Sec8 and Late fees

[Jason Miller]

I have a property that is under sec 8. The tenant is racking up the late fees each month but not paying them. She always pays the rent, just late each month.

Can the late fees be added to the next months rent on sec 8 home? or does this count as a rent increase in their eyes?

[Jon Holdman]

My lease states money received can be applied to late fees before rent. If the tenant owes a late fee and "pays the rent", I would apply the money to the late fee. That would result in the rent being incomplete and therefore late.

You'll have to make a choice. If they're refusing to pay, you can evict, but then you'll have to re-lease the unit. If this has been going on for a while, they think you're not really going to charge them the late fees.

Have you asked why its always late? Perhaps they get paid on the fifth or some such, and just can't pay before that.