Make your voice heard on unfair rental costs.
Renters are often charged fees that are unclear, hard to anticipate, and unfair. These fees are not included in the advertised cost of rent.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is considering a new rule to address these practices and improve transparency in rental housing. As part of this process, the FTC is asking for public input.
Your voice can help shape what happens next. Real experiences show how these fees affect people across Virginia. By sharing your story and submitting a comment, you can help push for clearer and more transparent rental costs.
About this rulemaking
The FTC is in the early stages of developing a rule focused on unfair or deceptive practices related to rental housing fees. The agency is gathering information from the public to better understand how these fees are used and how they affect renters.
Public comments will help inform whether the FTC moves forward with new protections, such as clearer disclosures or limits on certain practices.
Why this matters
Hidden fees hurt everyone. By shielding the true cost of rent housing, these charges make it harder to compare options and plan for what folks can afford.
Unexpected or unclear fees can:
- Increase the total cost of housing
- Make it harder to compare rental options
- Create financial strain for renters already facing tight budgets
Renters deserve clear information about the true cost of housing before they apply, pay an application fee, or sign a lease.
Submit a comment to the FTC
You can share your experience directly with federal regulators. Comments about your own experience are especially important but we also encourage folks to submit a comment to support others in your community who have faced these unfair fees.
Consider including:
- the types of fees you were charged
- whether those fees were clearly disclosed upfront
- how the fees affected your ability to afford housing
The more comments from renters the FTC receives, the more likely they are to create a strong, consumer-friendly rule.
Read the proposed rule here.
Leave your comment here.
What kinds of fees are we talking about?
Examples include:
- Fees for how you pay your rent (online, check, etc)
- Fees for standard maintenance, including pest control, trash, HVAC, internet that you do not receive
- Fees to the landlord for insurance (like renter’s insurance or flood insurance)
- Any fees that were not included in the advertised rent
- Fees that you did not know about when you applied
- One-time fees charged in addition to a security deposit
Deadline
Public comments must be submitted by 11:59pm on April 13.