Progress Residential Eviction Fees Settlement, Check If You Qualify, Johnsten v. Progress Residential, LLC, No. 2024-CA-001692

November 20, 2026. That’s your deadline to opt out of or object to the Progress Residential eviction fees settlement. If you paid eviction attorneys’ fees to Progress at a Florida rental, you could get back 75% or 30% of what you paid, with no claim form. This is Johnsten v. Progress Residential, LLC, No. 2024-CA-001692, in Seminole County, Florida.

Progress Residential Eviction Fees Settlement — Key Facts

Item	Details
Settlement Amount	$556,386.89 class fund, per the plaintiffs’ motion. Plus $300,000.00 in attorneys’ fees and costs, paid separately by Progress
Claim Deadline	None. There’s no claim form, and payments are automatic
Who Qualifies	Florida tenants of Progress-managed properties who were assessed eviction attorneys’ fees before any court awarded them, between August 27, 2020 and August 26, 2024
Estimated Payout	75% of fees paid (Paid Class) or 30% of fees paid (Balance Class). Attempted Collection Class gets a release, no cash
Proof Required	No
Settlement Status	Preliminary approval order e-filed September 14, 2026. Final fairness hearing set for January 11, 2027
Court & Case Number	Circuit Court, Eighteenth Judicial Circuit, Seminole County, Florida — Case No. 2024-CA-001692
Law Alleged	Florida Consumer Collection Practices Act (Chapter 559) and Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act (Chapter 501)
Administrator	American Legal Claim Services LLC
Official Claim Site	johnstenfeessettlement.com (no claim form; the site handles address updates)
Last Updated	October 3, 2026

Who Is Progress Residential and Why Are They Being Sued for Eviction Attorneys’ Fees?

Progress Residential, LLC and four related companies managed the Florida rental homes at the center of this case, according to the settlement agreement. They controlled the tenant ledgers, which is where the plaintiffs say eviction attorneys’ fees were posted before any court awarded them. Your ledger is the evidence.

What Did Progress Residential Charge Florida Tenants Between August 27, 2020 and August 26, 2024?

Here’s what the plaintiffs say. Progress followed a statewide practice of charging “Eviction Attorneys’ Fees” to Florida tenants “before such fees had been awarded by a court,” according to the Settlement Agreement. The agreement defines those charges as attorneys’ fees plus court filing and service of process fees.

The suit claims violations of the Florida Consumer Collection Practices Act, which limits how debts can be collected, and the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act, which bars deceptive business practices. It also claims negligent misrepresentation, unjust enrichment, declaratory judgment and breach of contract. No court has decided who’s right.

Karen Ransome filed first, on August 26, 2024, and Crystal Johnsten filed a similar case two days later in Seminole County. The cases were consolidated, and a complaint filed February 17, 2026 added plaintiffs Carmen Garcia and Angel Lara. Mediation on June 18, 2026 settled it.

Tenant fee cases like this one aren’t rare. The Pegasus Residential Virginia tenant fee settlement we covered also pays tenants automatically, with no claim form. Were you charged an eviction fee at a Progress rental? Then pull your old ledger.

Who Qualifies for the Progress Residential Eviction Fees Settlement?

If you’re asking “do I qualify for the Progress Residential settlement,” here’s exactly how to know.

Who is included (there are three classes):

• Paid Class members, who paid the fees and left owing Progress less than they paid in those fees, or who are current tenants owing less than that
• Tenants in the Balance Class, who paid the fees but left owing Progress more than they paid in those fees
• Anyone in the Attempted Collection Class, who was assessed the fees but didn’t pay them, or whose only payment came out of a security deposit

All three share the same starting point: you were assessed eviction attorneys’ fees by a Progress company, before a court assessed them, during the four years before August 26, 2024.

Who is not included (from the class definitions):

• Tenants of properties outside Florida
• Anyone whose fees were assessed outside August 27, 2020 to August 26, 2024
• Anyone not charged eviction attorneys’ fees before a court awarded them
• Those who file a valid, timely opt-out

Progress’s own records identified 3,003 class members: 476 in the Paid Class, 773 in the Balance Class and 1,754 in the Attempted Collection Class. You have 48 days from today to opt out or object, and 100 days until the January 11, 2027 fairness hearing.

Progress Residential Tenants Outside Florida — Are You Still Covered?

Yes, if the tenancy was in Florida. This is a Florida state court case, and the classes cover tenants of Florida properties managed by Progress affiliates. If you’ve moved away since, your Florida tenancy still counts, so update your address. A Progress tenancy in another state isn’t covered.

Not sure if you qualify for the Progress Residential eviction fees settlement? A free legal consultation with a landlord-tenant attorney can help before the November 20, 2026 deadline.

How Much Can Progress Residential Eviction Fees Settlement Class Members Get? Up to 75% of Fees Paid

How much will I get from the Progress Residential settlement? Your legal settlement payout depends on which class you’re in, and it’s a percentage of what you actually paid.

Progress Residential Payout for the Paid Class — 75% of Fees Paid

Do the arithmetic yourself. Each Paid Class member automatically gets 75% of the total eviction attorneys’ fees they paid during the class period, so $1,000.00 in fees means $750.00 back. The plaintiffs’ motion puts the Paid Class payout at $351,220.43 across 476 members.

