What kind of compensatory damages are available in a class action lawsuit (landlord/tenant)
<p>The scenario:  A landlord holding multiple rental properties/apartments has been found in a class action lawsuit to have been illegally overcharging renters for X amount of money per month each over a period of Y months time (Y differing based on how long a tenant was there, obviously).</p>
<p>What kind of monetary compensations are the range of possible awards?  Possibilities I can think of:</p>
<ul>
<li>A:  XY for each tenant,  just returning the overcharged money.</li>
<li>B:  XY+interest set at some rate by the court,  returning overcharged money and compensating for the time plaintiffs did not have the money</li>
<li>C:  Some multiple of XY based on some form of punitive/encouragement for companies to not engage in that behavior in the future.   (Other than the cost of both sets of legal fees, obviously)</li>
</ul>

<p>Usually, the compensation would be B (economic damages plus prejudgment interest at the appropriate rate), together with court costs other than attorney fees.</p>
<p>But the lease, or depending on the exact nature of the violation, a state law, might provide for a prevailing party's attorney fees.</p>
<p>Intentional fraud rather than just a negligent mistake or breach of contract of widespread effect, might justify some punitive damages. Breach of contract itself does not justify punitive damages.</p>

united-states landlord florida class-action compensation