Hidden fees can add hundreds to S.F. rent. New law aims to disclose them.

San Francisco rents have risen sharply, with the median one-bedroom reaching $4,000. Many tenants face additional fees not included in quoted rent, such as pest control and garbage charges. These fees can raise total monthly costs by 10 to 30 percent. Proposed legislation would require online apartment listings to display an estimated all-in monthly cost. Landlords would have to list every monthly fee in lease agreements. If a tenant proves a fee was not disclosed, eviction for nonpayment would be barred. Tenants could also end leases without penalties if a landlord fails to disclose fees properly. The proposal aims to improve housing stability through transparent pricing.

"San Francisco's rents are up 21 percent year-over-year and breaking records: The median cost for a one-bedroom is now $4,000 for the first time in city history. But those sky-high rents aren't even the full story. Some tenants are shocked to discover that a new rental comes with hundreds of dollars of additional fees - for things like pest control or garbage - that aren't included in the rent they were quoted."

"Mahmood said Thursday he is introducing legislation to force landlords to disclose all the hidden fees paid by city tenants. Those costs can stack up: according to an analysis done by the Urban Institute Initiative, fees can increase renters' total monthly costs by 10 to 30 percent. Mahmood's legislation would require apartment listings on websites like Craigslist or Zillow to show an estimated all-in monthly cost."

"Landlords would be required to list all the monthly fees they charge in the lease agreement. If a tenant can prove that a fee was not disclosed to them, that tenant would not be able to be evicted for not paying it. The legislation would also allow tenants to terminate a lease without any penalties if a landlord fails to disclose a fee properly."

""Junk fees are a major obstacle to housing stability. They blindside renters who have already very stretched, tight budgets," said Ora Prochovnick, director of litigation and policy at the Eviction Defense Collaborative, who worked with Mahmood on the law. Sometimes, Prochovnick said, renters do not know they are on the hook for these fees and end up underpaying their landlord and getting evicted."

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