Subpeona from the state for rental paperwork

[Michele Fischer]

We've received, via registered mail, a subpoena from the Division of Child Support to provide any and all records related to one of our tenants.  In calling to clarify, they are asking for a copy of the application, rental agreement, and copies of rent checks.  They will be using the info to look at how to garnish wages, collect money, and contact family members.

This tenant doesn't have custody of her kids, her mom is raising them.  I'm guessing grandma gets TANF and the state is looking for a way to get reimbursed.

They will be hugely disappointed, except for getting several family member and personal reference contacts.  The applications states no bank accounts, she always pays cash. Her income, under the table for watching family members, was unverifiable so we put the co-signing dad (divorced from the kid-raising mom)  on the rental agreement as a co-tenant.  Not much to chase.

It feels like a weird place to be, because the more helpful we are, the less money our tenant has for rent.  Not that it really matters in this scenario.  It also feels weird to be handing over information that we so closely protect.

Has anyone else had any experience with this type of subpeona?