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I worked in property management and dealt with Sec. 8. It's frustrating dealing with them by phone and fax, but I found that showing up at their office, they were happy to help and also gave tips on how to streamline the process. It's like the DMV, the people are over-worked and under-paid, but they're willing to help.
With Sec. 8 tenants, remember that if they violate their lease and get evicted, they can loose their voucher and be kicked off the program. Remind them of that on occasion and they can be the best tenants to have.
I worked in property management and dealt with Sec. 8. It's frustrating dealing with them by phone and fax, but I found that showing up at their office, they were happy to help and also gave tips on how to streamline the process. It's like the DMV, the people are over-worked and under-paid, but they're willing to help.
With Sec. 8 tenants, remember that if they violate their lease and get evicted, they can loose their voucher and be kicked off the program. Remind them of that on occasion and they can be the best tenants to have.
Some section 8 offices are indeed horrible like mine. It got to the point for me where I had to go to the county's free law project just to get them to do their required job. It's so rediculous with my caseworker telling me over the phone to make an appointent to get simple and basic questions answered. I've been calling other section 8 offices around the state when I haave general questions and I suppose that's what they want, for me to go away and not bother them anymore. I get the feeling they're trying to do their best to make me give up and forfeit the voucher altogether.
Yes threat of losing the voucher is a big deal. I ran out of my last place when I was unfairly threatehed with eviction for fear of losing the voucher. The landlord took the easy route of threatening eviction rather than trying to solve the dispute me and a neighbor had which the neighbor completely instigated and carried on. I can't tell you how much I regret making the dceision to leave under those circumstances but yeah threaten eviction and most section 8 people will straighten right out. Also remind them that you're holding their security deposit.
Owners do NOT have to participate in the Section 8 program. It is their decision. There is so much garbage and paperwork involved, it's not worth it. Not to mention the annual inspections and if you fail over some silly a## item, you go in abatement and you'll never be able to collect.
Been there, done that. Never again.
I agree with you here, it is a matter of choice if a Landlord chooses to rent to a section 8 receipient. Some (landlords) do find the extra paperwork, inspections, and third party involvement to be a bit much. While others choose not to participate in the program based on prior negative experiences. It is indeed illegal to discriminate if a person has a voucher. A good tenant will care your place regardless of subsidy. My strongest recommendation would be, to do proper screening of prospective tenants. Also keeping up with any repairs to the property can make the annual inspection process go smoothly. On a more positive note, monthly rent payments are usually made by the government on time, either by check or direct deposit.
I like to think I'm a good landlord, too. My places are always in great condition when a new tenant moves in, because I make sure that they are. If something breaks or needs repair, I'm on it the same day for critical things (toilets, AC, heat, etc) and no later than the first weekday if it's something non-critical.
But, I also don't allow my places to be abused. If you're trashing the property, you're out. If you don't pay your rent, you're out -- I'm not a charity, this is my livelihood that I've worked hard for, and every month that tenant doesn't pay me is income out of my pocket. I've had some really great tenants, and I've had some that were really terrible ones. The ones that are great, a good landlord will bend over backwards to keep them. I know I do.
Being someone that in the last couple of years had to start using the voucher program to afford housing due to disabilities. How does one deal with the property management team that can't keep their records straight and are constantly putting intent to evict notices on your door for failure to pay rent when you pay the rent on time every single month?
New management took over the complex that I reside at and I'm constantly having to call section 8, who in turn tells me their records show they paid the landlord. I've been at the same residence going on two years, but for the last 6 months or so, I get these notices when the property management fails to keep their records in order. I know for a fact that other tenants, (non section 8 tenants) have similar issues with getting notices. This is so frustrating since I know when I go to look for housing elsewhere, this landlord may end up giving me a bad history rating when in all of my years renting housing, I've always had a great rental record.
Let me also share that I'm not just crying foul just to bash them, these people have put notices on my door with my apt number, wrong tenant name, wrong monthly rental amount, or any other combination each time I get one of these notices. Some times they say its an error or sometimes they say they will get back to you once they look over the records and of course they never do, but you can count on getting another notice just a few days after you've paid your rent. I'm at the end of my rope on this matter. And yes I'm going to move when my lease is up, but I'm affraid about the reference I'm going to receive due to their incompetence.
I just want to add, that I do appreciate all the and understand the frustrations of the landlords that have to deal with bad tenants and the hoops that section 8 makes them jump through. I just wish some landlords would understand its not always the tenants.
It would drive me nuts to receive 3-day notices and then have to defend myself when I've paid my rent on time... I can only imagine the liability exposure by repeatedly making the same error over and over again. However you pay... document it!
I don't understand why mgmt would bother you when mgmt has entered into a signed contract with the Housing Authority regarding that portion of each month's rent?
That being said, and this is NO excuse for the management's incompetence, record keeping is more important then ever when dealing with Housing Assistance Payment Contracts.
My most recent Section 8 example took 6 weeks and many calls and 1 visit to the Housing Authority to resolve.
December's Housing Payment check arrived for a zero dollar amount. Reason given: Tenant vacating... the problem is my tenant did NOT vacate and has no intention of vacating and has been an excellent tenant for the 8 years she's been renting from me.
Another Section 8 tenant with the same first and last name as my tenant moved to another city and the Housing Authority cancelled my tenant in error... what a mess to straighten out.
I was without rent for 2 months and HUD also did not pay the rent for another tenant to recover an "Overpayment" The overpayment was again related to the HUD's name mix-up.
