Consumer Alert
What issues do renters face?
When you want to know what’s happening in housing, you go to the experts. That’s why the FTC joined renters, renters’ advocates, and researchers in Atlanta to hear about issues affecting renters. They told us that the rise of institutional investors and corporate landlords since the financial crisis has contributed to rising rents, hidden junk fees, issues with online portals, and predatory lease-to-own schemes. Here are some takeaways from housing advocates and renters:
- Corporate landlords and junk fees are affecting affordability. Prices are rising, hidden and bogus fees are more common, and evictions are easier. Some landlords even charge fees on paying rent through their mandatory payment portals. The FTC has a proposed rule to stop junk fees. If a landlord is tacking on fees you didn’t know about or authorize, tell the FTC.
- Rent-to-own and equity skimming schemes are targeting people. Deceptive rent-to-own schemes say you can buy in installments, but don’t make clear the conditions that mean it’s nearly impossible for you to actually rent to own. Sale leaseback schemes say you can sell your home to a company for cash up front, but stay in your home. What’s not clear, though, is that the bait-and-switch tactics and misleading terms can lead to you losing your cash or your home. If someone offered you cash for your house, report it to the FTC.
- Online portals for maintenance and utility billing fees are on the rise. Increasingly, landlords make renters use online portals to send maintenance requests. While it looks like help is on the way, renters are often left with units in disrepair. Renters also reported on landlord shell companies that charge a “utility fee” on top of renters’ monthly bills.
The FTC is committed to fighting abuses in the rental market. We heard from renters in Atlanta, and now we want to hear from you. Please tell us your story.
It is your choice whether to submit a comment. If you do, you must create a user name, or we will not post your comment. The Federal Trade Commission Act authorizes this information collection for purposes of managing online comments. Comments and user names are part of the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) public records system, and user names also are part of the FTC’s computer user records system. We may routinely use these records as described in the FTC’s Privacy Act system notices. For more information on how the FTC handles information that we collect, please read our privacy policy.
The purpose of this blog and its comments section is to inform readers about Federal Trade Commission activity, and share information to help them avoid, report, and recover from fraud, scams, and bad business practices. Your thoughts, ideas, and concerns are welcome, and we encourage comments. But keep in mind, this is a moderated blog. We review all comments before they are posted, and we won’t post comments that don’t comply with our commenting policy. We expect commenters to treat each other and the blog writers with respect.
- We won’t post off-topic comments, repeated identical comments, or comments that include sales pitches or promotions.
- We won’t post comments that include vulgar messages, personal attacks by name, or offensive terms that target specific people or groups.
- We won’t post threats, defamatory statements, or suggestions or encouragement of illegal activity.
- We won’t post comments that include personal information, like Social Security numbers, account numbers, home addresses, and email addresses. To file a detailed report about a scam, go to ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
We don't edit comments to remove objectionable content, so please ensure that your comment contains none of the above. The comments posted on this blog become part of the public domain. To protect your privacy and the privacy of other people, please do not include personal information. Opinions in comments that appear in this blog belong to the individuals who expressed them. They do not belong to or represent views of the Federal Trade Commission.
June 27, 2024
Thank you so much for sharing and keeping us informed. The young and Old. We truly appreciate everything that you do to protect us from the outside scammers, near and far.
June 27, 2024
Please look into AMH. I have a stack of evidence against them. Now that I know you exist, I will be filing with you against them. Their horrific treatment towards their clients needs to be stopped.
June 27, 2024
Some renters can just like squter ok an they don't pay rent all the time just when they want to an destroy your property no
June 27, 2024
we are having this problem but afraid of repercussions or problems since we live in this apartment who can I call for questions
June 27, 2024
I’m a renter in a what is supposed to be senior living
I’ve been living here for 4 years
In the beginning I was paying 678.00 monthly
I now pay 861.00 monthly
I used to get a 20.00 utility allowance every February except this year
I’ve asked why they continue to charge me rent increases every year
I was told that it’s the market value amount!
Everyone has to sign a document for them for some sort of discount from the state!
I’m not totally understanding why I have to pay the high rent and the landlord gets the discounts
Is there any way that you could investigate this issue??
To see if indeed I am receiving the right information in regards to the rent increases and the state discounts??
