Showing Posts In "Tenant Screening" Category

CFPB, FTC Fine TransUnion $23M for Tenant Screening and Security Freeze Failures

TransUnion has been fined $23 million for tenant screening and security freeze failures. Specifically, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) fined the credit-reporting agency $15 million because it did not take steps to ensure the rental background checks that landlords used to decide who gets housing were accurate and […]

Newsom Signs Legislation on ‘Crime Free Housing’ Policies

Legislation has been signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom that addresses “crime-free housing” policies that historically have required rental housing providers to evict tenants following arrests or to reject applicants with past convictions. Effective Jan 1., 2024, AB 1418 will prevent local governments from imposing penalties or requiring landlords to evict tenants based on calls to […]

New Report Examines the Harm of Tenant Screening on Renters

A new report from the National Consumer Law Center (NCLC) shows that the automated screening of rental applicants disproportionately harms Black and Latino/Hispanic renters. “Digital Denials: How Abuse, Bias, and Lack of Transparency in Tenant Screening Harm Renters” takes a look at the barriers tenant screening creates for millions of renters.

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AI is Used to Discriminate Against Renters, a Chicago-Area Housing Group Says in Lawsuit

Housing advocacy group Open Communities has filed a lawsuit against Harbor Group Management, based in Virginia, alleging discrimination against Black renters using artificial intelligence. Specifically, the company has been accused of using chatbot to reject a prospective tenant for having a housing choice voucher, or Section 8. It is illegal in the state of Illinois […]

New Legislation Could Change CT Renters’ Rights. Here’s How

A housing omnibus bill passed in June includes anti-discrimination rules, adjustments to application fees and security deposit processes, and the removal of some online eviction case records. Senate Bill 998 would have several new protections for renters in Connecticut. For starters, it allows towns to increase fines on landlords whose properties break some municipal and […]

Civil Practice – Protective Order – Anonymity

The plaintiff in a case against Rentgrow, Inc. claims violations of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) for providing a potential landlord with a tenant screening report containing information on a criminal arrest record that was set aside and sealed by an Oregon state court. Although the plaintiff seeks to bring the claim anonymously to […]

Lawsuit Claims HHI Apartments’ Faulty Applicant Screening Led to 2020 Assault of Child

A young girl who was attacked in the parking lot of the Hilton Head Gardens continues to suffer from post-concussive symptoms that often leave her bedridden for multiple days. The assault took place in the parking lot of the Hilton Head Gardens. The victim’s mother is now suing the apartment complex, claiming its faulty applicant […]

Tenant Background Check: Be Prepared for What Your Landlord May Search About You

There are a few background checks landlords might run on potential tenants to screen renters for any red flags. These include credit check verification, reference check verification, social media, and criminal record.

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Third Circuit Decision Provides Post-Transunion Guidance on Informational Injuries and Ascertainability

The Third Circuit recently held that a small subclass of consumers could proceed with their class action against RealPage based on the company’s failure to provide them with required third-party information in credit reports. The court is one of the first Circuit Courts to squarely address the scope of what constitutes an “informational injury.”

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Property Management Agency Agrees to Almost $10 Million Settlement Over Inaccurate Tenant Background Checks

A property management company has reached a $9.73 million agreement, settling the claims that it violated the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) by inaccurately reporting tenant background checks. Specifically, the class action alleged that the company used criteria in sex offender registry data, resulting in reports of inaccurate data for tenant screening. The lawsuit further […]