Meanwhile I have to pay $5 a month to reflect mine
CA landlords can charge their monthly cost or $10, whichever is less.
The only thing I would change is that the landlord is allowed to ONLY charge their exact cost. But otherwise yeah this is a good idea (having your rental payments show or affect your credit score).
Monthly cost or $10, whichever is less, is better. It means the landlord is incentivized to keep costs down. Even if it costs the landlord $50, they can only charge the tenant $10. If it costs them $5, they can only charge the tenant $5. It’s a ceiling on the cost.
Maybe I’m misunderstanding.
This is a cost to have your rent showing up on the credit report, correct?
How would the landlord have any control over what they charge?
I assume the landlord uses a service to share rent with the credit report agencies. The landlord can shop around for a cheaper service, or use their cousin who charges $50/tenant but gives the landlord a kickback.
I think assumptions in this case is a bad idea.
If the landlord has a realistic way to control the price then that’s one thing but I would want to see how they control that price. Or if they even have any say in it. If the landlord has no say then the landlord should charge exactly their cost.
I somewhat disagree, because landlords have a say by their sheer number and capital. If credit agencies or reporting services want to gouge landlords, that shouldn’t be the tenant’s problem and landlords should come together to negotiate lower prices. I much prefer the built-in tenant protection here of a $10 per month cap.
