US FTC penalizes Invitation Homes $48 million for undisclosed fees

27 Sep 2024 CW Team

Invitation Homes, the largest landlord for single-family homes in the US, agreed to a $48 million settlement with the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regarding allegations of deceiving renters about lease costs. According to the FTC, the company charged renters tens of millions of dollars in undisclosed fees between 2021 and 2023, which included costs for air filter delivery, smart home technology, and utility management.

The FTC's lawsuit, filed in Atlanta, indicated that these fees were not disclosed to customers at the time they applied for their units. The $48 million settlement is designated for reimbursing affected renters.

In a statement, Invitation Homes asserted that it believed its disclosures and practices were industry-leading, surpassing those of both its professional peers and many smaller owners of single-family rental homes. As part of the settlement, the company did not admit any wrongdoing.

This case represents another instance of the Biden administration's efforts to address "junk fees" that contribute to the rising cost of living in the United States. FTC Chair Lina Khan remarked that no American should have to pay higher rent or face eviction due to illegal practices by corporate landlords.

The lawsuit also accused Invitation Homes of not inspecting homes before residents moved in and of unfairly withholding security deposits upon their departure. Additionally, the FTC alleged that the company engaged in unjust eviction practices by failing to inform renters facing financial hardships during the COVID-19 pandemic about an eviction moratorium issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

However, Republican commissioners at the FTC expressed disagreement with this charge, noting that the CDC order had been vacated by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2021.

Infrastructure Urban

17 Sep 2025

DCPC Prepares for Special Campaign 5.0 with Focus on E-Waste

The Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals (DCPC), Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers, is gearing up for Special Campaign 5.0, to be held from 2nd to 31st October 2025. The initiative will focus on e-waste disposal as per MoEFCC’s E-Waste Management Rules 2022, space optimisation, and enhancing workplace efficiency across field offices.Special Campaign 4.0, conducted between October 2023 and October 2024, delivered notable results in record management, grievance redressal, scrap disposal, and cleanliness drives.Key outcomes of Special Campaign 4.0Records management: 2,443 physical fil..

BlackRock India Leases 1.4 Lakh Sq Ft in Bengaluru

BlackRock Services India, the domestic arm of global asset manager BlackRock, has leased 1.4 lakh sq ft of office space at IndiQube Symphony in Bengaluru, according to Propstack data. The 10-year deal is valued at around Rs 4.10 billion.The lease, among the largest transactions in India’s co-working sector, highlights the growing preference of global institutions for flexible office providers. The agreement, commencing October 1, 2025, covers ground plus five floors in KNG Tower 1 at Ashoknagar, MG Road — one of Bengaluru’s prime commercial hubs.As per the lease document, BlackRock will ..

L&T Bags Rs 25–50 Bn Order for Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Track Works

Larsen & Toubro’s (L&T) Transportation Infrastructure business has secured an order valued between Rs 25 crore and Rs 50 billion from the National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR) corridor.The contract, Package T1, involves the design, supply, construction, testing, and commissioning of 156 route km of high-speed ballastless track on a Design-Build Lump Sum Price basis. The stretch runs from Mumbai’s Bandra-Kurla Complex to Zaroli village in Gujarat and includes 21 km of underground track and 135 km of elevated viaduct.Se..