The 2026 Renter Value Report

How Choice and Transparency Shape Fee Perception in Rental Housing

In a competitive leasing market where vacancy sits at multi-year highs and renters hold more negotiating power than they have in years, the difference between growing NOI and declining leasing performance can be as simple as listening to what your renters have to say.

So, to better understand how renters feel about fee-based ancillary services, we asked them directly and summarized their responses into actionable takeaways in our new 2026 Renter Value Report.

Find Out What Nearly 1,000 Renters Said They Valued the Most

Choice, not price, is the biggest factor in whether a resident fee feels fair. From the renters we surveyed:

• 43% said having the choice of whether to participate mattered most when deciding if a fee was worth paying — ahead of "the price feels fair for the value" (41%)
• Three out of four renters (75%) said they'd pay an additional monthly fee for at least one service, when they understood why it existed and had a say in it
• But, despite this sentiment, 55% of renters said they’ve been surprised by at least one fee

Download the full report to get more valuable renter data on services and fee choice, communication preferences, and other tactics for satisfying and retaining residents.