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What kind of documentation would we need from a member who was provided Fast Offering (Rent) help as the payee and recipient but then gives that Fast Offering help to her roommate to make payment on the rent from a direct withdrawal? She is the recipient but not the one making payment directly to the landlord.

Both of their names are on the lease but her roommate makes the payment through her direct withdrawal account. Just as an example, she receives the Fast Offering (Rent) check as the payee and the recipient. She then cashes the check, gives the cash to her roommate to deposit into her checking account so the landlord can make a monthly direct withdrawal from her roommate's account since the landlord requires only one person on the lease make the rent withdrawal payment. Do we just need documentation that the fast offering check was deposited or cashed?

Although it sounds like you may not have a choice that arrangement does not follow the general guidelines for how to handle fast offering assistance. If you can't find any way to pay the landlord directly, then I'd recommend getting as much documentation as possible. Proof that they payment was made (preferably from the landlord but from bank documentation if necessary) would be a minimum. I might also ask the roommate to sign a receipt that she received the payment. I'd also discuss it with the stake (or district) and make sure they and the audit chairman are aware of the situation and approve of the documentation you are able to get.

cchang wrote:What kind of documentation would we need from a member who was provided Fast Offering (Rent) help as the payee and recipient but then gives that Fast Offering help to her roommate to make payment on the rent from a direct withdrawal? She is the recipient but not the one making payment directly to the landlord.

I understand what you are doing and why, but it is an exception to give fast offering funds to a recipient and not make the payment directly to the vendor or landlord. You will need to be able to explain to the auditor why you are doing this.

As for documentation, you would normally have a copy of the lease/rental agreement or a statement with the amount shown before you issue the check. You are not looking for a receipt after the fact, although in this case, the member could ask the roommate to provide a copy of the payment receipt when the online payment is made. Ideally, you would have some way of showing that the funds provided actually made it to the landlord.

An even better approach would be to provide other assistance to the member so that she would be able to use her own funds to pay the rent.