Progress Residential Payout for the Balance Class — 30% of Fees Paid

Left owing more than you paid in fees? You get 30% instead, so $1,000.00 in fees means $300.00. The motion puts the Balance Class payout at $205,166.45 across 773 members.

Progress Residential Attempted Collection Class — A Release, Not Cash

No cash goes to this class. Members get a release of Progress’s claims against them, as the agreement defines it. And here’s the catch most people will miss: the class definition includes people who only paid the fees as a full or partial deduction from their security deposit, so if Progress took the fee out of your deposit, you land here.

Why There’s No Pro-Rata Cut in the Progress Residential Settlement

Nobody splits a shared pot. Progress must create a class fund large enough to pay every calculated amount, and no claim form means no filing rate to shrink anyone’s check.

Here’s my math, not the administrator’s. The $351,220.43 Paid Class payout averages about $737.86 per member, and the $205,166.45 Balance Class payout averages about $265.42. Backing out the 75% and 30% rates, the average Paid Class member paid about $983.81 in fees and the average Balance Class member about $884.72.

So the Balance Class paid nearly as much per person and gets back far less. That’s the price of leaving with a balance owed.

Related article: OneMain Financial Data Breach Lawsuit, Were You Affected? — Fedorchak v. OneMain Financial Group, LLC, No. 1:26-cv-03845

How and When Progress Residential Checks Arrive

Checks are mailed to the address on your notice, and each one is good for 90 days after mailing. Progress fills the class fund within 14 days of the Effective Date, and checks go out within 30 days after that. The Effective Date is the first business day after the Final Judgment Date, which is 31 days after the judge’s final order, or later if someone appeals.

By my math, if the judge approves at the January 11, 2027 hearing and nobody appeals, the Effective Date lands on February 12, 2027 and checks go out by about March 14, 2027. Progress’s obligation counts as met when the checks are mailed, so a wrong address can cost you your payment. Uncashed money goes to NeighborWorks Florida Collaborative.

Taxes matter here. Payments over $600 may appear on a 1099, so check with a tax professional before you file your return.

Who Pays the Lawyers in the Progress Residential Settlement

Progress pays Class Counsel up to $300,000.00 for fees, costs and expenses, plus all administration costs and four $2,500.00 service awards totaling $10,000.00. The plaintiffs’ motion says that money comes over and above the class relief, so it doesn’t shrink your check.

That’s the good news. The less good news is that the $556,386.89 covers 1,249 people, and the other 1,754 get a release instead of cash.

How to Get Your Progress Residential Eviction Fees Settlement Payment — No Claim Form Needed

1. Find your notice. The Notice ID and PIN printed on it unlock the address update page.
2. Don’t file anything. If you’re in the Paid or Balance Class, your check is mailed automatically after final approval.
3. Check your address. Use the Update Address button on johnstenfeessettlement.com, email [email protected] with “Change of Address” in the subject, or mail the update to Johnsten v Progress Residential, c/o Settlement Administrator, PO Box 23369, Jacksonville, FL 32241.
4. Changed your name? Send a marriage license, divorce decree or court order, plus your Notice ID, to the same email or P.O. Box.
5. Filing for a deceased class member? Send a death certificate and proof the new payee is the legal beneficiary, such as a will or estate documents.
6. Cash your check within 90 days of the mailing date printed on it.

Questions? Call 800-566-0596. If your name is on a notice, the hardest part is already done. Just keep your address current.

Should Progress Residential Class Members Opt Out or Object Before November 20, 2026?

What Opting Out of the Progress Residential Settlement Actually Means

Opting out means no payment. You keep the right to sue on your own, but Progress keeps all its rights, claims and defenses against you too, and most people shouldn’t opt out without legal advice. Mail a written request, postmarked by November 20, 2026, with your name, your address and this exact statement: “I request exclusion from the Settlement Class in Johnsten v. Progress Residential, Case No. 2024-CA-001692.”

Johnsten v Progress Residential c/o Settlement Administrator PO Box 23369 Jacksonville, FL 32241

How to Object to the Progress Residential Settlement

Objecting keeps you in the class. You tell the court why you disagree, and the court decides at the fairness hearing on January 11, 2027 at 9:30 a.m. before Judge Jessica J. Recksiedler. Under the agreement, your written objection must go to the Clerk of the Court, Progress’s lawyers and Class Counsel by November 20, 2026, and must include your full name, address, telephone number, email address if you have one, your reasons and whether you plan to appear.

Class Counsel’s lead firm: Varnell & Warwick, P.A., 400 N Ashley Drive, Suite 1900, Tampa, FL 33602. Anyone who doesn’t file a valid, timely objection is barred from objecting later.

Talk to a class action lawsuit attorney before November 20, 2026 if you’re considering either option.

