Attorney General Jeff Jackson Secures Refunds for 161 North Carolinians

For Immediate Release:

Monday, May 19, 2025

Contact: Ben Conroy
(984) 383-9038

RALEIGH – Attorney General Jeff Jackson and the North Carolina Department of Justice helped 161 North Carolina tenants secure refunds from real estate company FirstKey Homes after tenants were mistakenly required to transfer utilities to their name and incurred significant and unexpected fees.

“I thank FirstKey for acting quickly to fix this problem and giving affected tenants their money back,” said Attorney General Jeff Jackson. “And I thank the North Carolinians who filed complaints with my office. People across the state are our eyes and ears, and when we learn of an issue, we’ll do everything in our power to work with businesses and resolve it to help consumers.”

NCDOJ received two consumer complaints about this issue and brought it to the company’s attention. The consumer complaints against FirstKey Homes alleged that the company mistakenly required them to transfer utility accounts from the company’s name to their own, despite their leases instructing them not to do so. Many customers were then charged additional fees or were told that they’d violated their lease agreements. After the Department of Justice reached out to FirstKey, the company swiftly identified 159 other people who received a similar notice and implemented a claims process to issue the necessary refunds.

FirstKey agreed to compensate tenants for 200 percent of the incurred fees and distribute $250 to those who were told to transfer their utilities but did not incur any fees. FirstKey will also take action to improve communication regarding lease inquiries and work with a law firm to review and improve internal policies.

Any North Carolinian who feels they’ve been scammed or mistakenly charged by a company or business is encouraged to file a complaint with the North Carolina Department of Justice. These complaints help our Consumer Protection Division solve critical issues and protect the people of our state. You can file a complaint with NCDOJ by calling 1-877-5-NO-SCAM or online here.

NCDOJ’s letter to FirstKey can be read here.

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