The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is asking the public to share experiences with what they believe to be deceptive or unfair rental housing fees and charges, from lease to application.
Director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection, Christopher Mufarrige, stated in a press release this week, “The Trump-Vance FTC is focused on addressing unlawful business conduct that obscures the actual cost of housing and undermines price competition," while acknowledging how these practices "harm consumers".
The request stems from an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) aimed at addressing unfair practices in the rental housing industry. The Commission will use these public comments as a gauge to determine the need for a federal rule to prevent landlords, entities, and organizations from engaging in duplicitous behaviors, such as failing to advertise mandatory fees, imposing charges without informed consent, or misleading renters about the purpose of certain fees.
The ANPRM seeks feedback on issues including total rent, fees and charges, application fees, security deposits, billing issues, and consumer choice. Comments must be received on or before April 13, 2026. Those who prefer to submit online, you can do so at https://www.regulations.gov with the notation: "Unfair or Deceptive Rental Housing Fee Practices ANPRM, Project No. R207011." Paper comments may be mailed to: Federal Trade Commission, Office of the Secretary, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Mail Stop H-144 (Annex R), Washington, DC 20580. Further information is available here.
The initiative by the ANPRM follows a string of FTC enforcement actions against major housing providers, including a $48 million settlement with Invitation Homes, the nation's largest single-family rental company. Whether this rulemaking results in binding federal protections remains to be seen. As of this moment, the agency is listening, and South Carolina renters have until April 13 to accept the invitation.