{"id":11124,"date":"2026-08-31T13:12:43","date_gmt":"2026-08-31T17:12:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pirg.org\/massachusetts\/?post_type=article&#038;p=11124"},"modified":"2026-08-31T13:22:21","modified_gmt":"2026-08-31T17:22:21","slug":"new-apartment-who-pays-brokerss-fees-and-other-tips","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/pirg.org\/massachusetts\/articles\/new-apartment-who-pays-brokerss-fees-and-other-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"New apartment? Who pays broker fees and other tips"},"featured_media":67278,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":false,"_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-description":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-description":""},"campaign_tax":[187],"display_option":[],"issue_tax":[],"person_tax":[227],"region_tax":[],"state":[24],"topic_tax":[154],"class_list":["post-11124","article","type-article","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":{"details":{"helper_taxonomies":{"topics":[154],"collection":false,"press_type":false,"person_type":false,"resource_type":false,"event_type":false,"campaigns":187,"department":false,"level":false,"states":[24],"act_option":false,"display_option":false,"primary":{"topic":154}},"featured_image":67278,"caption_override":"","excerpt":"FBI warns of apartment rental scams","updated_on":null,"sidebar_action":"","hide_hero_image":false,"sidebar_action_query_string":""},"helper_people_group":{"title":"Authors","entities":[{"type":"dynamic","dynamic_person":{"site":107,"people":"4377"},"information":{"name":"","image":null,"role":"","biography":"","contact":{"twitter":"","facebook":"","email":"","phone":""}}}]},"page_layout":[{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_wysiwyg":{"content":"<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">September is the single biggest month that rental apartments and houses turn over. This can also be a time of overcharges and scams. Below you will find more detail about broker fees, consumer tips on renting and apartment, and a new alert from the FBI on rental apartment scams.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\r\n<\/span>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>Do I have to pay the broker fee?<\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nBelieve it or not, until last year, many landords were requiring prospective tenants to pay the broker that was working on behalf of the landlord.\r\n\r\nBut, <a href=\"https:\/\/pirg.org\/massachusetts\/resources\/do-i-have-to-pay-a-broker-fee-to-rent-an-apartment-in-massachusetts\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">as of August 1, 2025<\/span><\/a><b>, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">landlords and property managers can no longer require prospective tenants to pay the broker fee if the landlord hired the broker to list and show the apartment. The only charges landlords may require are first month's rent, last month's rent, a security deposit of no more than one month's rent, and, if applicable, the cost of changing a lock, only if the lock was changed.<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, tenants can still be charged a broker fee if they choose to hire a broker to represent them in finding an apartment, presenting an offer, and negotiating with the landlord. Similarly, landlords are responsible for paying the broker fee when they hire the broker.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\r\n<\/span>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>Tips and resources for renting a new aprtment<\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nAttorney General guide to tenants and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mass.gov\/guides\/the-attorney-generals-guide-to-landlord-and-tenant-rights\">landord rights<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mass.gov\/info-details\/tenant-rights\">broker fees and signing a lease.<\/a>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>FBI warns of apartment rental scam<\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nBoston's Division of the FBI reports that 328 victims in Massachusetts lost more than $2.2 million in realestate scams last year.\u00a0 The actual loss is estimated to be much larger as many incidents go unreported.\r\n\r\nOne area resident reported her story to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/boston\/news\/apartment-rental-scams-boston-fbi-warning\/\">WBZ news<\/a>. A BU graduate student had found an apartment on a popular website. After exchanging emails with the property manager,\u00a0 she asked to see the apartment. She was told to fill out application and wire the deposit and rent. Once that was done she could tour the apartment and get the keys.\r\n\r\nFeeling rushed and fear of losing the apartment - as the landlord said someone else was interested - her mother wired $5,200 to the property company.\r\n\r\nWhen she arrived for the tour and keys, no one was there.\r\n\r\nThe <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fbi.gov\/contact-us\/field-offices\/boston\/news\/fbi-boston-urging-public-to-beware-of-rental-scams\">FBI says<\/a> this is an all too common story and recommend tips to avoid becoming a vicitim:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Do not wire funds to people you do not know.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Do not put money towards a house or apartment you have not seen.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Confirm the identity of the landlord by researching public records<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Do not fill out applications on line until you have met directly with the property manager.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nSee the full list of<a href=\"https:\/\/www.fbi.gov\/contact-us\/field-offices\/boston\/news\/fbi-boston-urging-public-to-beware-of-rental-scams\"> tips here<\/a>","":null}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_large_image","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_large_image":{"width":"wide","image":"","caption_override":""}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_wysiwyg":{"content":"","":null}}]},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.8 (Yoast SEO v28.8) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>New apartment? 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