WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Federal Trade Commission is distributing more than $47.2 million in refunds to renters who were charged undisclosed fees and other unlawful costs by Invitation Homes, one of the nation’s largest single-family home landlords.
What This Means for You
- More than 444,000 renters will receive refund checks from a $48 million FTC settlement.
- The case involved allegations of hidden fees, misleading lease costs, and improper security deposit charges.
- Eligible consumers must cash refund checks within 90 days.
The payments follow a 2024 FTC lawsuit accusing Invitation Homes of deceptive and unfair practices involving rental pricing, undisclosed charges, and improper withholding of tenant security deposits.
Settlement Requires Refunds and Policy Changes
The FTC alleged that Invitation Homes misled rental applicants about the true cost of leasing homes and charged tenants additional fees that were not clearly disclosed in advance.
According to the complaint, renters were required to pay extra charges for services such as “smart home technology” and “utility management,” and tenants could not opt out of the fees.
The agency also alleged that some homes were not properly inspected before tenants moved in and that the company sometimes withheld security deposits for normal wear and tear or for damage that existed before tenants occupied the property.
Under the settlement, Invitation Homes agreed to pay $48 million to compensate affected renters.
The agreement also requires the company to clearly disclose leasing prices, implement policies for fair handling of security deposit refunds, and stop practices the FTC said were deceptive or unfair.
Who Is Eligible for Payments
The FTC said consumers who paid $45 or more in covered fees or charges to Invitation Homes between January 2021 and September 2024 are eligible for refunds.
However, renters who already received credits or refunds from the company for those charges will not receive additional payments.
In total, the FTC is sending refund checks to 444,131 eligible consumers.
What Renters Should Do
Recipients should cash their refund checks within 90 days, according to the FTC.
Consumers who have questions about their payment can contact the refund administrator, Rust Consulting Inc., at 800-804-6915 or by email at info@InvitationHomesRefund.com.
The FTC also reminded consumers that the agency never requires people to pay money or provide financial account information in order to receive a refund payment.
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