Landlord Refusing To Provide W-9 To Rental Assistance Program

[Tom West]

Good Afternoon Everyone,

I have been learning from bigger pockets for years now but i'm in a situation and wanted to ask for guidance if anyone can help.

I currently rent and I am a Veteran and using a Veteran assistance service to pay my rent for the time being.

The program has helped dramatically and wont be needed much longer. However, the property manager of this community will not provide a w-9 to the assistance program, and they cant make any payments until he does. Everyone in the community has had issues with this guy, and hes done some other shady things with my rent, but ill save that for another time.

Im just wondering if anyone can shed some light on if hes allowed to do this? He keeps filing court paperwork and charging me like crazy, and is now taking me to court again next week to try an evict me. The assistance program paid my back rent, but cant make any more payments until he gives them a w-9. Does anyone have insight on if this is legal, and what I can possibly do in the mean time to cover my butt? Thank you

[JD Martin]

I don't know what the rules/laws are in Detroit but in my locale no landlord is required to participate in any rent-sharing/assistance program. Apparently he doesn't want to participate; why not just move somewhere that will accept the program? 

I'm a vet too and from a landlord's point of view a lot of rental assistance programs are a real PITA for the landlord. We don't participate in any of them for that reason.