Do you accept Section 8 Tenants

[Kenneth Garrett]

I am asked on my rentals if I take Section 8 tenants.  I never say no, I always say it depends on the financial numbers.  I have never had a Section 8 tenant apply.  What has been your experience with Section 8 tenants?  

[Gail K.]

We no longer deal with this program.  We did once.  Even with clients in the program who are employed we found this was not the best choice for us.   You might rent to say, a four member family only to find that, later, they have allowed unemployed relatives to move in with them greatly increasing the wear and tear on your property. 

In our case adult female children had a tendency to pop out offspring as if they were a PEZ dispenser, often producing a child with every man they casually dated, then dropping off the children at "grandma and grandpa" to raise.  When  questioned about this ever increasing population one is often told these little ones are "just visiting"...until you happen to see them being dropped off by the local school bus one afternoon and realize they are now permanent residents in your rental property.

If you choose to work with this program it would be important to monitor who is actually residing in your rental property carefully.

Gail