With more corporate investors controlling metro Atlanta housing, researchers call for legal protections

Ethan Vuley began renting his Southeast Atlanta home in 2023, but since moving in, he says he's dealt with flooding issues in his basement.

Incident reports from his landlord, Invitation Homes, one of the largest owners of single-family rental homes in the United States, reveal the problem as a structural issue. After dozens of calls, Vuley says the landlord sent multiple contractors to his home.

"They've dug up the yard. They put this thing in," Vuley says, referring to a pipe in the wall. "One group of people…"

But he says he struggles to get in touch with representatives for Invitation Homes in metro Atlanta who can fix the problem, and the basement continues to flood. Vuley says he's dealt with what he describes as poor customer service, maintenance fees he's had to dispute, and rising rental fees.

"I think the most I've ever paid was about $2,600, $2,700 in a month for a place that, when I signed up, was $1,800 a month less than three years ago," Vuley said. "I have to be more budget conscious and can't do as many fun things with my children. It really, truly does affect my way of life."

Georgia State University researcher and graduate teaching assistant Ryan Pardue is examining the impact Invitation Homes and others are having on renters in metro Atlanta, including Vuley. The researchers say three corporate landlords, including the Texas-based Invitation Homes, control almost 11% of single-family rentals in Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett counties.

GSU researchers say that growing share makes it harder for smaller property owners to compete. As a result, researchers say corporate landlords may face less pressure to keep tenants happy, resolve issues quickly, or keep rental prices low.

"Atlanta has turned out to be something of a testing ground for these large corporate landlords," Pardue said. "We had a lot of foreclosures during the foreclosure crisis, and we're also a very landlord-friendly state."

Pardue says the state needs better tenant protections.

"If they have pending maintenance requests that the landlord hasn't done anything about, a tenant should be able to withhold rent without fear of eviction, but that's not a protection we have in Georgia," he said.

In March, Invitation Homes agreed to pay more than $47 million to settle Federal Trade Commission allegations that it misled renters about lease costs, charged undisclosed fees, failed to properly inspect some homes before move-in and unfairly withheld some security deposits.

Vuley, who wasn't part of the settlement, says he'll be downsizing to an apartment once he finishes his lease.

"...[H]opefully I can at least find an ethical local company to rent from," Vuley said.  

It's a hope he's holding onto as he looks for his next home.

Invitation Homes issued the following statement to CBS Atlanta in response to our questions.

"Invitation Homes is proud to provide high-quality homes and professional service to the growing number of individuals who prefer the flexibility and choice associated with leasing. The over 200 Invitation Homes associates who live and work in Georgia dedicate themselves to providing our local residents with a positive experience throughout their stay with us. In those instances where we miss the mark, we acknowledge the mistake and work hard to make it right.

Residents can submit maintenance requests 24/7 through our online maintenance portal or our maintenance app, and we provide timely updates on all requests. Through our ProCare program, maintenance professionals visit each home at key points in the resident's lease for proactive upkeep, helping to prevent issues before they arise.

We also clearly outline all fees and costs associated with renting on our website to ensure we're transparent from the very beginning of any resident relationship. In addition, when a resident signs a lease with us, all fees are clearly listed on the first page of the lease, with a total monthly obligation tallied at the bottom of the page. We also include full, detailed monthly costs for each listing on our website, as well as on third-party platforms like Zillow, Realtor.com, and other similar sites."