All Forum Posts by: Victor N.

@Victor Olowu the short answer to your question is NO! you are not allowed to charge more for an apt if the tenant is a voucher user vs a regular tenant. 

Im a landlord who accepts section 8 and one of the forms in the contract with section 8 specifically refers to this issue where you are basically asked to confirm that you are not charging the section 8 tenant more than you would anyone else. If you are, the form asks for the reasons why you are requesting a higher rent.

Off course, this doesnt mean that the amount you are requesting will be approved because, as others have pointed out, the housing authority has the final word on how much they will pay. But, if you are experienced with section 8, there are ways to increase your chance to get the rate increase approved.

@Alex Ballas  alternatively, if she has her mail forwarded to her new address, you can use the " RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED" trick from the post office to get her new address. 

All you have to do is mail an envelope to the person’s old address with “Return Service Requested” printed 1/2 an inch above the delivery address. Just enclose a short letter in case it doesnt work, but it always does. After about 2 weeks, you will get the original letter back with the person’s new address printed on a yellow label. 

They have to have a forwarding address, or you will just get the letter back without any information.

Example of how to address the letter:

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

Mrs Section 8 Tenant

123 Main St

Anytown, USA

By law ( the letter of the law) you are correct to send it to the last known address if you do not have any other way to reach her. BUT, she did provide you with a valid alternative by asking you to mail it to her case manager. She probably has her reasons why she doesn't want you to know her new address ( maybe personal reasons against you - tenants are crazy sometimes, or maybe she's afraid you might have a claim against her and if you don't know her new address, then you can't serve her and therefore can't sue her, maybe something else...)

If she takes you to court over this you will lose because the point of requiring the new address is to be able to reach the ex tenant and she gave you a valid option.

I would send it via certified mail to her case manager, attn: the tenant. The housing office will sign for the letter and you will have proof that your letter was received and you will be covered under the intent of the law. 

@Aquila Oliveira This is awful!!! Hang in there, it will be over soon. CT is pro tenants but judges are reasonable. Since she was arrested, there will be a police report stating that she abused an elderly person. She can make all the claims she wants but she was arrested and spent a couple of nights in jail, which means the police believed she was in the wrong and you have the police report to prove it. With your attorney, there is no way the restraining order will be removed. make sure your mother in law is present when you go to court.

The naysayers have valid points but if it were me, I would accept it. Not everyone looking to pre-pay their rent is a bad person.

I have a friend who is a full time college student and receives a scholarship. She wanted to pay her entire semester's rent up front simply because she has the money and for her it doesnt make sense to let the money sit in her bank account. She's a straight A student, very responsible and has good credit so nothing funny going on with her, yet pre-paying the rent several months in advance makes sense to her.

From your post, It looks like everything checked out with this new tenant. So I would rent to them. 

@Filipe Pereira in CT, a tenant has until the 10th to pay ( grace period). You cannot charge a late fee on the 10th since that is still part of their grace period. Your first opportunity to charge a late fee is on the 11th or after the 10th.

You will benefit from talking to an experienced CT landlord.  And before you rent your 1st apt you should try to stop by the Hartford civil court and listen in on landlord / tenant issues. It is a "waste" of time since you have no case but very informative! You will learn a lot and hopefully never return as a plaintiff nor defendant.

Keep good records of your miles and talk to an accountant NOW so they can explain to you how mileage deductions are calculated.  Good luck with your search!

This is illegal in Connecticut.

@Filipe Pereira you said yourself that you can beginning charging late fees 9 days AFTER rent is due. Since rent is due on the 1st, add 9 days and you cannot charge a late fee until the 10th. You are from CT so read the Connecticut Judicial branch guide. Your profile says that you do not own any property and have no experience. So please talk to an experienced landlord when you are ready to rent your first apartment.

I have  been a landlord in CT for some time and in court a few times. it is illegal to charge a late fee before the 10th day.

some landlords charge a late fee if the rent is not paid by the 1st of the month??? so the tenant is supposed to pay in the previous month for the following month? Can you ( is it legal to) charge a late fee prior to the expiration of the grace period? 

Im in Connecticut and all of this would not fly here. In CT tenants have 10 days grace period. You can only charge a late fee after the end of the grace period