June 27, 2024
In reply to I’m a renter in a what is… by Diane Jackson
The federal government has a website and call center to help older adults get information about housing and many other services. Call the Elder Care Locator at 1-800-677-1116 between 8 am and 9 pm eastern time Monday through Friday. Or go online to https://eldercare.acl.gov/Public/index.aspx and type your zip code into the search bar to learn about the housing in your area.
June 27, 2024
In the last place I rented, years after moving out I received a bills and calls from a collection agency regarding fees for damages.
The first invoice I received was from the collections agency, nothing from the place I rented from. The first invoice was received 2 years after I moved.
There was no picture of the damage, no detailed description of the damage, just a demand for payment or we are putting this on your credit report. I lived there for 6 months.
Needless to say it is on my credit report now and I am not paying a dime. This is predatory renting and another way to get "junk fees" out of renters that have since moved on. They probably thought I would be too scared of being turned down by other properties if or when I tried to rent again.
June 27, 2024
My landlord adds gas onto my rent.I have no control over it since they have a company that figures out what I have to pay. They will not explain to me how this is done and I feel that what they charge is unfair plus there is a $4 dollar utility fee added on that I have to pay for. The only gas usage iny apartment if for heat and the gas range but I have been chg'd as much as $72.00 for months when the heat has been turned off in the building.
June 27, 2024
We need to stop them buying up so many to start with. Just allowing them to own and basically control the market drastically impacts the availability of homes for first time buyers, retires looking to downside. I think they are the biggest impact on the market 'not moving.' They are the biggest part of the story that the media is missing. Even when limits are set, they will create another LLC and use it buy more. Take a look at a story out of Minnesota and a graph of the single family rentals owned by companies. It's double digits in many places.
June 27, 2024
(1)A tenant is forced to rent an apartment complex's washer and dryer(which is a separate fee from rent) and the decision to rent these cannot be changed for the life of the lease as well. If the tenant already owns a washer and dryer, the complex makes that tenant purchase renter's insurance. Very seldom does the tenant receive a new washer and dryer and maintenance does not repair them efficiently when they break down.
(2) Two to three times a year, the tenant's rent increases by $30 - $50 or more. This forces the already struggling tenant to fall farther and farther behind in rent payments. When a tenant can't afford anywhere else and is forced to move out, what can they do when they have to provide for their children? The system is already stressed with previous homeless families...funding is null from agencies.
(3) Wiring in seemingly well kept apartments need to be inspected more often. I know first-hand of a little boy who was shocked while taking a shower in this kind of apartment.
And yes, apartments are charging tenants to use their choice of online payment systems. I think I pay $3.95 each time I use it. Also, There is no more 5 day grace periods on rents. It is now the 1st of each month and after the 3rd, a $95 late fee is charged!
June 28, 2024
The Landlords where I live are going up on rent every year, even thou it is suppose to be according to your income. I am living with mice, bed bugs, roaches. The mice has caused an Infestation. HUD IS NO HELP
June 28, 2024
This is not capitalism. It is pure greed. The selfishness is telling - it is not "business" it's "the sky's the limit". The government needs to step in to stop it. If the government does not step in then just who is going to actually pay the taxes to fund local, state and federal government? I'm sure these greedy people have also figured many ways to avoid taxes on anything that doesn't go directly into their pockets. Fast track to third-world status in the name of anything for money. Very sad situation.
June 28, 2024
What about the mom and pop landlords that own 1 or 2 rentals? What's being done to protect them from corporate landlords buying up properties and taking away a previously affordable way to supplement income? How about renters who damage property above the amount of the security deposit, take advantage of landlords by bringing laundry from non-renters to wash and dry at the landlord's expense? Renters aren't the only victims here.
June 28, 2024
I have been living at this property for 8 years, funded by HUD and suppose to pay rent according to your income, then why is my rent going up every year? I have been experiencing in my apartment mice an infestation, when a couple are killed. There are more that comes in my apartment. The property managers hire exterminators who really do not know how to get rid of the problem. Also this property deals with Bed Bugs, and roaches. so I took my rent and went to home depot and purchased sticky broads to catch the mice. now the property manager has gave me a 30 day tendency. this company has discriminated against me several times. denied me reasonable accommodation until he realized it is Law. I've reached out to Legal aid Attorney for help, don't be bullied by corrupt Landlords.
Add new comment