These comments discuss the dizzying array of junk fees tenants pay to secure and maintain rental housing and how these fees contribute to housing unaffordability and precarity. In addition, these comments provide evidence showing the prevalence and persistence of these fees in the rental housing market. This evidence includes data from a survey that NCLC…
2024 Residential Energy Consumption Survey findings reflect a rise in home energy insecurity particularly among households of color, households in the South Census Region, and low-income households across the country. Recommendations include: implementation of enhanced bill assistance, energy efficiency, regulatory consumer protection programs and policies, along with investment in relatively low-cost renewable energy resources.
This letter supports Senator Duckworth’s amendment to S.1962 to repeal the FCC’s 2025 Order on Incarcerated People’s Communications Services. The 2025 Order misapplies the historic, bipartisan reforms contained in the Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act, which the U.S. Senate adopted unanimously in 2021 and further sets aside the unanimous bi-partisan vote by the…
In this Order, the Commission provides guidance and direction pertaining to the Public Conference 59 (“PC 59”) Work Group’s Report on Proposed Limited Income Mechanism for Utility Customers. For the reasons detailed below, the Commission approves the general design of the proposed Limited Income Mechanism (“LIM”), recommends guidance on further details, and approves Phase II…
The National Consumer Law Center and the American Financial Services Association do notagree on everything, but we agree on this: HB 4141 should not pass as written. Many companiesoffering debt resolution services do more harm than good, and HB 4141 would enable rapidproliferation of these kinds of companies and their services in Oregon, displacing legitimate…
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New York has passed the first comprehensive law to protect shoppers who use Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) loans. Some details remain to be fleshed out through regulations, and the law does not address every issue BNPL borrowers may face. But it is a significant step forward and provides a helpful roadmap for other states.…
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NCLC, National Consumers League, Consumer Action, and Electronic Privacy Information Center filed Reply Comments urging the Federal Communications Commission to strengthen its rules to require blocking scam calls and texts, prohibit foreign calls that spoof U.S. phone numbers, and to improve rules under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act to make it easier for consumers to…
Read More about Reply Comments Urging FCC to Strengthen Rules Blocking Scam Calls and Texts
NCLC submittted testimony supporting Oregon HB 4116, which will prevent evasions of Oregon’s interest rate limits by opting the state out of a federal law that allows out-of-state, state-chartered banks to charge high rates not allowed in Oregon. The bill will prevent predatory “rent-a-bank” lenders that charge annual percentage rates (APRs) of 200% and higher…
Read More about Testimony Supporting Oregon HB 4116 Opting Out of DIDMCA
A new breed of payday loans, so-called earned wage access products, exacerbate affordability problems by taking hundreds of dollars per year from low-wage workers. This written testimony from NCLC supports a Maryland bill that will prevent manipulations that increase fees and make workers pay to be paid. NCLC’s testimony also suggests several amendments to the…
Read More about Written Testimony in Support of Maryland Earned Wage Revisions
The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities expanded the state’s winter utility disconnection moratorium, to begin on October 27, 2025 and ending on April 1, 2026. This temporary expansion of the moratorium will protect utility customers who usually receive assistance through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP or HEAP), but are still waiting for…
NCLC strongly supports IDFPR’s proposed regulations to regulate shared appreciation agreements (also known as HEI loans). But we also have a number of suggestions for making the rules clearer and stronger.
NCLC joined several other organizations in filing a reply brief to the Federal Communications Commission. In July, we had filed an Application for Review asking the agency not to delay for 2 years the implementation of regulations that set price caps on phone and video communications for incarcerated folks to make them more affordable. These…