US renters call for action to combat surge of ‘take it or leave it’ apartment fees

AI Summary

US renters are calling for government action to regulate rising 'take it or leave it' apartment fees that increase housing costs and risk of eviction. Industry representatives oppose stricter regulations, citing potential limitations on fee usage.

Tenants push for tougher rules against unfair add-on charges. Industry players argue against policies that they say could limit the ‘effective use of fees’ ‘Extremely overwhelmed’: apartment renters face rising tide of fees Across the US, many renters are calling for national action to stem add-on charges that spike their housing costs and increase their risk of eviction. “The rental housing market is one where consumers have little power,” Farah Momin, a renter in Seattle, told the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in April. “Landlords can impose fees through take-it-or-leave-it lease terms, and the cost/disruption of moving means that tenants may absorb unfair charges rather than leave. Federal baseline protections are needed to level this playing field.” Continue reading...