Bay Area Rental Is Charging Tenants a $200 Work-From-Home Fee

A Walnut Creek, CA, rental has been taken off the market after it received serious backlash for demanding an extra $200 monthly fee from any renter who works from home.

The Bay Area rental immediately baffled renters throughout the area when they noticed the unusual fee in addition to the $3,250 monthly rent.

“If working from home, an additional $200 monthly,” the listing states.

“That’s crazy,”  area renter Samara Wondimu told local ABC affiliate KGO-TV.

Another renter, Cody Hall, called the additional fee “ridiculous,” while Christopher Williams, who works remotely in Chicago, said that he had “never heard of that.”

Located in Walnut Creek’s Northgate neighborhood, the dwelling boasts itself as a newly built, furnished one-bedroom, one-bathroom accessory dwelling unit.

Dubbed “The Cottage,” the 535-square-foot home includes utilities, Wi-Fi, parking, and a private patio. The abode also features a sunlit living space, hardwood floors, and a recently updated kitchen with custom cabinetry and stainless-steel appliances.

The Cottage is within walking distance of the local Shadowbrook Winery, top-rated restaurants, and boutique shopping.

Yet even with the elegance, comfort, and prime location, the extra working-from-home (WFH) fee seems to be a deal breaker for prospective tenants.

“Rent is already so expensive!” Williams said.

And for this house, that’s absolutely true. According to Realtor.com data, the median rent in Walnut Creek is $2,900. The possibility of paying an extra $200 a month brings the dwelling’s rent $550 over the typical rent for the area.

But while the fee is quite unusual, the CEO of the East Bay Rental Housing Association, Derek Barnes, believes that the extra cost is not necessarily unacceptable.

“It’s almost like a utility cost recovery or environmental conservation fee,” Barnes told KGO, as someone working from home is likely to use more electricity, water, internet, and air conditioning than someone working on-site.

“You’re not likely, you know, to be aware of your usage of these precious resources if you don’t see a bill,” Barnes said.

WFH fees are not likely to become widespread, according to Barnes, but single-family landlords may have more flexibility to charge extra fees than larger apartment buildings due to location and rent regulations.

For the time being at least, renters are hoping that WFH fees don’t begin to spread.  

“If my landlord suggests that, I actually don’t work from home,” Hall joked.