Debt & Bankruptcy

Consumer Protections for Renters

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. NCLC advocates for strong protections in these and other areas where consumer laws and renter protection intersect.

Too Damn High: How Junk Fees Add to Skyrocketing Rents

March 13, 2023

Junk fees jeopardize access to future housing and financial stability by contributing to rental debt that leads to negative marks on credit reports.

Read More about: Too Damn High: How Junk Fees Add to Skyrocketing Rents
March 7, 2024
March 6, 2024

Recent

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Testimony in Support of Oregon H.B. 2967, a Bill That Would Prohibit Rental Application Fees

February 19, 2025

FTC Rule Stops Short of Protecting Tenants from Junk Fees in Rental Housing

December 17, 2024

2025 Consumer Protection Federal Priorities

October 21, 2024

Vox: How hidden fees keep renters trapped

October 1, 2024

Cracking the Code: Understanding and Overcoming Language Barriers in Consumer Finance

September 24, 2024

“What the Heck, Dude!”: How States Can Fight Rental Housing Junk Fees

September 5, 2024

What the Heck, Dude! New Report Focuses on How States Can Fight Rental Housing Junk Fees

September 5, 2024

KUER/NPR: Utah’s rents are already a challenge. Extra fees can stretch things even further

August 28, 2024

NCLC Petition for Rulemaking under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act to Protect Renters

August 12, 2024

Comments & Letters

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NCLC Petition for Rulemaking under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act to Protect Renters

August 12, 2024

Comments Concerning Rental Housing Junk Fees in Response to the FTC’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking

February 7, 2024

Comments to FHFA on Tenant Protections for Enterprise-Backed Multifamily Properties Request for Information

July 27, 2023

Comments on Tenant Screening Request for Information by FTC and CFPB

May 30, 2023

Group Comments to the FTC Regarding Rental Housing Junk Fees

February 8, 2023

NCLC & NHLP Comments to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Regarding Fees Imposed by Providers of Consumer Financial Products or Services

April 11, 2022

Letter to CFPB Regarding Rental Debt Survey of Legal Aid and Non-Profit Attorneys

December 14, 2021

Group Letter to HUD Regarding Removing Credit Reports and Credit Scores as a Barrier to Public and Subsidized Housing

November 3, 2021

Letter Regarding Application of CFPB’s Interim Final Rule to the New CDC Eviction Moratorium

August 10, 2021

Reports

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Cracking the Code: Understanding and Overcoming Language Barriers in Consumer Finance

September 24, 2024

“What the Heck, Dude!”: How States Can Fight Rental Housing Junk Fees

September 5, 2024

Digital Denials: How Abuse, Bias, and Lack of Transparency in Tenant Screening Harm Renters

September 26, 2023

Too Damn High: How Junk Fees Add to Skyrocketing Rents

March 13, 2023

Unfair Debts With No Way Out: Consumers Share Their Experiences With Rental Debt Collectors

October 7, 2022

Mission Creep: a Primer on Use of Credit Reports & Scores for Non-Credit Purposes

August 3, 2022

Broken Records Redux: How Errors by Criminal Background Check Companies Continue to Harm Consumers Seeking Jobs and Housing

December 10, 2019

Issue Briefs

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2025 Consumer Protection Federal Priorities

October 21, 2024

2024 Consumer Reform Priorities to Protect Tenants

March 7, 2024

Even the Catch-22s Come With Catch-22s: Potential Harms & Drawbacks of Rent Reporting

March 6, 2024

2024 Credit & Consumer Reporting Priorities to Promote Economic Stability

March 6, 2024

WAAT: Protections and Support for Renters

September 21, 2022

Zombie Records: How Sealed or Expunged Court Records in Tenant & Employment Screening Reports May Illegally Cost People Jobs & Housing

June 29, 2022

Assisting Consumers with Rental Debt During COVID-19: Legal Aid and Non-Profit Attorneys Share Their Experiences

December 14, 2021

Salt in the Wound: How Eviction Records and Back Rent Haunt Tenant Screening Reports and Credit Scores

August 1, 2020

Testimony

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Testimony in Support of Oregon H.B. 2967, a Bill That Would Prohibit Rental Application Fees

February 19, 2025

Testimony of Ariel Nelson Before the Maryland House Economic Matters Committee in Support of H.B. 251

January 24, 2022

Testimony of Chi Chi Wu before the Massachusetts Legislature in Support of H.1429/S.894: An Act Regulating the Use of Credit Reporting in Housing

January 11, 2022

Testimony of NCLC Staff Attorney Ariel Nelson Supporting CT HB 6528

March 4, 2021

Press Releases & News

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FTC Rule Stops Short of Protecting Tenants from Junk Fees in Rental Housing

December 17, 2024

Vox: How hidden fees keep renters trapped

October 1, 2024

What the Heck, Dude! New Report Focuses on How States Can Fight Rental Housing Junk Fees

September 5, 2024

KUER/NPR: Utah’s rents are already a challenge. Extra fees can stretch things even further

August 28, 2024

HUD Takes Aim at Discriminatory Practices by Tenant Screening Companies and Housing Providers

May 3, 2024

Groups Celebrate Updated Energy Efficiency Rules for New U.S.-Backed Homes

April 25, 2024

52 Advocacy Groups Endorse FTC’s Ban on Junk Fees

February 8, 2024

The New York Times: More Tenants Can Now Add Rent Payments to Their Credit Score

January 26, 2024

CFPB Takes Aim at Misleading, Incomplete, and Old Information in Background Check Reports

January 11, 2024

From the NCLC Digital Library

Defenses to Collection of Rental Debt

Tenant tactics to deal with rental debt, including: responding to negative tenant screening reports that prevent access to new housing; challenging the rental amount claimed as due; other defenses to rental debt collection lawsuits & eight ways for the tenant to recover attorney fees in litigation.

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