Q&A: Repayment Agreement: Who Owes?

Question:  We had a household with two couples living there.  One of the wives got a job and never told us – we found out when we ran the EIV Income Report for their Annual.  We did a repayment agreement for the amount they owed HUD.  But then that couple moved out, leaving the other couple in the apartment.  Do they have to keep paying on the repayment agreement even though neither of them was at fault?  ~Vivian in Florida

Answer:  Yes.  All adults who had signed the lease when the situation was discovered must be named in the repayment agreement.  The agreement is a household obligation, not just the obligation of a particular household member.  So even when the woman who failed to report her job left, the other adults who stayed in the unit are required to continue to repay HUD, per the terms of the repayment agreement.  If these remaining household members refuse to continue to pay, management must start the eviction process.