Rental fee glossary

The words that come up in rental fee laws in Illinois, Colorado and Massachusetts, explained in one or two sentences each.

Application fee

A charge to apply for a rental, usually covering a credit and background check. Illinois caps it at $50 from 2027, California limits it to actual cost under an inflation-adjusted cap, Colorado bars it when the applicant gives a recent portable screening report, and Massachusetts does not allow it. More

Broker fee

A real estate broker's commission for renting a unit. In Massachusetts, since August 1, 2025, whoever hired the broker pays it. More

CAM fee

A common area maintenance fee for shared spaces such as hallways and grounds. Colorado bans it as a separate required fee since 2026. More

Chapter 93A

The Massachusetts consumer protection law. A violation of the fee regulation 940 CMR 38.00 is an unfair or deceptive practice under it. More

Chicago RLTO

The Chicago Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance. It sets local rules on security deposits and caps late fees at $10 for the first $500 of rent plus 5% above $500. More

Cook County RTLO

The Cook County Residential Tenant Landlord Ordinance for suburban Cook County. It caps deposits at 1.5 months of rent and limits late fees. More

First page of the lease

Under Illinois HB 3564, every non-optional fee must be listed on page one of leases signed from January 1, 2027. A tenant is not liable for a required fee left off page one. More

Four upfront charges

In Massachusetts, the only amounts a landlord may collect at or before move-in: first month's rent, last month's rent, a security deposit of up to one month and the cost of a new lock and key. More

HB 3564

The Illinois rental fee transparency law, Public Act 104-0479, which adds Section 35 to the Landlord and Tenant Act (765 ILCS 705/35). It applies to leases signed from January 1, 2027. More

HB25-1090

The Colorado deceptive pricing law (C.R.S. 6-1-737). For rentals it requires one advertised Total Price and bans several fees, since January 1, 2026. More

Junk fee

An informal name for a hidden, surprise or duplicate charge added on top of an advertised price. Several states now limit them in rentals. More

Last month's rent

Rent for the final month of a tenancy, collected in advance. In Massachusetts the landlord owes the tenant interest on it each year. More

Listing weblink

Under Illinois HB 3564, a rental listing must disclose non-optional fees, either in the listing or in an accompanying weblink, such as a fee disclosure page. More

Non-optional fee

A fee every tenant must pay, or cannot reasonably avoid. In Illinois these go on the first page of the lease, and in Colorado and Massachusetts they go into the Total Price. More

Optional fee

A charge the tenant can decline, such as storage or an extra parking space. It is disclosed separately with how to avoid it. More

Owner-occupied exemption

Illinois HB 3564 does not apply to units in owner-occupied buildings with six units or fewer. More

Portable screening report

A tenant screening report the applicant already has. In Colorado, a landlord cannot charge an application fee to someone who provides one from the last 30 days. More

Resident benefit package

A bundle of services, such as filter delivery or credit reporting, billed monthly. If every tenant must pay it, it is a non-optional fee. More

RUBS

Ratio utility billing system: splitting a building's utility bill among units by a formula. Colorado allows it only within limits set by law and Attorney General guidance. More

Safer Homes summary

The Illinois Summary of Rights for Safer Homes, attached as the first page of written leases signed from January 1, 2026 (Public Act 103-1031). More

Security deposit

Refundable money held against unpaid rent or damage. Massachusetts caps it at one month's rent with strict handling rules. Illinois HB 3564 does not cap it statewide. More

Third-party markup cap

In Colorado, a landlord may add at most 2% of a third-party bill or at most $10 a month, not both, and only if the lease allows it. More

Total Price

The most a tenant must pay, including every required fee. Colorado and Massachusetts require it to be shown more prominently than any other price in ads. More

Utility bill-back

Passing a building's water, sewer or trash costs to tenants. The lease or listing must say which utilities rent includes. More

940 CMR 38.00

The Massachusetts Attorney General regulation on unfair and deceptive fees, enforced since September 2, 2025. It covers rental housing. More

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