Section 8 Tenant is painting our house without approval and refusing to pay full rent

San Diego, California
General Landlording & Rental Properties
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Section 8 Tenant is painting our house without approval and refusing to pay full rent

Marie Magno
Member since 2024 · 1 post · 2 votes

We have a very complex issue and are in dire need of help. 

Backstory: Our dad rented to section 8 population because his last eviction process (with tenant A) cost him $10,000 just to evict. “Tenant A” damaged our dad’s property and refused to pay rent for 8 months. Since then, our dad signed up for section 8 San Diego Housing so that he could at least have some guarantee of rent payments.

Unfortunately, the new tenant from section 8 (Tenant B), has not been paying full rent since 2022. She is sometimes short between $20-$300 every month. Recently, she has decided to paint our property without our permission as well.

We are having issues locating the original lease agreement with section 8 because our dad got diagnosed with dementia last year. We are also scared to evict the tenant because of our dad’s $10,000 eviction history with previous “Tenant A”. So all in all, “Tenant B” is abusing our dad by taking advantage of him because “Tenant B” is always short rent and continues to breach her contract due to our dads dementia diagnosis. 

Does anyone have advice for us? 



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Lynn McGeein
Real Estate Agent · Virginia Beach, VA · Member since 2012 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
2y

@Marie Magno different state, but whenever we had issues with our Section 8 tenant we contacted her assigned case worker who would help the tenant understand that she would lose her voucher and face eviction if she did not comply with the lease, paying her portion and following lease terms. Also, we inherited that tenant when buying the property at a foreclosure sale and section 8 was very helpful in providing all documentation, last signed lease, renewal or rent increase instructions, inspection information, etc. May be different in your state but worth a try.

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  • Brandon Croucier
    Lender · Lake Havasu City, AZ · Member since 2024 · 700 posts · 285 votes
    2y

    Sounds like they should return the paint and pay their rent.

    Evict them, if they don't respect you or your property, this is just the beginning.

    1Reply
  • Lynn McGeein
    Real Estate Agent · Virginia Beach, VA · Member since 2012 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    2y

    @Marie Magno different state, but whenever we had issues with our Section 8 tenant we contacted her assigned case worker who would help the tenant understand that she would lose her voucher and face eviction if she did not comply with the lease, paying her portion and following lease terms. Also, we inherited that tenant when buying the property at a foreclosure sale and section 8 was very helpful in providing all documentation, last signed lease, renewal or rent increase instructions, inspection information, etc. May be different in your state but worth a try.

    3Reply
  • Nathan GesnerBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Real Estate Broker · Cody, WY · Member since 2010 · 28k+ posts · 41k+ votes
    2y
    Quote from @Marie Magno:

    People love the "guaranteed" rent from our BS welfare system, but it's not guaranteed. As you can see, the tenant must pay a portion of the rent and they are often late. On top of that, Section 8 tenants are more trouble than the average paying tenant, and they are more likely to create costly turnovers when they eventually leave. 

    You need to remove this tenant. They have a contract with you and with HUD, stating they will pay their portion of the rent every month. They've been failing for two years, yet you've allowed them to stay. Now they are violating the lease with unauthorized changes.

    Report this to HUD and ask for assistance in removing them. If they are even slightly unhelpful, skip the low-paid caseworker and find an attorney. Get rid of this tenant and stop the bleeding.

    P.S. the money you are losing each year is more than you would pay for a professional property manager. Consider hiring a pro that can handle this for you. You could also consider selling this property and investing in a state where laws treat landlords better and evictions don't take so long.

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  • James Wise
    Real Estate Broker · Cleveland Dayton Cincinnati Toledo Columbus & Akron, OH · Member since 2013 · 31k+ posts · 20k+ votes
    2y
    Quote from @Marie Magno:

    We have a very complex issue and are in dire need of help. 

    Backstory: Our dad rented to section 8 population because his last eviction process (with tenant A) cost him $10,000 just to evict. “Tenant A” damaged our dad’s property and refused to pay rent for 8 months. Since then, our dad signed up for section 8 San Diego Housing so that he could at least have some guarantee of rent payments.

