If the underpayment to the owner was caused by owner error, what must the resident still do?

In situations where the underpayment to the owner arises from an owner error, the resident is not obligated to repay the owner. This is because the responsibility for the error lies with the owner, meaning the resident should not suffer the consequences of a mistake they did not make.

Under the guidelines for housing assistance programs, it is important to ensure that residents are treated fairly and not held liable for errors they did not cause. This concept protects residents from being required to correct mistakes made by others, thereby promoting a more equitable system. Given that the owner is accountable for their errors, the resident’s financial obligations remain intact, unaffected by the owner’s mistake.

In contrast, reporting the error to HUD or waiting for the owner’s decision are not required of the resident in this scenario, as the resolution of the error should properly be managed by the owner. Thus, the resident is justified in not repaying the owner under these circumstances.