WASHINGTON – Apartment renters are increasingly paying mandatory charges beyond the advertised rent, making it difficult to compare housing costs and, in some cases, adding hundreds of dollars to a household’s monthly bill.
A Guardian investigation published June 24 examined fees at properties operated by Greystar, the nation’s largest apartment owner and manager. The reporting identified at least 125 names for charges found in leases, rental listings and court records, including boiler-management, trash, billing, pest-control, utility, common-area and lifestyle fees.
Greystar owns or manages more than 1 million apartments. The Guardian found combinations of fees in listings across the District of Columbia and all 42 states where the company advertised properties. About half of the identified fee types were mandatory, and many variable charges did not include a dollar estimate in online listings.
Tenants and lawsuits in several states allege that some charges are inflated, unlawful or difficult to understand. Nine cases were seeking class-action status in Colorado, California, Nevada and Massachusetts when the investigation was published. Greystar disputed the allegations and said it would not knowingly impose a resident charge it believed violated the law or permit a property to charge an expense not allowed by a lease.
A Colorado lawsuit described three separate billing charges tied to setting up, maintaining and closing a tenant account. Another case challenged boiler-management and other fees on the grounds that they shifted the cost of legally required building services to renters. Greystar has argued in court that the charges were disclosed and permitted.
In December 2025, Greystar agreed to pay $24 million to resolve state and federal claims over hidden charges. The company did not admit wrongdoing. The settlement requires it to advertise a total monthly leasing price that includes mandatory fixed fees, although optional charges and variable utility costs may be excluded.
The effect of fees can be substantial. An Urban Institute study of Colorado properties found that charges at Greystar-operated buildings raised average monthly costs by nearly 20%. Fees associated with two other large property managers increased bills by about 15% to 18%, according to the study.
Those added costs arrive as roughly half of U.S. renters are considered cost-burdened, meaning they spend more than 30% of their income on rent and utilities. Zillow research cited by the Guardian found that 65% of renters pay at least one recurring fee in addition to rent.
Prospective renters should request the total monthly price in writing, including mandatory fixed charges, estimated utilities, payment-processing fees, parking, trash, pest control and move-in costs. They should also ask which fees may change, whether unpaid fees can trigger late penalties or eviction proceedings and how payments are applied.
In Texas, lease terms and fee disclosures can vary by property, and renters should retain advertisements, fee schedules and signed documents. A low advertised base rent may not represent the amount required every month.
Source: The Guardian, published June 24, 2026. Additional verification: Urban Institute and Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies findings cited in the investigation.
