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For renters, when their monthly rent bill is due, an unanticipated fee can trigger frustration and confusion. Property staff are left to clear things up, taking more time out of their already demanding schedules. From both perspectives, clarity around the fees and services included in the lease can help prevent this scenario. When fees are clear, and renters have confidence in what they’re paying for, everyone is better off.
Meanwhile, increased regulatory scrutiny and new requirements are also pushing property owners and operators to take a closer look at how fees are structured and presented to residents. How can operators continue to offer ancillary services that make their properties great places to live and drive NOI, without leaving renters confused by their monthly bills?
To find out what actually gives renters that confidence, Foxen surveyed nearly 1,000 renters nationwide for our first ever Renter Value Report.
We found that renters aren't opposed to paying for some services. In fact, 75% said they'd pay an additional monthly fee for at least one added service. What determines whether that fee feels fair comes down to three levers operators can pull: value, choice, and clear communication.
Where Renters Already See Value
Our findings show that renters value services that help them stay protected from risk and build financial wellness. Ninety-four percent say property damage protection is at least somewhat valuable, and 40% call it extremely valuable.
Rent reporting lands just as strong, with 91% of renters saying it’s valuable. Unsurprisingly, younger renters see the most value in rent reporting: 78% of Millennials and 76% of Gen Z renters rated it as very or extremely valuable.
Renters were clear that they value their pets. When asked what services renters would be willing to pay a fee for, pet-friendly options topped the charts at 36%, followed closely by rent reporting (31%), faster maintenance response (29%), and a damage liability waiver (27%). Among those respondents with pets, 89% said having their pet in their rental is valuable.
Overall, the results showed renters are willing to pay for services that address something they actually care about, whether that’s financial wellness, damage protection, or their pets.
The Importance of Choice in Making a Fee Feel Fair
But even a valuable service can make renters hesitant if they don’t have the ability to exercise choice.
When we asked renters what makes a fee feel worth paying, the top answer was having the option to participate (43%). This was even higher than the number who chose price for value (41%). Another 38% of respondents want the ability to cancel or change their choice at any time throughout the lease agreement.
That preference for choice shows up in how renters experience the leasing process, too. Our data found a link between choice, clear information, and a sense of empowerment during the leasing process. When we looked at how renters who said they “felt empowered” during leasing answered questions, compared to those who did not feel this way:
- 81% of “empowered” renters said they had enough information to judge whether a service was worth it, compared to only 38% of “non-empowered” renters
- 77% of “empowered” renters said they felt they had a choice in the services they paid for, compared to only 29% of the “non-empowered” group
Overall, 69% of renters felt empowered during the leasing process — which is a positive sign. But there is still a third of renters who don’t feel empowered during the leasing process, which could stem from a lack of access to information or choice. That’s how a fee can be interpreted as an imposition versus additional value, regardless of the service's actual price.
When renters have choices and understand the benefits tied to each fee they pay, those fees are less likely to be experienced as an unpleasant surprise. Instead, the focus shifts to the value they’re receiving for those services, which can even become a positive differentiator for properties.
Clear Communication Matters
Value and choice only work if renters actually know what they're paying for. Despite 90% of renters saying they clearly understood what was included in their rent with their last lease and 82% feeling like they clearly understood which services cost extra, 55% were still surprised by at least one fee or charge.
Longer-tenured renters feel this fee surprise most, since the further renters get from signing, the more their priorities may have shifted, or fees for new services added at renewal can catch them by surprise.
More than likely, that confusion or surprise stems from a communication gap. For example, renters might not always read through the fine print in a lengthy lease document. Communication about fees and services should be proactive and clear — not simply buried in the lease-signing process.
Technology Helps Give Choice and Transparency
Technology is one way to ensure that communication and choice are ongoing, benefitting both the operator and the renter. Two-thirds of renters said a self-service portal where they could review, enroll in, or opt out of services would make them more likely to participate. That number climbs to nearly 80% among Gen Z and Millennial renters.
Most renters (73%) are willing to use AI for renewal and document reminders, 70% for maintenance scheduling, and 68% for comparing optional services. When technology streamlines the interactions between renters and their property managers, both groups benefit: Renters can easily access information anytime they need it, while property teams save valuable time and boost operational efficiency.
What These Insights Mean for Operators
The difference between a renter feeling like they’re being “nickel and dimed” or getting real value comes down to whether or not the fees they are paying unlock access to benefits that they care about. The responsibility falls on operators and owners to convey the value of those ancillary benefits to their renters. For operators who successfully connect the dots, ancillary services are an important means of protecting NOI and making properties more competitive. Here are a few practical steps to start:
- Communicate the “why” behind every fee, whether it's optional or built into the lease.
- Provide options or make participation adjustable wherever possible. Where services can reasonably be structured as optional rather than mandatory, doing so is one of the most direct ways to build renter trust.
- Set expectations early and keep reinforcing them, especially around renewal.
- Tailor the offering to those who are actually renting — young or old, new or tenured.
- Use technology to put information and choice in renters' hands.
When operators lead with value, build in real choice, and keep communicating well past the signature, that extra line on the bill stops feeling like a mystery charge and starts feeling like something the renter values. Foxen's programs are built around all three levers — value, choice, and communication — on a platform that gives renters the self-service access they want while protecting NOI for operators. Download the full Renter Value Report, and connect with the Foxen team today to learn more.
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