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© 2026, Change.org, PBC
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© 2026, Change.org, PBC
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WeMove Europe SCE mbH | Planufer 91 Berlin |
ARTICLE à LIRE sur le SITE WEB de FUTURA SCIENCES,
LIEN :
https://www.futura-sciences.com/planete/actualites/rechauffement-climatique-moitie-planete-bientot-touchee-secheresses-extremes-selon-etude-w2t8-133383/
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Rent keeps climbing, and corporate landlords have found a way to push it even higher without ever changing the number they advertise. They list one price, then pile on mandatory junk fees for basic things like paying rent online, submitting an application, or accessing services that used to be included. By the time a lease is signed, the real cost is far above what renters were told at the start. These fees are not rare. They are built into how large landlords operate. The FTC has proposed a rule to address these practices, and it directly targets the tactics renters are dealing with right now. Hidden fees, misleading pricing, and charges that don’t reflect real services are exactly what this rule is meant to stop. But the outcome is not guaranteed. Corporate landlords and their allies are already preparing to flood the process with comments claiming this isn’t a real problem. They will argue these fees are transparent, optional, or necessary. That narrative only works if regulators don’t hear from the people actually paying these costs every month. Companies like RealPage have helped normalize systems where fees can be added, adjusted, and enforced through online platforms that renters have no ability to avoid. That structure makes it easier to introduce new charges and harder for renters to push back.
These fees are already baked into the rental market. They increase housing costs without improving housing. They create barriers for renters trying to secure a home. They shift more money from tenants to corporate landlords without adding value. The FTC has the authority to act, and strong rules can shut down these practices across the industry. We have seen what happens when regulators take on junk fees in other sectors. It puts money back in people’s pockets and forces companies to compete fairly. But that only happens when public pressure outweighs industry lobbying. Corporate landlords will try to run the same playbook used in other fights, overwhelm the process with misleading claims, and delay or weaken enforcement. Your comment is part of stopping that. It is part of making sure this rule reflects what renters are actually experiencing, not what corporate landlords say is happening. Thank you for taking action to push back against corporate landlords and fight for a fair housing system. - Caroline. Caroline Nagy (she/her)
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| Paid for by Americans for Financial Reform |