Progress Residential Eviction Fees Settlement — Key Dates, 2026

Milestone	Date
Class Period Begins	August 27, 2020
Class Period Ends; Ransome Lawsuit Filed	August 26, 2024
Johnsten Lawsuit Filed	August 28, 2024
Operative Second Amended Complaint Filed	February 17, 2026
Mediation	June 18, 2026
Settlement Proposed (agreement dated)	August 27, 2026
Motion for Preliminary Approval Filed	September 4, 2026
Preliminary Approval Order E-Filed	September 14, 2026
Claims Period Opens	N/A — no claim form
Notice Mailing	UNVERIFIED — not stated; implied around October 21, 2026 by the 30-day rule
Opt-Out Deadline	November 20, 2026 (postmarked)
Objection Deadline	November 20, 2026
Claim Filing Deadline	None — payments are automatic
Final Fairness Hearing	January 11, 2027, 9:30 a.m., Judge Jessica J. Recksiedler
Expected Payment Date	UNVERIFIED — checks within 30 days of the Effective Date; about March 14, 2027 at the earliest by my math

Honestly, the website shows only three dates. The agreement sets the opt-out and objection deadlines at 30 days after the notice mailing, so a November 20 deadline points to a mailing around October 21, 2026. If your notice hasn’t arrived yet, that’s probably why.

What Should Progress Residential Class Members Do Before November 20, 2026?

You have 48 days before the opt-out and objection deadline, and nothing to file to get paid. Most people should simply keep their address current.

Progress Residential Eviction Fees Settlement — Frequently Asked Questions, No. 2024-CA-001692

Do I need a lawyer to file a Progress Residential eviction fees settlement claim?

 No, because there’s no claim to file. Paid and Balance Class members get checks automatically. Class Counsel from Varnell & Warwick, P.A. and four other firms represent the class, and Progress pays their fees separately, up to $300,000.00.

Is the Progress Residential eviction fees settlement legitimate?

 It’s court-supervised. The Circuit Court in Seminole County ordered the notice, and Judge Jessica J. Recksiedler will decide on final approval at a hearing on January 11, 2027 at 9:30 a.m. The settlement agreement is dated August 27, 2026.

When will Progress Residential settlement payments be sent? 

Progress funds the class fund within 14 days of the Effective Date, and checks go out within 30 days after that. The Effective Date is the first business day after the Final Judgment Date, 31 days after final judgment or after appeals end.

What if I missed the Progress Residential claim deadline?

 There isn’t one. The only deadline is November 20, 2026 to opt out or object. Miss it and you’re bound by the settlement, and Paid and Balance Class members still get their check automatically.

Will my Progress Residential settlement payment go on a 1099?

 The settlement pages don’t address taxes. Payments over $600 may appear on a 1099. By my math, the average Paid Class payment is about $737.86, above that line, and the average Balance Class payment is about $265.42.

How much will I get from the Progress Residential eviction fees settlement? 

Paid Class members get 75% of the eviction attorneys’ fees they paid, and Balance Class members get 30%. On $1,000.00 in fees, that’s $750.00 or $300.00. The Attempted Collection Class gets a release and no cash.

Which class am I in if Progress took the fee out of my security deposit? 

The Attempted Collection Class. Its definition covers people who didn’t pay the fees or only paid them as a full or partial deduction from their security deposit. That class gets a release but no cash payment.

How do I make sure my Progress Residential settlement check reaches me?

 Update your address with your Notice ID and PIN at johnstenfeessettlement.com, or email the administrator with “Change of Address” in the subject line. Progress’s duty is met once checks are mailed, so a wrong address can cost you.

Sources Used in This Progress Residential Eviction Fees Article

• Settlement Administrator (American Legal Claim Services LLC) — Case Home page, accessed October 3, 2026: https://www.johnstenfeessettlement.com/
• Settlement Administrator — Frequently Asked Questions page, accessed October 3, 2026: https://www.johnstenfeessettlement.com/page/faq
• Settlement Administrator — Key Dates page, accessed October 3, 2026: https://www.johnstenfeessettlement.com/page/dates
• Settlement Administrator — Important Court Documents page, accessed October 3, 2026: https://www.johnstenfeessettlement.com/page/docs
• Court-ordered Class Notice, accessed October 3, 2026: https://www.johnstenfeessettlement.com/request-document/53333ecb4126a5b8725072f018e2f25e
• Class Action Settlement Agreement, dated August 27, 2026: https://www.johnstenfeessettlement.com/request-document/b91046f4818dca48ff871ac543558ce3
• Plaintiffs’ Memorandum of Law in Support of Unopposed Motion for Preliminary Approval, e-filed September 4, 2026: https://www.johnstenfeessettlement.com/request-document/31bf9fc472b88f61a669431cb0a3dfec
• Preliminary Approval Order, e-filed September 14, 2026 (filing date only): https://www.johnstenfeessettlement.com/request-document/4c856962d3d8f4b9d55e3ebf40639e54

Researched and written by Israr Ahmad, legal content researcher and founder of AllAboutLawyer.com. All facts verified against the Settlement Agreement, the plaintiffs’ motion for preliminary approval, the court-ordered notice and the official settlement website on October 3, 2026. Last Updated: October 3, 2026.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws vary by state and individual circumstances differ. For advice about your specific situation, consult a qualified attorney.