How would this affect my taxes

[Tyler Brown]

So my wife and I are about to close on a single family home for us.  My mother-in-law will be moving in with us in order to help out with childcare.  This is in New York.

My mother-in-law currently owns a two family home, and we'll be renting out her current single family home as soon as she moves in with us.

Not much should change with the two family home she has, so I'm focusing on her home for right now.  She really has no interest in doing any of the management for it.  She doesn't even care about the money, really.  She's just as happy if all the money (~$3,200 a month estimated rent) goes straight into mine and my wife's checking account.  She's an older Polish woman who just wants take care of her grandson all day.

Now getting to the question - I'll probably be paying for the maintenance and other expenses related to this house myself, especially if I'm the one receiving the rent checks.  However since I don't actually own the house, am I able to claim an otherwise qualified expense as a deduction on my taxes?