    Unfortunately, the new tenant from section 8 (Tenant B), has not been paying full rent since 2022. She is sometimes short between $20-$300 every month. Recently, she has decided to paint our property without our permission as well.

    We are having issues locating the original lease agreement with section 8 because our dad got diagnosed with dementia last year. We are also scared to evict the tenant because of our dad’s $10,000 eviction history with previous “Tenant A”. So all in all, “Tenant B” is abusing our dad by taking advantage of him because “Tenant B” is always short rent and continues to breach her contract due to our dads dementia diagnosis. 

    Does anyone have advice for us? 




     Evict them.

    0Reply
  • Theresa HarrisPro Member
    Member since 2019 · 15k+ posts · 11k+ votes
    2y

    Your dad needs to talk to her case worker as well as give her notice anytime she is short on rent.  As for the painting, put it in writing that she is not allowed to do that and she will be charged to have it repainted when she leaves.  As Lynn said, if she's not following the rules, she's at risk of losing her voucher.

    Sorry to hear he was diagnosed with dementia.  Do one of you have power of attorney to allow you to take over managing the unit?

    With any tenant, treat them with respect, but if they are in violation of the lease for whatever reason, you need to tell them and if they don't stop, then get rid of them.  It will cost you more in the long run in terms of money, time and stress...not worth it. 

    0Reply
  • Henry T.
    Member since 2022 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    2y

    Your dads previous eviction cost probably wasn't 10k. Most of that was probably what the tenant should have paid (lost rent). Find yourself an "eviction attorney". It may cost you a few hundred, and if it goes the full distance maybe up to 2 or 3k.

    Don't let this go on any longer, get an eviction attorney now! Today!  Call around and get some prices, they should be very up front, even having a rate sheet. Hopefully you have "power of attorney" so you can speak for your dad.  Take pics, document everything.  You're wasting time and money. Raise the rent and get someone decent. Get this bum out!

    1Reply
  • Christine I.
    Member since 2022 · 49 posts · 13 votes
    2y

    Definitely evict them. Shop around for eviction attorney for a good price. I'm in California and I have quite a few section 8 tenants. Yes, they can be a problem just as any tenant can. My experience has been it's just those very few tenants that make your life hell. Most Section 8/non-Section 8 are good people trying their best to get along.

    I feel I have an advantage over Section 8 tenants because if they don't follow the rules their contract will be revoked. I would encourage you to learn the rules they have to live by. The first month they did not pay full rent they should get a three day notice. 

    0Reply
  • Jamie O'Connell
    Rental Property Investor · Elmira NY · Member since 2023 · 143 posts · 143 votes
    2y

    I will say in Upstate NY where all of my section 8 tenants are, if they dont pay their portion I report to their caseworker. The caseworker since one letter, I complain again, they second second letter, I complain a third time and they send the final third letter. After the third letter it moves to the next one which apparently not many people hit but I assume means they get threatened to be kicked off the program. 

    Luckily most of my tenants only pay $50 a month of their portion so its not worth the loss of the 98% I get paid directly from the state. 

    0Reply
  • Dave SpoonerPro Member
    Rental Property Investor · Cincinnati, OH · Member since 2020 · 870 posts · 823 votes
    2y
    Quote from @Brandon Croucier:

    Sounds like they should return the paint and pay their rent.

    Evict them, if they don't respect you or your property, this is just the beginning.


     I agree with this. 

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  • Michael SmytheBusiness Member
    Real Estate Agent · Metro Detroit · Member since 2023 · 4k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    2y

    @Marie Magno are you looking for a miracle or just consensus?

    Hire an attorney to start the eviction process. 

    Send the eviction paperwork to tenant caseworker, so either tenant loses their voucher or is forced to abide by the lease they signed.

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  • Mark Cruse
    Investor · Fort Washington, MD · Member since 2014 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    2y

    Talk to the case worker. They are no good and you need to start from scratch. Its an incredible program if the owner knows what they are doing and you get the right tenants. Mine all run themselves with minimal issues. 

    0Reply
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