Contact your local housing authority in your county. Typically there is a listing in the government listings for HUD. They can give you all the information including requirements. Ask lots of questions and see if the program is for you.
Keep in mind that the critical factor is that your property qualify for Section 8. As a landlord, there is paperwork you complete but there may be a long list of repairs in order to pass inspection.
We had a property that passed Section 8 for 7 years (they anually inspect your property). The tenant moved out, we found a new Section 8 tenant BUT she had 3 children older than 6 and one younger. The repair list would not have made it cost effective to accept her. Oddly enough, we called another inspector with the same Section 8 group, he reinspected and passed it with a few minor repairs.
We have found that building GREAT relationships with Section 8 is very, very important. Be there when they inspect. Ask questions. And have your tool belt on to fix as many things as you can while they are there. Have extra smoke detectors in your truck and install them as they point to areas they require them.
Now here is another lesson we learned. When you have your annual inspection your property may pass BUT the tenant may not. The tenant has some responsibilities to correct that may not be your responsibility (in Buffalo, the tenant is responsible for replacing detector batteries NOT the landlord). So, we make sure we understand what the tenant needs to do and make sure they comply ... or just do it for them.
I like Section 8. Our tenants tend to stay a very long time, you get their rent on time and our property is maintained according to their guidelines.
Here utility transfers can be handled over the phone 99% of the time. Our utilities will take a credit card if the clients need to put up a deposit. I agree with your mentor that they are trying to come up with the $ but I think trouble now = more trouble later.
Brenda - Here is that portion of the contract you requested. Contract is from the 25th to the 25th.
2. POSSESSION: Should Management be unable to deliver possession of the Property at the commencement of this Agreement, Management shall not be liable for damages caused thereby, nor shall this agreement be void or voidable, but Resident shall not be liable for any rent until possession is delivered. Resident may terminate this Agreement if possession is not delivered within seven (7) days of the start of the term hereof. As long as premises are habitable, Resident may not unreasonably refuse to occupy.
Proof of transfer of Utilities in residents names before taaking possession.
Quote: 2. POSSESSION: Should Management be unable to deliver possession of the Property at the commencement of this Agreement, Management shall not be liable for damages caused thereby, nor shall this agreement be void or voidable, but Resident shall not be liable for any rent until possession is delivered. Resident may terminate this Agreement if possession is not delivered within seven (7) days of the start of the term hereof. As long as premises are habitable, Resident may not unreasonably refuse to occupy.
Proof of transfer of Utilities in residents names before taaking possession.
What do I think? Not good. You have some specifics if management can not deliever, but what are you specifics for the tenant? What is reasonable and what is unreasonable for occupancy? You idea and the judges might be very different.
I am thinking that you have a valid lease and would not rerent to someone else. Personally, I would probably let some more time go by and then offer to give them a couple of hundred for signing a termination of lease - the alternative is that you evict them when they do not pay the second months rent.
Add to your lease.
Tenant must take possession and occupy of the unit within one week of signing the lease. If tenant does not take possession, all monies paid by tenant to agent will be kept by agent for loss of rent and the cost of remarketing the property. After one week, agent may rerent the unit to another tenant.
In PA we have the freezing pipe problem also, but worse if the tenant was to move in with the utilities in the land lords name, and then not change them over to theirs, the utility company will not turn them off!
Yes I get to pay them until the eviction puts the tenant out.
This is why they must have the utilities in their name before they get the keys.
If you believe that you had a verbal contract then you have to go through eviction court to get rid of him. You can not have your cake and eat it too. Do you property manage your own rental units?
By the way, when we went to court the tenant did tell the judge he did NOT agree to forfeit the deposit. Judges have a way of finding the truth. They ask the same question about 10 different ways and start figuring out the discrepancies.
We have found around here when all else is equal the nod goes to the tenant not the landlord. Tenants are viewed as the "people" - the landlord is the "professional" and held to a higher standard.
Contact your local housing authority in your county. Typically there is a listing in the government listings for HUD. They can give you all the information including requirements. Ask lots of questions and see if the program is for you.
Keep in mind that the critical factor is that your property qualify for Section 8. As a landlord, there is paperwork you complete but there may be a long list of repairs in order to pass inspection.
