Public Housing: Possible Fraud Problem... Need help ASAP.

[NewLandlordIL]

Originally Posted by debtcollector`

Or the tenant over paid and he returned cash to her, since otherwise, she would have been late on the rent. ...

DC

The problem is the tenant is a crabby old lady (excuse me for my language). In other words, she is extremely difficult to deal with.

Another issue is that she is from minority and try to invoke me by making statements like this is a "cultural issue" etc. on one of the issues.

[NewLandlordIL]

I do have one question:

My lease with the housing authority is based on a dependency- qualification of the tenant. Where the lease (and this possible fraud issue) stands if the tenant herself is found of committing fraud and that too for long time by not mentioning her husband?

Another point that I don't I mentioned earlier or not is that on the application I initially put the actual rent. When the tenant found it she mentioned it had to be low else Section 8 won't accept it. I basically balked at that suggestion as the govt provided money is too low that put me too much in red and I backed out of the deal. She then said that she need govt money as well as a place to stay as her other landlord is selling the place and that she would pay extra and that agreement is between us.

Till that point I've not seen the Housing authority contract and knew what I am getting into. Period.

When I saw the documents I've already accepted first month's rent from the tenant and due to lease signed I'd no way out.

[NewLandlordIL]

ONE FINAL QUESTION: Do anyone knows any good attorneys in Chicagoland and collar counties that I can use as a reference?

[BL]

Why don't you answer the question of how far this " complaint " of the tenant has escalated to ?

What have you received from .Sec 8 besides their rent share ?

What I'm getting at is this .

If you haven't officially received anything from the Gov. Agency about possible fraud , why not talk to the tenant .

Tell her she is also in the wrong ,( that will be brought up as possible fraud too ) and if she just drops it , you will except the lower amount plus the Gov. subsidy.

Then when the time comes ,end the lease .

Don't come on here with bias either toward minorities and make excuses .

It's your business of Land lording to know what you are doing .

[NewLandlordIL]

Originally Posted by BL

Why don't you answer the question of how far this " complaint " of the tenant has escalated to ?



What I'm getting at is this .

If you haven't officially received anything from the Gov. Agency about possible fraud , why not talk to the tenant .

Tell her she is also in the wrong ,( that will be brought up as possible fraud too ) and if she just drops it , you will except the lower amount plus the Gov. subsidy.

Then when the time comes ,end the lease .

Don't come on here with bias either toward minorities and make excuses .

It's your business of Land lording to know what you are doing .

For now, I haven't been accused of anything except I've been asked about the amount I'm receiving. Since the housing authority official e-mail mentioned the exact figure so I assume it came from the tenant.

I don't have any bias towards minorities else I wouldn't have given the unit in first place. What I wanted to show is that the lady doesn't work logically. For instance, if I contact her then most likely she'll notify that too as a "threat". She has already lied that I am "asking" for extra while it was her who begged for consideration.

May be, once I've an attorney I'll let him/her talk to the tenant. It may make more impact.

[Hot Topic]

We don't recommend attorneys on the forum.

Instead of sitting at a computer thinking up new reasons why you're the victim in this situation, you should be expending your energy trying to connect with an attorney, especially when your first post was written with such a sense of urgency.

Are you hoping that the more questions you ask, the less you'll have to pay the attorney or that someone will come up with a response that will totally get you off the hook? If so, read the Important Notice on the website.

[BL]

FYI , On the far right of the page here ,there's a Find an Attorney in your area.

On FA's home page - up top , there's also info. on contacting an attorney.

[Baranov]

Originally Posted by NewLandlordIL

ONE FINAL QUESTION: Do anyone knows any good attorneys in Chicagoland and collar counties that I can use as a reference?

Give back the extra money you collected and write a letter to the tenant explaining what was agreed to with suction 8 and what the proper rent will be. Explain how it is illegal to meet her request to pay extra. Send a copy to section 8 since she already ratted you out.

Do not renew her lease and stay out of suction 8 renting.

[Baranov]

Originally Posted by BL

Don't come on here with bias either toward minorities and make excuses .
.

Simply recognizing that someone will use a minority status against you is not bias. It is also smart to be careful with people that remind you of their minority status. As a suction 8 client, she can file a discrimination lawsuit and will have no difficulty finding a government agency willing to pounce on the evil landlord.

The minority blame game is getting pretty tired. It's time to recognize things for what they are without looking at color or race before you rationalize things.

[searchertwin]

Originally Posted by Baranov

Simply recognizing that someone will use a minority status against you is not bias. It is also smart to be careful with people that remind you of their minority status. As a suction 8 client, she can file a discrimination lawsuit and will have no difficulty finding a government agency willing to pounce on the evil landlord.

The minority blame game is getting pretty tired. It's time to recognize things for what they are without looking at color or race before you rationalize things.

I agree with you, but the tables can be turn and OP should also use the minority status towards her. What good for the goose...

[searchertwin]

Originally Posted by Baranov

Give back the extra money you collected and write a letter to the tenant explaining what was agreed to with suction 8 and what the proper rent will be. Explain how it is illegal to meet her request to pay extra. Send a copy to section 8 since she already ratted you out.

Do not renew her lease and stay out of suction 8 renting.

I agree this is the best thing to do...and I would include her husband in letter..again, what good for the goose....Make sure it is a certified letter...

[rhinocl]

I would suggest that you do nothing until you have talked to at least one attorney. Don't talk to non-attorneys about your problem. Don't talk to section 8 or your tenant or cash another check, or post. There are a lot of good ideas here but they could backfire. Refunding the money in a provable way may make sense but that refund check might be further evidence against you. A local attorney who knows the people running section 8 in your area-whether they would cut you slack if you are upfront about your indiscretion since you are new or if they would feel constrained to prosecute should be the most help.
One way to find one -knock on doors in a section 8 type rental area,ask who owns the home, call the people who own the most homes and ask for attorney recommendations. You can try searching tax appraiser's records online but you may run into houses that are held in trusts. Talking to tenants gets you names and phone numbers of landlords.