It’s hard to find an apartment in this tight housing market. That’s why when people land a place they think they can afford, often they jump at the chance to sign the lease.
That’s a mistake, experts say. If you want to avoid paying rental ‘junk fees,’ your lease is probably your best protection. Ohio landlord-tenant law favors landlords.
Landlords and property managers increasingly charge ‘junk fees’ that can include exorbitant late fees, high rental application fees and unnecessary convenience and processing fees, such as those for paying rent online. They can also charge for things such as internet service, even if the tenant doesn’t want it or gets service directly from a provider.
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“Truthfully, when most tenants sign their written lease, they only read the first three paragraphs,” said Matthew Vincel, managing attorney of the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland’s Housing Practice Group. “Those paragraphs lay out what the monthly rent will be, when it is due and what the security deposit is.
“What they don’t realize is that on page four, there’s a provision that says if you want to pay online, through the payment portal, there’s a $40 charge,” he said.
Signal Cleveland talked to several experts who shared these tips for avoiding ‘junk fees’
Tenants should not just ask what their monthly rent will be before signing a lease. They should ask how much they will be paying the landlord each month.
Matthew Vincel, managing attorney of The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland’s Housing Practice Group, on avoiding junk fees.
Read your entire lease before signing. It may be your best protection
“Landlords cannot legally charge a junk fee if it is not included in the written lease,” Vincel said. “Tenants should not just ask what their monthly rent will be before signing a lease. They should ask how much they will be paying the landlord each month.”
If you are charged a fee that isn’t in your lease, contact the landlord or property manager and tell them that you don’t legally have to pay it.
Ask the landlord or property management company about any fees outside of the rent amount
In addition to reading the lease before signing it, tenants should specifically ask about fees that landlords or the property manager will require them to pay, said Amy M. Riegel, executive director of the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio (COHHIO).
“Ask for a list of the fees in plain language,” she said.
The time to complain about them is before you sign the lease.
Check to see if you are eligible to have your rent due date changed
Tenants often get behind on the rent because the due date comes before they get paid or receive monthly benefits or other funds. Consider checking with the landlord or property manager to see if the date can be changed to accommodate when you’ll have money to pay it. Try to do this before signing a lease, if possible. The landlord or property manager may choose not to consider your request once the lease is signed.
Late rent fees can mount quickly
Kris Keniray, associate director of the Fair Housing Center for Rights & Research, has seen leases in which late fees are not only high but compound on a daily basis. Under such provisions, it doesn’t take long before late fees rival the amount of the monthly rent.
Keniray said landlords and property managers are legally required to change the rent due dates for some tenants. These include people living with disabilities, who must be granted a “reasonable accommodation when necessary,” which includes having their rent due date revised to avoid paying late fees.
Some municipalities limit the late fees landlords and property management companies can charge
These five municipalities in Cuyahoga County have passed ordinances limiting the amount of late fees that can be charged: Cleveland, Cleveland Heights, Euclid, Lakewood and Warrensville Heights. In Cleveland, for example, most late fees cannot be more than $25 or 5% of the monthly rent.
Check to see if you are eligible for free legal help
Landlords can start an eviction against a tenant who doesn’t pay junk fees contained within the lease. If you can’t afford a lawyer, consider getting help from Legal Aid. On a case-by-case basis, Legal Aid evaluates who will be seen.
Cleveland’s Right to Counsel program provides free legal representation to low-income and working-class Cleveland residents who are facing eviction. The program is delivered through a partnership between the United Way and Legal Aid.
Legal Aid helps households with incomes less than 200% of the 2024 federal poverty guidelines. This means a household of four with an annual income up to $62,400 qualifies.
Visit lasclev.org to find out more about the Legal Aid Clinic or to submit an intake application. You can also submit an income application by calling 888-817-3777.