We had a property that passed Section 8 for 7 years (they anually inspect your property). The tenant moved out, we found a new Section 8 tenant BUT she had 3 children older than 6 and one younger. The repair list would not have made it cost effective to accept her. Oddly enough, we called another inspector with the same Section 8 group, he reinspected and passed it with a few minor repairs.
We have found that building GREAT relationships with Section 8 is very, very important. Be there when they inspect. Ask questions. And have your tool belt on to fix as many things as you can while they are there. Have extra smoke detectors in your truck and install them as they point to areas they require them.
Now here is another lesson we learned. When you have your annual inspection your property may pass BUT the tenant may not. The tenant has some responsibilities to correct that may not be your responsibility (in Buffalo, the tenant is responsible for replacing detector batteries NOT the landlord). So, we make sure we understand what the tenant needs to do and make sure they comply ... or just do it for them.
I like Section 8. Our tenants tend to stay a very long time, you get their rent on time and our property is maintained according to their guidelines.
Here utility transfers can be handled over the phone 99% of the time. Our utilities will take a credit card if the clients need to put up a deposit. I agree with your mentor that they are trying to come up with the $ but I think trouble now = more trouble later.
Jim
Please post the section of your lease that they are in violation of. On what date does their lease start?
I do not understand what is the big deal with the utilities. Is it a northern thing that you can not have the utilities off?
Brenda - Here is that portion of the contract you requested. Contract is from the 25th to the 25th.
2. POSSESSION: Should Management be unable to deliver possession of the Property at the commencement of this Agreement, Management shall not be liable for damages caused thereby, nor shall this agreement be void or voidable, but Resident shall not be liable for any rent until possession is delivered. Resident may terminate this Agreement if possession is not delivered within seven (7) days of the start of the term hereof. As long as premises are habitable, Resident may not unreasonably refuse to occupy.
Proof of transfer of Utilities in residents names before taaking possession.
What do you think?
Quote: 2. POSSESSION: Should Management be unable to deliver possession of the Property at the commencement of this Agreement, Management shall not be liable for damages caused thereby, nor shall this agreement be void or voidable, but Resident shall not be liable for any rent until possession is delivered. Resident may terminate this Agreement if possession is not delivered within seven (7) days of the start of the term hereof. As long as premises are habitable, Resident may not unreasonably refuse to occupy.
Proof of transfer of Utilities in residents names before taaking possession.
What do I think? Not good. You have some specifics if management can not deliever, but what are you specifics for the tenant? What is reasonable and what is unreasonable for occupancy? You idea and the judges might be very different.
I am thinking that you have a valid lease and would not rerent to someone else. Personally, I would probably let some more time go by and then offer to give them a couple of hundred for signing a termination of lease - the alternative is that you evict them when they do not pay the second months rent.
Add to your lease.
Tenant must take possession and occupy of the unit within one week of signing the lease. If tenant does not take possession, all monies paid by tenant to agent will be kept by agent for loss of rent and the cost of remarketing the property. After one week, agent may rerent the unit to another tenant.
Brenda - Sounds like good advice. I will add some form of what you suggest to my lease.
Thanx
Tricky
In PA we have the freezing pipe problem also, but worse if the tenant was to move in with the utilities in the land lords name, and then not change them over to theirs, the utility company will not turn them off!
Yes I get to pay them until the eviction puts the tenant out.
This is why they must have the utilities in their name before they get the keys.
[ Edited by reklats on Date 03/26/2007 ]
If you believe that you had a verbal contract then you have to go through eviction court to get rid of him. You can not have your cake and eat it too. Do you property manage your own rental units?
Brenda
By the way, when we went to court the tenant did tell the judge he did NOT agree to forfeit the deposit. Judges have a way of finding the truth. They ask the same question about 10 different ways and start figuring out the discrepancies.
My 2 cents..
We have found around here when all else is equal the nod goes to the tenant not the landlord. Tenants are viewed as the "people" - the landlord is the "professional" and held to a higher standard.
Jim
[ Edited by reklats on Date 03/26/2007 ]
[ Edited by reklats on Date 03/26/2007 ]