National Push to Regulate Rental “Junk Fees”

Renters have submitted 400 comments urging the Trade Commission (FTC) to set protections against charges that raise housing costs and increase eviction risk. FTC reopened rulemaking in January 2026 after settlements with Invitation Homes and Greystar required disclosure of a leasing price for rent and fees.

The Guardian

Tenants such as Seattle renter Farah Momin and Boston resident Shaun Cordeiro have voiced concerns. Invitation Homes and Greystar are major landlords. The National Apartment Association (NAA) represents thousands of owners. Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-FL) and Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) sponsor the End Junk Fees for Renters Act.

The Guardian

Professional property-management firms now control 47 % of U.S. rental units and dominate larger complexes. The FTC received 471 comments; about 400 supported regulation and 60 opposed it, mainly industry groups. 27 state attorneys general urged a uniform federal standard. Colorado, Massachusetts, Minnesota and Nevada require total-price disclosures, while 17 states regulate specific fee types.

The Guardian

The FTC warned that incomplete price advertising could incur penalties of $53,088 per violation and cautioned RealPage, Yardi Systems and Turbo Tenant. Invitation Homes called its disclosures “industry leading.” Greystar described its fee structure as an “industry-wide practice” and pledged a “leadership position.” NAA argued rental housing is already “highly regulated” and that fees are “necessary…to keep communities financially stable.”

The Guardian

Industry commenters warned that “all-in pricing could artificially inflate rental housing costs” and that restricting “reasonable fees” would create “practical barriers” to services. They maintain that mandatory fees are essential for maintaining property-level financial stability.

The Guardian

Seattle renter Farah Momin described feeling “confused, financially strained and powerless” by junk fees. Boston resident Shaun Cordeiro reported undisclosed utility formulas and eviction-related charges he says are unlawful, prompting a pending class-action lawsuit in Massachusetts.

The Guardian

Sources differ on the number of states with explicit junk-fee protections: some list Colorado, Massachusetts, Minnesota and Nevada as having total-price requirements, while others note 17 states with partial regulations. The FTC’s final rule timeline remains unspecified, and the effect of pending litigation on industry practices is unclear.

The Guardian

• “The rental housing market is one where consumers have little power,” — Farah Momin, renter, Seattle

The Guardian

• “When you add all those junk fees, the price disparity will be more obvious,” — Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-FL

The Guardian

• “rental housing is already highly regulated at all levels of government … Fees and charges are a necessary part of pricing structures that keep rental housing communities financially stable.” — National Apartment Association, statement

The Guardian

• “they kind of tried to play it off as, you know, it all comes out in the wash.” — Shaun Cordeiro, Boston resident

The Guardian

FTC plans to finalize its rule after reviewing comments, with a timeline expected later in 2026. The End Junk Fees for Renters Act remains pending without Republican sponsorship. Ongoing lawsuits, including Cordeiro’s class action, may shape future regulatory and industry practices.

The Guardian