US renters call for action to combat surge of ‘take it or leave it’ apartment fees
Summary
Many renters across the United States are asking the government to stop extra fees that increase their housing costs and risk of eviction. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is working on new rules to regulate these additional charges after receiving widespread comments from renters and industry groups.Key Facts
- Renters say landlords use "take-it-or-leave-it" fees that they must pay or risk losing their home.
- Nearly 400 out of 471 public comments to the FTC supported regulating these extra fees.
- Property management companies have grown and now manage nearly half of rental units, often using fees to increase profits.
- In 2024, Invitation Homes paid $48 million to settle claims about unfair fees but did not admit wrongdoing.
- Also in 2024, Greystar settled for $24 million on similar allegations without admitting fault.
- Industry groups say fees are necessary and oppose strict limits, although they support transparency about them.
- The ongoing FTC rulemaking follows previous efforts limited by industry pushback and aims to create fairer fee rules.
- Lawmakers have shown interest in the issue and a coalition is involved.
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