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VoucherMatch

For real estate brokers & agents

Working with
voucher clients.

Find the right forms, understand broker fees and keep a rental moving. Practical guidance for NYC programs, with Section 8 resources for brokers working elsewhere.

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Free resources. No account needed.

Before discussing a fee

Know who you represent.
Confirm who pays.

In NYC, a landlord’s agent cannot charge the tenant a broker fee. A tenant can choose their own broker, but a rental cannot be conditioned on that choice.

An agency payment is a separate question. HRA-121 has eligibility conditions and says the tenant is not responsible for a balance above HRA’s approved broker payment.

NYC fee rules (opens in a new tab)HRA payment conditions (opens in a new tab)

Keep these close

Agency forms & contacts

Open the source for the current version. These are official agency resources; the guides below explain how to use them.

CityFHEPS

Rental forms & current instructions

Start with HRA’s documents page for the landlord package, utilities, apartment review and statewide rental guidance.

Open HRA documents (opens in a new tab)

HRA · PDF

Broker’s request for enhanced payment

Read HRA-121’s eligibility conditions and certifications before signing. The form explains the limits on collecting fees from the tenant.

Read form HRA-121 (opens in a new tab)

NYC · Fee rules

FARE Act questions & answers

Check the rules for representation, listing agents and fee disclosures before discussing payment with a prospective tenant.

Read DCWP guidance (opens in a new tab)

Working with another program?

Section 8 / HCV (opens in a new tab)FHEPS (opens in a new tab)HASA (opens in a new tab)

The broker library

Find the answer you need.

Search by program or choose a task. Every resource is labeled with the location it covers.

17 of 17 resources

Working with voucher clients

Understand the program and help a client prepare for the search.

Fees & payment

Check who pays, what can be requested and which documents apply.

Rental paperwork

Coordinate owner documents, apartment review and agency submissions.

Fair housing

Recognize voucher discrimination and find the right complaint route.

NYC-specific guidance is labeled. For another location, confirm the requirements with the agency administering the client’s assistance.

For each proposed rental

Keep the details
in one place.

A useful file tells the owner, client and caseworker what is ready, what is missing and who is following up.

Share only what the client authorizes and the receiving office needs. Medical records do not belong in a general rental file.

  1. 01

    Program & contact

    Record the exact program, administering agency, search deadline and the caseworker or housing specialist handling the rental.

  2. 02

    Apartment & owner

    Confirm the unit address, asking rent, bedrooms, utility responsibilities and owner or authorized agent’s contact.

  3. 03

    Documents & payment

    Use the program’s current checklist. Confirm who provides signatures, owner records and any eligible broker-fee request.

  4. 04

    Submission & next step

    Save the submission date, reference number and outstanding items. Agree on who follows up; confirm approval and move-in arrangements with the agency.

Keep voucher discrimination out of the search.

NYC’s source-of-income protections cover most rental properties, with limited exceptions. Review the Commission on Human Rights guidance when checking advertising, screening or an owner’s refusal to complete voucher paperwork.

NYC broker obligations (opens in a new tab)Check protections by location

Your work on VoucherMatch

Let NYC clients find your services.

Explore the broker directory and workspace, including profile requirements, service areas and tools for managing your clients.

Explore broker tools

Common questions

Before you proceed.

A few distinctions matter when representing a client who uses rental assistance.

Can a broker charge a voucher holder a fee in NYC?

Start with who the broker represents. Under the FARE Act, a landlord’s agent, including a listing agent, cannot charge the tenant a broker fee. A tenant can choose to hire their own broker, but nobody can make hiring a broker a condition of renting an apartment. Any agency-paid fee also has its own program requirements.

Read NYC’s fee guidance (opens in a new tab)
Does a shopping letter mean the apartment is approved?

No. A CityFHEPS shopping letter is part of the housing search. The proposed apartment and rental packet still need the applicable reviews and agency approval. Use the official Road Map for the client’s shelter or community pathway, and confirm the next step with the provider.

Follow the CityFHEPS Road Map (opens in a new tab)
Is there one broker packet for every voucher program?

No. CityFHEPS, FHEPS, HASA and Section 8 have different requirements and points of contact. Confirm the program and administering agency before requesting forms or submitting a fee request. For Section 8, get the Request for Tenancy Approval and related instructions from the administering PHA.

See HUD’s Section 8 process (opens in a new tab)
Does a VoucherMatch profile replace a real estate license?

No. A directory profile is a way for clients to find your services. It does not grant a license, approve a housing packet or authorize a program payment. Follow New York’s licensing requirements; a real estate salesperson works under a sponsoring broker.

Check New York licensing requirements (opens in a new tab)

Sources and updates

Published by VoucherMatch. The fee and program reference on this page was checked against the linked NYC, HUD and New York State sources on . Linked articles have their own review dates.

Use the current agency instructions for the client’s program and location. VoucherMatch does not approve rental assistance, packets or broker payments.