Bill · S. 2148· Senate(119-S-2148)
End Junk Fees for Renters Act
- Introduced
- 6/24/2025
- Last activity
- 6/24/2025 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
- Sponsored by
- Jeff Merkley
- Cosponsors
- - 0 - 0
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The "End Junk Fees for Renters Act" aims to prohibit owners of covered dwelling units from assessing or collecting certain fees from tenants. It targets application fees and tenant screening fees, which would be prohibited entirely. For late rent payments, the bill restricts fees to less than 3 percent of the monthly rent and requires a 15-day waiting period. Additionally, owners must provide specific disclosures to tenants before a lease is signed. The Act also directs the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection and the Federal Trade Commission to define "junk fee" and address how unpaid fees are reported to consumer agencies.
Yes· 3 of 13
Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices?+7
The bill enhances consumer protection by prohibiting certain upfront rental fees and limiting late fees.
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?+6
Low-income households are most likely to be affected by rental fees and late penalties.
Does this make housing cost less?+6
By capping late fees and banning application/screening fees, the bill makes renting more affordable.
The opposite
Would business owners be better off under this?-4
Landlords and property owners face increased regulation and higher operational requirements.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Elimination of Upfront Costs: Owners of covered dwelling units would be prohibited from charging application fees or costs related to criminal history, tenant screening, or consumer reports (Section 3(a) and 3(b)).
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Reduced Financial Burden from Late Rent: Late fees would be capped at less than 3 percent of the monthly rent and could only be charged after 15 days have passed since the rent was due (Section 3(c)).
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Increased Transparency for Renters: Owners would be required to disclose the total monthly amount due, a summary of past litigation with tenants, descriptions of ongoing pest or maintenance issues, and history of rent increases over the last 10 years before a lease is signed (Section 3(d)).
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Protection Against Unfair Debt Collection: The bill seeks to find that reporting unpaid "junk fees" to consumer reporting agencies is an unfair or unconscionable way to collect debt (Section 4(2)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No negative impacts are explicitly stated in the text provided.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Low Income Households+6Good For Middle Class Households+4Good For Students+4Good For Urban Residents+4Good For Middle Aged+3Good For Retirees+3Good For Seniors+3Good For Young Adults+3Good For Business Owners-4
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Affordable Housing+6Improves Poverty Reduction+3
- Economy And Finance
- Improves Consumer Protection+7
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Government Transparency+4Increases Federal Power+2
- 6/24/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Bernie SandersIndependent · Vermont