FTC Begins Review of Rental Housing Fees
Federal agencies are increasingly examining fees across several industries, including housing. As part of this effort, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has begun reviewing rental housing fees and related practices that could potentially influence how certain charges are structured and disclosed in the rental market.
To begin this process, the FTC has issued an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) focused on rental housing fees and fee transparency. This early step allows the agency to gather information and feedback before determining whether formal regulatory action may be appropriate.
What Property Managers Should Know
According to the National Association of Residential Property Managers (NARPM), the FTC’s review is part of a broader effort to evaluate so-called “junk fees” across multiple industries, including housing.
The agency is currently seeking information from housing providers, property managers, industry organizations, and consumers regarding rental housing fees and related practices. The goal of this stage of the process is to better understand how fees are structured and disclosed in the rental housing market.
Members interested in learning more can review NARPM’s summary of the issue here.
What This Means
At this stage, the FTC has not proposed a rule. An ANPR represents the first step in the federal rulemaking process, used by agencies to collect information and feedback from stakeholders.
The input gathered during this phase will help the FTC determine whether additional regulatory action may be necessary and what form that action could take.
Opportunity for Industry Feedback
NARPM has encouraged property managers and housing providers to review the issue and consider submitting feedback during the public comment period.
In addition to comments submitted by industry organizations, individual input from housing operators and property managers may help inform the FTC as it evaluates rental housing practices. Comments should be filed at www.regulations.gov under Docket No. R207011, titled “Unfair or Deceptive Rental Housing Fee Practices ANPRM.” Any comments must be received within 30 days of the March 13, 2026, Federal Register publication date.
MetroTex Monitoring Developments
Federal rulemaking processes often unfold over an extended period of time, with multiple opportunities for stakeholder engagement along the way. MetroTex will continue working with industry partners and monitoring the process to ensure members remain informed as the review progresses.
Members are encouraged to stay engaged and review available resources to better understand how potential regulatory changes could impact the rental housing industry.
MetroTex has alerted Texas REALTORS® and will continue monitoring developments related to this issue.
As additional information becomes available, the association will keep members informed of updates that may affect property management practices and the rental housing industry.
Feel free to contact Jason Petrie, MetroTex Government Affairs Director at Jason.petrie@metrotex.com with any questions you might have.