26/08/2026
When did applying to rent an apartment get like this? Is it just Florida or is every city seeing these outrageous fake a&% fees?
Application Fee: $75; Admin Processing Fee: $150; Lease Prep/Processing Fee: $150; Pet Screening Fee: $150; Move-In/Move-Out Administrative Fee: $150; Technology /Portal Fee: $85; Pest Control Fee: $18; Parking Space Fee: $25; Valet Trash Service Fee: $50; Package/Locker Fee: $10; Holding Fee: $250; Online Payment Processing Fee: $5; Physical Payment Processing Fee: $5; Key Replacement Fee: $25; Air Quality Breathing Fee: $15/mo...and whatever other fees they can name
Whatever happened to just paying a deposit and rent?! When did forwarding an email start coming attached with a fee? ... Package fee..WTH!? Now I am getting charged for mail!? Don't I already pay taxes for my mail? And now they want me to PAY a processing fee just to give them their monthly rent payment!?? The kicker for me is the "Air Quality fee" .. they want me to pay to breathe now. SMH.... These huge PM companies have normalized charging renters hundreds, if not thousands, for normal (not extravagant) living conditions ... and they are going to throw as much crap at the wall to see what sticks. Mark my words, the next charge you will see is "Clean" or "Filtered" water fee (prob shouldn't give em any ideas)
Here's what I am getting at ... all of these fees (including the rent amount) ARE negotiable... they don't want you to know this and they def won't tell you. Read! Read all the fine print and don't be scared to ask questions or ask that fees be waived or to ask to credit this fee or that fee to your deposit. And most importantly ... Don't be afraid to WALK AWAY!!. Trust me, as person who's been a property finder for the last 10yrs, there is a carbon copy complex a mile down the road - heck probably next door. I wrote a book on this rotten industry and all the ways they try to get over on you... plus how to land a solid rental property without getting financially bent over. "How2Rent: The Guide to Getting the Keys" - the link is in our page bio and the top comment!