TENANT SCREENING AND APPLICATION FEES (CALIFORNIA)

A-DU CHARGES APPLICANTS NOTHING

On A-du, the landlord who orders a screening pays A-du for the report. You are not charged an application fee or a screening fee through A-du, before or after screening, whether or not you are approved.

With your written consent, the landlord's report is prepared by RentPrep, a consumer reporting agency. It covers a credit result (pass or fail against the landlord's minimum score), a criminal background search, and rental and public records searches.

IF A LANDLORD ASKS YOU FOR A FEE OUTSIDE A-DU

A-du does not set, collect, or process application fees. A landlord who charges applicants their own fee outside A-du must follow California law. In summary (this is not legal advice):

• Cap: the fee may not exceed the landlord's actual out-of-pocket costs for screening, and never more than the CPI-adjusted cap. For 2026 the cap is $65.86 per applicant, as published by the California Apartment Association. No state agency publishes the adjusted figure.
• Itemized receipt: the landlord must give you a receipt itemizing the costs.
• Refund if unused: any part of the fee not spent on a report or reference check must be returned to you.
• Copy of your credit report: on request, the landlord must give you a copy of a credit report obtained about you.
• No unit, no fee: a landlord may not charge a fee when no unit is available or will be available soon.
• AB 2493 (since January 1, 2025): a landlord may charge a fee only if they either consider applications in the order received, under written criteria, and refund within 7 days any fee for an application they did not consider; or refund every applicant not selected within 7 days of choosing a tenant, or 30 days after you applied, whichever comes first.

Read the law itself: California Civil Code § 1950.6.

RECENT SCREENINGS (REUSABLE REPORTS)

Under California Civil Code § 1950.1, a landlord may choose to accept a recent reusable screening report instead of ordering a new one. The law does not require a landlord to accept one, and a landlord may not charge you a fee to access one. Where A-du offers this, results from an A-du screening in the last 30 days may be shown to another A-du landlord at no charge to you or to that landlord.

YOUR RIGHTS

1. Notice if you are denied because of a report.

If a landlord denies your application, or offers worse terms, based in whole or in part on a consumer report, the landlord must give you an adverse action notice under the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. § 1681m). It names the consumer reporting agency and explains your right to a free copy of the report and to dispute anything inaccurate.

2. A copy of your report.

You may request a copy of any report from RentPrep directly: 1821 Como Park Blvd, Lancaster, NY 14086, screening@rentprep.com, 1 (888) 877-8501.

3. Fair housing.

Screening on A-du must follow the federal Fair Housing Act, the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, and local fair chance rules where they apply. If you believe a screening decision was discriminatory, contact fairhousing@a-du.homes, and you may file a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department and HUD.