You do not mention what state you are in. It sounds like your landlord is trying to avoid paying tax on the rental income he receives from you by only wanting to be paid in cash and by not having a signed lease agreement with you.
We do not know if you are even in a state that provides any sort of renter credit or what your state requires if you are.
There is not a rent deduction or credit on your Federal return. If your state has anything for renters you will be prompted to enter your rent info when you complete your state return. As far as I know, the states that have anything for rent are Arizona, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington DC, and Wisconsin.
We cannot provide legal advice here---but hang on to that "handwritten paper" you have in case you ever need it to seek legal help with the landlord.
**Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to offer the most correct information possible. The poster disclaims any legal responsibility for the accuracy of the information that is contained in this post.**
