A new Nevada law aims to increase transparency for renters.
Starting in October, landlords will be required to disclose the total amount someone is required to pay each month. This includes any utilities the renter is responsible for. Supporters say it’s a fairness issue, as some companies advertise a lower price while leaving out all the non-optional fees.
John Brogden, senior attorney of the Tenants' Rights Center for Nevada Legal Services, said some fees are included deep within the lease agreement, which can lead to people falling behind.
“The worst one I've seen, it’s called an HVAC fee. It’s, in theory, a fee for them to mail you filters, or there’ll be a pool cleaning fee,” Brogden said. “The most common one, but it kind of varies on how hidden it is, is what’s called CAM fee, which is the common area maintenance fee.”
Landlords must also allow a free mechanism for rental payments; for example, a portal might charge the user a service fee. Owners would also be required to provide an application fee refund if they don’t rent to the prospective tenant. They wouldn’t need to give back the amount paid for a background or credit check and can no longer run those on minors.
