New Bill Bans Unfair Junk Fees For Renters

Sacramento, CA - California tenants are being hit with unfair junk fees on rent that inflate housing costs making financial planning impossible for the nearly 17 million California renters. To put an end to this exploitative practice, Assemblymember Matt Haney, California Attorney General Rob Bonta, and a prominent coalition of organizations introduced Assembly Bill 1248 (AB 1248), End Unfair Junk Fees on Renters, which aims to eliminate these deceptive fees once and for all. The bill ensures that renters only pay the rent they agreed to—nothing more, nothing less.

“Housing costs in California are already high, and unfair junk fees only make it harder for renters to budget and stay financially stable. These unfair costs are just a scam that drives up housing expenses and leaves tenants paying more than they expected,” said Assemblymember Matt Haney (D-San Francisco). “AB 1248 ensures fairness by making sure the rent tenants agree to is the rent they actually pay. This bill will help protect Californians from misleading pricing practices and create a more honest and predictable rental market.”

As housing costs soar, landlords have increasingly tacked on piecemeal fees for services that were once included in rent—charging extra for pest control, “trash concierge” services, and utilities for common areas calculated using vague and arbitrary formulas. These fees make it difficult for families to compare housing costs, budget for their expenses, or know how much they will owe each month.

“When landlords tack on fees on top of rent it makes it almost impossible for families to compare housing costs or plan for monthly expenses. As it stands, the scarcity and high cost of housing means California's 17 million renters spend a significant portion of their paychecks on rent, with an estimated 150,000 people at risk of eviction any given month,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “The cost of housing should be clear to California tenants in the same way that the cost of a concert ticket or a hotel is clear to California consumers. I thank Assemblymember Haney for introducing legislation to ensure California tenants receive the full protection afforded to them by the Tenant Protection Act. AB 1248 will help Californians’ housing payments remain straightforward, stable, and predictable.”

For California’s 17 million renters—especially working families and seniors—these unpredictable charges are more than a nuisance; they are a financial trap. AB 1248 will put a stop to landlords nickel-and-diming tenants by requiring all costs to be included in the rent. This ensures renters know exactly what they’re paying for and requires landlords to put all tenant costs in one all-in rent price. The bill also addresses landlords' practice of applying payments to late fees or other charges first, instead of rent, which can lead to spiraling debt and increase the risk of eviction.

AB 1248 End Unfair Junk Fees on Renters would:

• Require landlords to include all tenant costs in the rent rather than charging separate fees.
• Create more predictable housing costs for existing tenants by preventing landlords from adding new fees during a tenancy.
• Require landlords to apply a tenant’s rent payment to their rent first, which will help prevent landlords from creating a debt spiral for tenants.

This is a crucial step toward fairness in California’s rental market, eliminating unpredictable fees and ensuring renters are protected from misleading pricing tactics. By creating a level playing field, this legislation guarantees that tenants can trust the rent they agree to is the rent they pay, bringing much-needed stability to housing costs across the state.