TN 39 (09-96)

A. Introduction

More than one household may use a shelter item in common. A shelter item used in common is one used jointly by two or more households. For example, two households living under one roof may use electricity that is billed on only one meter. Conversion of such a bill includes determining the value of the shelter item to the eligible individual's household and establishing who pays for the item.

B. Policy — outside ISM

If someone outside all of the households pays for the common shelter item, each household receives ISM.

If someone in one or more of the households pays for the shelter item, the remaining household(s) using the item receives ISM.

If the individual's household does receive outside ISM in the form of a shelter item that is also used by another household, assume, absent evidence to the contrary, that the households use the shelter item equally and divide the vendor charge by the number of households.

Assume, absent evidence to the contrary, that the household in which the individual lives does not receive ISM in the form of a common shelter item if the individual or any member of his/her household:

• has rental liability to someone in another of the households using the common shelter item (assume that the rent payment includes provision of the common shelter item); or

• renders services to someone in another of the households that use the common shelter item in return for unearned or earned remuneration in the form of shelter (assume that the common shelter item is counted as income in the form of renumeration for services); or

• receives rent-free shelter from someone in another of the households that use the common shelter item (assume that the value of the free rent includes provision of the common shelter item).

C. Procedures — outside ISM

Use the instructions in SI 00835.350 to develop and document the existence and amount of outside ISM.

Contact a member of one of the other households, verify the existence of separate households, and verify that they share one or more common shelter items.

Record this information on an RC.

D. Policy — inside ISM

When the households split the expense for the shelter item, the household operating expense is whatever each household pays.

If the eligible individual lives in the household that pays for the shelter item used in common, assume, absent evidence to the contrary, that the households use the item equally and divide the expense equally between the households. This amount then is used to determine the total household operating expenses for the individual's household.

If the eligible individual lives in the household that doesnot pay for the shelter item used in common, that household has no household operating expense for that item, e.g., the item would not be used in any determination of inside ISM.

NOTE: In this situation, the shelter item would not be used to determine household operating expenses and the pro rata share. However, because the shelter item is paid from outside the individual's household, it results in outside ISM.

E. Procedures — inside ISM

Use the instructions in SI 00835.340 to develop and document the existence and amount of inside ISM.

Contact a member of one of the other households to verify that separate households exist and that they share one or more common shelter items.

Record this information on an RC.

F. References

• Rental liability, SI 00835.120

• Computing inside ISM, SI 00835.340

• Computing outside ISM, SI 00835.350

• Rent-free shelter, SI 00835.370

• ISM and remuneration for work, SI 00835.390