Nueva Era Rentals

California law requires companies offering rental listings to enter into a contract with you before accepting their fee from you and the contract is subject to certain requirements. First it must expire no longer than 90 days from the time you execute it. It must include the name and contact information of the real estate agent or PRLS licensee, the service fee amount, and a description of the services that will be performed in exchange for the fee. The contract must specifically state what you are seeking in a property, your right to refund provisions, and outline the small claims court remedy that is available to you.

California law entitles customers to rights to a refund if:

·         Within five days of paying the PRLS they have not provided at least three “available” rentals meeting your specifications. A full refund must be provided in this case. (Consumers must deliver or send a written request by certified mail within ten days after the five-day period expires)

·         If the PRLS doesn’t locate a rental for a consumer or if the customer finds housing on their own within the time-frame of the contract, the consumer is entitled to a refund of all fees paid except for $50. (Consumers must submit their refund request within ten days of the expiration date of the contract through certified mail or in-person)

If a refund is not issued, a court of law can award up to $1,000 for damages. The quickest way to obtain a judgment is through a Small Claims Court

Complaints against rental listing services allege that the properties advertised do not exist or that the listings are not current and the properties were already rented were never for rent or authorized by the owner to be listed or do not meet the criteria of the person seeking the rental. Other allegations are that the properties listed were taken from ads in other sources such as newspapers or Internet websites. Refunds, even if provided for in the contract, are extremely difficult to obtain.