Current Sec. 8 Questions

Hi
Anyone know the latest status of:

Can I use my own lease conctract?

Who pays security deposit and repairs for damage on move out?

Issues on eviction for lease violation issues (drugs, noise, etc) since most rent payment issues seem to be low.

Thanks!

Comments(11)

  • lildell2nd August, 2003

    you can structure the lease ,and you charge security deposit to the tenant there responsible for damage. hope this helps

  • 2000rock3rd August, 2003

    MattN,

    Re: Section8

    I did it &....I WILL, NEVER AGAIN!!

    They let the tenant trash the house and when they inspect the house (once a year)...YOU have to fix it or they will move the tenant to another Section 8 house.

    They don't give a CRAP about the owner...

    You have no recourse except to put the repairs on their CreditReport when they vacate.


    ...as always,


    GoodInvesting, Rocky

  • erickab12th August, 2003

    Section 8 can be a wonderful program. I know, I was on it. (I am a single mom who could not afford a decent place to live when my husband left me for someone else. He does not pay support and although I have always worked, 2,000 a month does not go very far in Northern CA. Theoretically, I could afford a real getto 2/bd apartment, but why should I squeeze my children into something like that when I can pay a little less for a decent house in an okay neighborhood? It is easier to work out of poverty if you have a goal, my goal is to maintain our standard of living. In the past 2 years I have gone from ending up on every welfare program there is to only needing section 8, and i feel pretty good about that!)

    Now:
    A family can lose their section 8 assistance for trashing a house. As long as the damage was caused by the tenant, and not through the neglect of the landlord, they are responsible for the cost, just like any other tenant.
    Now, should the damage be caused by neglect on your part, yes, they can help the family move. (They do not pay any of the deposits or actual costs, but they can help smooth the way with a new landlord when the old one is trying to be spiteful.)
    The lease for a section 8 rental is actually more restrictive for the family than a normal lease. Cause for eviction can be as simple as not keeping up the yard work, and Section 8 will assist YOU in getting that tenant out. (At my first annual inspection, I was very nervous. I had made sure my house was completely spotless, all traces of habitation were removed. It truely looked like a model home with a lower grade of furnishings. I was afraid of what might be said if there were toys on the floor in the family room... Did you know section 8 can terminate you for a messy house? Anyway, we were dinged on two things: the toilet in the bathroom was not properly anchored and my backyard was not edged. EDGED!! I ran out of weedeater string and it was not finished, but it never occured to me that they would give me a 7 day correction notice! The landlords were given a 30 correction notice on the toilet, and none at all for the stove that only had 2 working burners.)
    The rentor is really treated more harshly than the landlord in a section 8 situation.

  • scrocer123rd September, 2003

    I would hope a section 8 tenant would be kicked off the program for "trashing" the place!
    As I see it, there is only on upside to section 8 and that is consistantly getting your rent check on time. I can list hundreds of disadvantages, I will never rent section 8 again, it cost me thousands of dollars and a lot of time and headaches.
    Not saying there aren't any good section 8 tenants, but the chance of getting a decent one is not very good.
    Further, the section 8 program offers you NO protection if a tenant trashes your property. Sure you can sue, but do you really think you will ever recover any of the damages!?
    And sure, section 8 will terminate their assistance, then after that happens, YOU, the landlord have to file eviction on your own accord.
    I have over 58 pictures of filthiness and destruction caused by a section 8 tenant, if anyone would like to view the photo's let me know and I will PM them to you.

  • MattN23rd September, 2003

    What state are you in or where was this property?

    On 2003-09-23 15:40, scrocer1 wrote:
    I would hope a section 8 tenant would be kicked off the program for "trashing" the place!
    As I see it, there is only on upside to section 8 and that is consistantly getting your rent check on time. I can list hundreds of disadvantages, I will never rent section 8 again, it cost me thousands of dollars and a lot of time and headaches.
    Not saying there aren't any good section 8 tenants, but the chance of getting a decent one is not very good.
    Further, the section 8 program offers you NO protection if a tenant trashes your property. Sure you can sue, but do you really think you will ever recover any of the damages!?
    And sure, section 8 will terminate their assistance, then after that happens, YOU, the landlord have to file eviction on your own accord.
    I have over 58 pictures of filthiness and destruction caused by a section 8 tenant, if anyone would like to view the photo's let me know and I will PM them to you.
    [/quote]

  • scrocer123rd September, 2003

    Maryland
    Many here probably know this, but a lot of people I talk to seem to think that renting section 8 has a lot of advantages such as protection against damage to your property caused by the tenant.. well, this is simply not true. This was my misconception upon deciding to rent section 8 a few years ago. In fact, I can honestly say that the ONLY advantage I see in renting section 8 is getting your rent check on time. I can list hundreds of Disadvantages to the one advantage of the program. When it comes to damages caused by the tenant, section 8 assumes NO responsibility whatsoever. In fact, if section 8 terminates their assistance, you are left to file for eviction on your own accord. And if you do, know that they have FREE legal representation from the legal system because they are the victims here.
    The one PIG tenant I had actually told me that the damages she caused to my property were not her fault because I knew how many kids she had living there and I should have expected it. Things like 5" diameter holes in walls, broken windows, kicked in doors (repeatedly), ripped carpet, drawing on walls, cabinet doors ripped off hinges, broken floor boards and on and on and on....

    Good luck trying to get anything from them if they caused damage to your property beyond the security deposit, like getting blood from a turnip. It's cost me thousands of dollars and hundreds of headaches, and about as many hours of labor. Please beware!

  • caproperties14th October, 2003

    section 8 is ok. you get a little more than market rents, and they are steady tenants. These tenants stay awhile, some as long as 7- 10 yrs. once in awhile you may get a bad apple, but its like that in any business. some of my section 8s are pulling in 30-40% profit after the mortgage is paid. there some tenants that appreciate the program. as for trashing properties, while sometimes its part of the business.

  • 64Ford15th October, 2003

    MattN, What city/county/state are you looking to invest in Section 8?

  • MattN15th October, 2003

    Quote:
    On 2003-10-15 06:50, 64Ford wrote:
    MattN, What city/county/state are you looking to invest in Section 8?


    San Francisco Bay Area, California.

  • rayh7816th October, 2003

    I have 3 local section 8 offices in my area and all are different. In Section 8 offices staffed mostly by minorities they are pro tenant. Any dispute with landlord they will go out of thier way to help tenant even tell them how to stall extend court cases. Others with only a 50% staff of minorities I find 99% fair they are against whoever breaks the lease.
    Depends on the sec 8 office

  • NChotdeals16th October, 2003

    Hi
    Every section 8 office is different. My experience with sect. 8 is yes they did pay the damage deposit but when the tenant left she left a lot of damage. The more you get on sect. 8 the more children are involved so if there are 5 children then you know what's gonna happen. As far as the comments about minorities not being fair in the staff at sect. 8 offices, perhaps because alot of landlords in the minority community are not minorities and not all but many dont take as much care of the properties as they should. I guess they deal with alot of situations and may have reason to act the way they do. Tenants act like you treat them. You treat them with respect and always act professional not like their friend then they will be more responsible. Once you let your guard down then things will turn for the worst. Screen your tenant. Go to their home to see how they live then you will see what your property will look like.

Add Comment

Login To Comment