I don't know whether I need to treat them like the IRS and don't talk with them directly or do give them a call. 

We buy distressed houses, rehab (doing much of the work ourselves,) then find quality renters and treat them right.

Remember to treat it as such as well 

The property is an Investment so I would treat it as such.

I'm not even really sure how I would report it, I figured the amount of rent I collected would just be treated as personal income.

We are trying to stay mindful of changing conditions and being prepared to take in the last bit of cloth if needed.We are battening down the hatches by:Selling our primary house which we have slowly live in renovated now instead of 2022 as originally planned.Relocating to our market area in the event I need the 8% margin currently going to a property manager to maintain positive cash flow.Buying low / zero down opportunities only.Realizing equity to bolster cash reserves and getting rid of anything below a B class property.We are treating our break even point on our cashflow as the drastic action needed point versus when we run out of cash. 

If you don't layout the ground rules to tenants, they will treat the home however they please.

When determining material participation in rental real estate activities, each interest of the taxpayer in a rental real estate activity is treated as a separate activity [IRC Sec. 469(c)(7)(A)(ii)].

It was more so of a question about how banks would treat rent credits which joe helped clear up by saying...don't do it ever....lol.

But if you were to buy a lake house to be used for investment and treated it like an investment that would qualify - even if you used it some for personal use.