Letting handyman live rent free if he maintaines multi properties

[Marquis W.]

I had a guy that I have been using to fix my properties here and there offer to take care of all of them (which is 4 properties as of now but will be adding 2 more soon) if I let him live in one of them for free? I would still buy supplies but labor would be in exchange for him living in my rental which if i did it would be the least income producing one it rents for $500. Anybody every did this and how did it work out for you? If I don't receive rent from this property I will still be in the green across the board  but barley. If one of the other properties became vacant then I would be in the red. I could easily find enough work for him to do to justify the lost of rent but is this smart?

[CK Hwang]

Honestly, it won't be the amount of rent that i am worried about. It would be more like what if he stops working and you need to evict him as a result? How are the courts going to price the value of his work...it's a messy situation if all goes south. Personally, I'd just charge him rent as per normal, then have him invoice for the work that he does, and keep all transactions clean and clear.