Never once, did the thought ever enter my mind to make my two tenant's responsible for the Housing Authority's error.
I can completely understand why many owners want nothing to do with Section 8.
Last edited by Ultrarunner; 01-07-2008 at 09:25 PM..
[quote=Ultrarunner;2448592]It would drive me nuts to receive 3-day notices and then have to defend myself when I've paid my rent on time... I can only imagine the liability exposure by repeatedly making the same error over and over again. However you pay... document it!
I do have documentation. I usually pay via my checking account using my bank card. On occassion their bank machine hasn't worked so I had to go get a money order, but then later they told me I could pay by check as well. So since receiving these notices, I have only paid by bank card or check.
I just don't get their carelessness and the fact that they take no responsibility for the constant undue stress this causes me every month. Their compeletly unapologetic and insulting to boot. When I told them I pay my portion of the rent on time every month, the response I received, was "Well you don't have to pay that much".
And I do understand your feelings about why some landlords opt not to have to deal with section 8. I myself am looking for options to someday opt out of the section 8 program because it too has its share of incompetencies.
Being someone that in the last couple of years had to start using the voucher program to afford housing due to disabilities. How does one deal with the property management team that can't keep their records straight and are constantly putting intent to evict notices on your door for failure to pay rent when you pay the rent on time every single month?
New management took over the complex that I reside at and I'm constantly having to call section 8, who in turn tells me their records show they paid the landlord. I've been at the same residence going on two years, but for the last 6 months or so, I get these notices when the property management fails to keep their records in order. I know for a fact that other tenants, (non section 8 tenants) have similar issues with getting notices. This is so frustrating since I know when I go to look for housing elsewhere, this landlord may end up giving me a bad history rating when in all of my years renting housing, I've always had a great rental record.
Let me also share that I'm not just crying foul just to bash them, these people have put notices on my door with my apt number, wrong tenant name, wrong monthly rental amount, or any other combination each time I get one of these notices. Some times they say its an error or sometimes they say they will get back to you once they look over the records and of course they never do, but you can count on getting another notice just a few days after you've paid your rent. I'm at the end of my rope on this matter. And yes I'm going to move when my lease is up, but I'm affraid about the reference I'm going to receive due to their incompetence.
I just want to add, that I do appreciate all the and understand the frustrations of the landlords that have to deal with bad tenants and the hoops that section 8 makes them jump through. I just wish some landlords would understand its not always the tenants.
Just make sure you know exactly what your portion is, and pay it. You cannot be evicted for Sec. 8 failing to pay their portion, no matter how a landlord threatens you. Most often, if Sec. 8 hasn't payed the landlord, it's because the landlord failed to do something... and it sounds like your landlord is prone to that.
Pay your portion, that's what you're obligated for, and let them figure out the rest.
Just make sure you know exactly what your portion is, and pay it. You cannot be evicted for Sec. 8 failing to pay their portion, no matter how a landlord threatens you. Most often, if Sec. 8 hasn't payed the landlord, it's because the landlord failed to do something... and it sounds like your landlord is prone to that.
Pay your portion, that's what you're obligated for, and let them figure out the rest.
As I said before, I pay my rent (the amount required of me,) every month on time. I'm not in fear of being evicted, I realize the landlord has no grounds to evict me. I'm more affraid of how my rental history is going to be affected because of this new company that took over not being able to manage their records thus in the future when I seek new housing them giving me an unfair score based on thier own inability to calculate when payments have been received from section 8.
I may have some issues in other areas of my life, but I have always paid my rent, received my deposits back upon moving out and had favorable references from past landlords. I'm very fearful that this landlord is going to ruin chances of my finding a nice safe place to move to in the future. That is my biggest fear at this time.
Even though it takes some effort, I've kept on section 8's case, spoken with case workers as well as gone over their heads to speak with supervisors and they continue to tell me their records indicate they are up to date on paying the landlord. And of course section 8 isn't much help when I ask if they can supply me with some sort of record to provide to landlord to clear the matter up.
My lease is up the end of Feb and hopefully, I will be done with most of this nonsense soon. I'm just hoping my next landlord and I will have a better communicative relationship. Maybe leaving Florida might be my best option.
PS.... There's some drama I did leave out of on this situation when it first started.
When I received the first notice and I contacted section 8, calls were flying back and forth and someone in property office told my section 8 case worker I didn't pay my rent, then my section 8 case worker accused me of not paying my rent and said if I didn't clear the matter up, I would be kicked off the program. I went back to the property management office armed with all my reciepts to confront them, but when I got there, they claimed they never told section 8 that I hadn't paid my rent. This is when I called in the supervisors at the sec 8 offices and they pulled up records, everyone pulled up records. And finally everything seemed cleared up. All payments on all ends well validated as being fully paid and up to date, that was until the following month I started receiving those intent to evict notices again. So the saga continues because each month the property management team just can't seem to keep their records straight.
Oh and that section 8 case worker was taken off my case, I'm not sure if it was becase she jump the gun by taking whomever she spoke with in the rental office's word and accusing me of not paying my rent, without even verifying my info as to my reciepts proving my payments were up to date and on time or what, I just know she was removed from my case. Thank goodness for due process.
When you go into the office to give your notice to vacate (which you may have done already), ask whoever is in charge if you can review your file to clear up the notices on record. If they were given in error, maybe they will remove them from your file.
There might not even be any record of the false infractions, but be nice, respect their time, and see what they can do. Be respectful, they are not obligated to do this.
Rental offices are busy and keeping up with Sec. 8 and other government programs can be difficult.
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