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For Immediate Release

CFPB Proposal Will Help Vulnerable Tenants Combat Aggressive Rent Collections, Evictions

Today, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau released an interim final rule in support of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s eviction moratorium. This new rule would require debt collectors to provide written notice to tenants of their rights under the eviction moratorium and prohibits debt collectors from misrepresenting tenants’ eligibility under the moratoriumIt would apply to debt collectors attempting to collect on rent, including attorneys who are seeking to evict on the basis of nonpayment of rent.

Below is a statement from the National Association of Consumer Advocates (NACA):

“Debt collection abuses run rampant in evictions and pursuit of rent and other fees. The bureau’s action to apply protections under the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act to protect vulnerable tenants during the COVID-19 era is a step in the right direction, but tenants are also susceptible to abusive practices that may not be covered under this rule,” said Carla Sanchez-Adams, Managing Attorney at Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, Inc. and a NACA board member.

“The CDC’s eviction moratorium is meant to help keep Americans in their home during the upheaval of the COVID-19 crisis, but the protections are only effective if the terms are implemented and followed,” said Christine Hines, NACA’s legislative director. “The bureau’s action today is a positive move to ensure that vulnerable families are aware of, and can enforce, the protections and rights provided to them.”

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