The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently released a letter addressed to rental property owners aimed at cracking down on “junk fees.” These fees include application, screening, move in, late fees, and others. According to HUD, applicants are oftentimes faced with hidden or unnecessary fees, which lead to high costs when trying to rent a home and a much higher rent than what was advertised.

The letter calls on rental property owners to be fair, honest, and open about the fees they charge. And the letter asks property owners to adopt specific actions to eliminate or limit application and other fees, as well as to clearly advertise the bottom-line rent.

During the meeting, we will review the letter and its implications for landlords.