Rent Reduction vs. Renewal Bonus

[John Williams]

Hi all,

I have a family that is considering renewing their lease for another year. One of the family members was laid off, so they've also asked for a temporary reduction in rent of $200 for the remainder of the year. I am considering offering them a $1,000 gift card as a renewal bonus if they sign another year lease. ($1,000 = $200 x 5 months left in 2019). This makes sense to me as I would receive the same amount of rent, which shows consistency if I seek another mortgage. A few questions:

- Any thoughts on this approach?

- Could I write off the $1,000 gift card?

Thank you!