comment about something being ugly or not the way you’d do it or not the way a “professional” would have done it. Rather, you are quick to remind us that if it is performing it’s stated purpose and is safe and sound, then what is there to write up? Yes, I see an ugly, non-standard repair… but is it working and safe? Then at most shouldn’t we just say, “Non-standard repair on deck stairs appears to be safe and secure and adequately holding steps/treads in place.” At least let them know you’ve looked at the non-standard repair and tell them whether you think it is adequate or if it is not adequate than why.
I’ll bet we all have done things that were non-standard repairs cause we didn’t want to take the time to take it all apart to do it properly, or to hire someone to do it cause we lack those skills. And we’ve all been there, when you do try to fix it right, you often end up with a much bigger mess then you initially had and you end up with an even bigger non-standard repair. Shouldn’t we always comment on what we see, not what you/someone would have done or should have done or could have done? I’m still relatively inexperienced, and I get a lot of valuable info from you guys on these forums. I learned that from you guys, I’m just trying to remind you what I’ve learned from you all. And I appreciate all your valuable lessons and feedback. Thanks.
There is no rule written in stone. With time, you will see that the approach differs with each inspector. Ask yourself… if you were the buyer, what would you want to know about it. That’s what you should put in the report 
Your client is paying you for this info. Understand if you say nothing, most home buyers will assume that’s how it should be, that it’s a proper repair, if they recognize it as a repair to begin with.
Look closely at the bottom of the stringer in photo 2. At least 2 steps on that stringer have a crack in the same place that the stringer “broke” and the sloppy repair was made. Do you pass cracked structural pieces of decks? It’s worth looking at again and calling out cracking in all the stringers.