Lusskin Law

Were You Charged a Fee to Pay Rent or HOA Dues With a Debit Card?

Many Florida renters and homeowners are charged a per-payment fee to pay through AppFolio, Yardi, or RealPage portals, even when they pay with a debit card, where such surcharges are generally prohibited by credit-card-network rules. If you were charged a fee to pay your rent or HOA/condo dues by debit card, we want to hear from you.

Every case is different. No result is guaranteed. This is attorney advertising.

See If You May Qualify

The Problem With Debit-Card Fees

When you pay rent or HOA dues online through a portal like AppFolio, Yardi, or RealPage, you may be charged a "convenience fee," "service fee," or "processing fee" on top of what you owe. The rules for these fees are different depending on how you pay. Under the operating rules of the major card networks (Visa and Mastercard), a merchant is generally prohibited from adding a surcharge to a debit-card transaction, even where a surcharge on a credit card might be allowed.

We are investigating whether renters and homeowners in Florida were improperly charged debit-card fees through these portals, and whether those who paid may be entitled to recover their money. A flat fee to pay by debit, or one that exceeds the actual cost of processing the payment, may be improper.

Please note: This is an ongoing investigation. No lawsuit has been decided, no result is guaranteed, and this is not a promise of compensation. Whether any individual has a claim depends on the specific facts, including the portal used, the type of card, and how the fee was charged and disclosed. We are gathering information to evaluate the matter.

If you paid rent or HOA/condo dues by debit card through AppFolio, Yardi, or RealPage and were charged a fee to do so, please reach out, even if you are not sure how much you paid.

Submit Your Information

See If You May Qualify

Fill out the form below and our team will review your information. There is no cost or obligation to submit.

We are especially interested in payments made on Florida properties, but we want to hear from anyone who was charged a debit-card fee through these portals.

Our investigation is focused on Florida properties, but we accept submissions from any state.

Optional. An estimate is fine. This is the extra fee charged to use your debit card, not the rent or dues amount.

Your information is confidential and protected. Submitting this form does not create an attorney-client relationship.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this investigation about? +

Many renters and homeowners pay rent or HOA/condo dues online through portals such as AppFolio, Yardi, and RealPage, and are charged an extra fee to do so. Card-network rules generally prohibit adding a surcharge to a debit-card payment. We are investigating whether Florida renters and homeowners were improperly charged debit-card fees through these portals, and we are gathering information from people who paid them.

Why is a debit-card fee a problem? +

The Visa and Mastercard rules generally prohibit merchants from adding a surcharge to a debit-card payment. A flat "convenience fee" to pay by debit, or one that costs more than the actual processing, may be improper. Whether any particular fee was improper depends on the specific facts.

Does this cost me anything? +

No. There is no cost or obligation to submit your information. We are investigating the matter and gathering information at this stage.

What if I don't remember the details? +

That's okay. Please reach out anyway. The portal you used, the state where your property is located, and a rough idea of the fees are the most helpful details. An estimate is fine.

Is my information confidential? +

Yes. All information you submit is confidential and used solely for the purpose of this investigation. We do not share your personal information with third parties.