Temporary Quarters Expenses

An employee of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) appealed the denial of his claim by the FBI for temporary quarters subsistence expenses. The record showed that, incident to the employee's transfer, the employee entered into a purchase agreement for a residence at his new duty station and arranged for shipment of his household goods to the residence. The day after arriving at his new duty station, the employee commenced occupation of the residence with the understanding that he would pay rent until settlement day. The employee continued occupying the residence without disruption until settlement day and claimed temporary quarters expenses for the rental period since he contended that it was his intent to occupy the residence only temporarily until settlement day. GAO held that Federal regulations provide that temporary quarters are an expedient to be used until the employee can move into permanent residence quarters. While the rental arrangement that the employee had in moving into his residence before settlement was not intended to be permanent, it was clear that the residence itself was intended to be his permanent residence. Accordingly, payment of temporary quarters subsistence expenses was not authorized.