Housing Allowance Question

[NitroJD]

If our off-base rent ceiling is approx $3000/month and we rent a house for $2000/month, do we still receive the entire $3000 or only a portion of it?
Thanks in advance for your input.

[-Rudel-]

You don't. The On-base housing agency will look at your off-base housing lease, and determine, what you will receive as OHA and Utility Costs

[ryukyuboi]

So, based on the above, some would have the lease written for an amount mutually agreed to by the leassor and leasee before the lease is reviewed by anyone.

[hankypanky]

correct, so have them write it to 3000 bucks, give them an extra 200 and pocket 800, if rent and utilities are 2000.

[Blues]

correct, so have them write it to 3000 bucks, give them an extra 200 and pocket 800, if rent and utilities are 2000.

FYI, that's illegal and most reputable real estate agency's won't let you do it.
And if anyone wants to argue with that, fine pocket the $ and risk going to jail for defrauding the government.

The government will only pay what you're exact rent amount is. no more, no less.

You are capped at what rank you are and if your single or married.

[kintama]

Could you be a lil' more vague please? Are you military? Govvie? Contractor? If you're military find a place close to your ceiling and enjoy it.

I'm sure you can have a nice overseas/foreign experience near Sunabe Airbase with all those Americans as your neighbors. LOL.

Man, I have a case of the ass this morning.

[DoctorP]

FYI, that's illegal and most reputable real estate agency's won't let you do it.
And if anyone wants to argue with that, fine pocket the $ and risk going to jail for defrauding the government.

The government will only pay what you're exact rent amount is. no more, no less.

You are capped at what rank you are and if your single or married.

True, but legally he could have the lease amended to his cap, then have it include some utilities such as water, electric, internet.:thumbup1:

[DJ Tak]

True, but legally he could have the lease amended to his cap, then have it include some utilities such as water, electric, internet.:thumbup1:

Wrong.

I don't understand why people still feel the need to get over on their allowances considering everyone is making money hand over fist here.

[jthizz]

Wrong.

I don't understand why people still feel the need to get over on their allowances considering everyone is making money hand over fist here.


Not wrong.

They ask you at housing if the basic utilites for water, elec, and trash are added to the rent cost.

People are trying to make money because its what people do, we're greedy. Also in the states you get to pocket the rest of your rent money, which is why Im sure the OP asked the question in the 1st place

[Blues]

I can't make this clear enough: you cannot pocket housing allowance or utility allowance. Even if all your bills and rent combined were say $500 less than your cap, you will only get paid what the lease states on the contract.

Yes people in the States get paid BAH/BAS, and make a little money, but housing here is a hell of a lot more expensive. IMO I really don't care if I make any extra because the way I look at it the government is paying me good money to live in a place I would not otherwise be able to afford on my own. Free housing is better than ones you have to pay for.

[P_chan]

I can't make this clear enough: you cannot pocket housing allowance or utility allowance. Even if all your bills and rent combined were say $500 less than your cap, you will only get paid what the lease states on the contract.

Yes people in the States get paid BAH/BAS, and make a little money, but housing here is a hell of a lot more expensive. IMO I really don't care if I make any extra because the way I look at it the government is paying me good money to live in a place I would not otherwise be able to afford on my own. Free housing is better than ones you have to pay for.

Not necessarily. IIRC you get a flat rate for your utility allowance, its not based on how much your utilities are.

[jthizz]

It is a flat rate, and if you smart about water and electricity control usage, which you can have included into your rent to cap it out. The utility allowance become pocketable money

[uriel]

yup, it is flat rate. i get around 600 or so, depending on the exchange rate.

[-Rudel-]

If you're military, the most off-base housing agencies, have a list of what you usually get for OHA based on your rank/rate. No way around it.

[hankypanky]

FYI, that's illegal and most reputable real estate agency's won't let you do it.
And if anyone wants to argue with that, fine pocket the $ and risk going to jail for defrauding the government.

The government will only pay what you're exact rent amount is. no more, no less.

You are capped at what rank you are and if your single or married.

your key word was most, not all. some will throw in free yard service and just add it to the total, anything is possible. if your total on your lease is under the cap for your grade, you can work out about anything including house cleaning, all at gov expense. And how is the housing office going to find out unless you tell them? Plus better in your pocket than the owners!

[z's inmate#2341]

Zeromaint has the right idea. Have some personal integrity about this. Get the most you legally can and no more.
The greed and low moral/ethical behavior that some would advocate doing is not the way to live your life.

[hankypanky]

how may holes do you have in your hands, 1 or 2?

[OtisPMerriweather]

Not only that, but the little extra money that you skim off the top is probably not worth your career. The housing agencies have been dealing with servicemembers for a long time, they know the tricks of the trade.

Another thing to consider- the reason you have to go through housing agencies is because those people get inspected by the military to ensure compliance with the 'standard of living'. That is why they stipulate an approved house has to have to have X amount of exits, American style toilets and stoves, how much space you get to have, etc. If you have any disputes with an approved housing agency, you can take it up with the gov't. But, if you are skimming extra money off the top with a bullshit lease, you can bet the housing agency has you over a barrel if it comes down to a disagreement about rent, renter's rights, etc.

[Blues]

how may holes do you have in your hands, 1 or 2?

:argh14::argh14::argh14:

[z's inmate#2341]

how may holes do you have in your hands, 1 or 2?

Uuuummm, Personal Integrity is missing in American society right now as evidenced by most of the financial shenanigans going on and peoples advice to commit fraud.
Somehow I managed to do 23 years without defrauding the US Government on pay/travel/rent vouchers etc...

[gibbonboy]

Hank's comment was funny. Although I have found that the "moral high ground" always serves you best in the end. Not saying there are no exceptions or that I might not partake if the situation was right. But most of the scams out there were perfected looooong before you noticed them, and really, if you didn't come up with the scam or "get in early", you're not going to get much but crumbs anyway, for a whole lot of potential headache.

I grew up around car dealers and cops, I've sort of acquired a nose for things non-kosher. One of the reasons I left my last job was a supervisor and coworkers getting pretty rash with the side stuff, using work equipment for personal gain and even using a company car to go gambling. There were many other reasons, but seeing that told me I need to be away before that stuff got dumped into my lap.

But hey, if your lease "includes" house cleaning or yard work, I don't see a problem. Far as I care, you guys certainly deserve it more than some greasy politician or banker.

[OtisPMerriweather]

To me, it's not even about morality, it's simple math. Comparing what you stand to gain with what you have to lose tells me, and anybody else with common sense that scamming the government for chump change is not worth risking the only means I have to provide for my family, not to mention the felony charge.

[NitroJD]

Okay, Okay, Okay!
Thanks for all the input, I really appreciate it. For clarification, I was NOT asking how to defraud the gov't on allowances, as I'm not interested in risking a career or potential jail time for a few measly dollars. It was just a simple question to get more info to weigh all potential options of the cost analysis of living on vs off base. I was junior enlisted on my last tour, and lived on base for the whole time, so I never dealt with off base housing in Okinawa. This time around I will be a GS Civ, and was just getting all my ducks in a row so to speak.

[AFuel567]

Live off base, you can some really nice places.