(a) PHA determination. (1) The tenant rent is the portion of the rent to owner paid by the family. The PHA determines the tenant rent in accordance with HUD requirements.

(2) Any changes in the amount of the tenant rent will be effective on the date stated in a notice by the PHA to the family and the owner.

(b) Tenant payment to owner. (1) The family is responsible for paying the tenant rent (total tenant payment minus the utility allowance).

(2) The amount of the tenant rent as determined by the PHA is the maximum amount the owner may charge the family for rent of a contract unit. The tenant rent is payment for all housing services, maintenance, equipment, and utilities to be provided by the owner without additional charge to the tenant, in accordance with the HAP contract and lease.

(3) The owner may not demand or accept any rent payment from the tenant in excess of the tenant rent as determined by the PHA. The owner must immediately return any excess payment to the tenant.

(4) The family is not responsible for payment of the portion of the rent to owner covered by the housing assistance payment under the HAP contract. The owner may not terminate the tenancy of an assisted family for nonpayment of the PHA housing assistance payment.

(c) Limit of PHA responsibility. (1) The PHA is responsible only for making housing assistance payments to the owner on behalf of a family in accordance with the HAP contract. The PHA is not responsible for paying the tenant rent, or for paying any other claim by the owner.

(2) The PHA may not use housing assistance payments or other program funds (including any administrative fee reserve) to pay any part of the tenant rent or to pay any other claim by the owner. The PHA may not make any payment to the owner for any damage to the unit, or for any other amount owed by a family under the family's lease or otherwise.

(d) Utility reimbursement. (1) If the amount of the utility allowance exceeds the total tenant payment, the PHA shall pay the amount of such excess as a reimbursement for tenant-paid utilities (“utility reimbursement”) and the tenant rent to the owner shall be zero.

(2) The PHA either may pay the utility reimbursement to the family or may pay the utility bill directly to the utility supplier on behalf of the family.

(3) If the PHA chooses to pay the utility supplier directly, the PHA must notify the family of the amount paid to the utility supplier.