A new report from the National Consumer Law Center looks at the dizzying array of junk fees renters can face when they try to find and keep rental housing, which can present barriers to affordability.
Read More about Too Damn High: New Report Examines Role of Junk Fees in Skyrocketing Rents
Reporting rent payments to credit bureaus like Equifax, Experian and TransUnion could have serious unintended consequences.
Read More about Op-Ed in The Hill: "Why rent reporting can harm rather than help vulnerable tenants"
The 39 organizations listed below are pleased to submit these comments in response to the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking regarding unfair or deceptive fees, R207011. These comments discuss the many fees, which we refer to as “junk fees,” charged to renters and rental housing applicants. The organizations urge the FTC…
Read More about Group Comments to the FTC Regarding Rental Housing Junk Fees
Low- and moderate-income renters have faced tremendous challenges in recent years, including shortages of affordable, decent housing; spiking rent increases; and abuses by corporate and private equity landlords. Contributing to these woes are practices that are regulated by consumer laws, including tenant screening reports, collection of rental debt, and imposition of junk fees. The following reforms are much needed to help struggling renters obtain and keep safe, decent, affordable housing.
Read More about 2023 Consumer Reform Priorities to Protect Tenants
Credit reports and scores, tenant and employment screening reports, and other background checks all impact fundamental necessities in a consumer’s life: the ability to rent an apartment or buy a home, obtain insurance, find a job, or obtain fairly priced credit. Yet each one of these categories of “consumer reports” has serious systemic problems, and…
Read More about 2023 Credit & Consumer Reporting Priorities to Promote Economic Stability
Rent reporting carries huge risks for renters, especially the most vulnerable families who struggle with housing costs.
