Renters use ‘rent now, pay later’ services to manage monthly payments, but fees raise concerns

Some renters should be wary of 'rent now, pay later' services. Here's why

Consumer advocates warn these products typically function like short-term loans, layering fees onto already strained budgets.

Americans are so broke and housing is so expensive that 'rent now, pay later' is on the rise

Companies such as Flex, Livble and, more recently, Affirm, say breaking rent into multiple payments can help renters manage cash flow. Beware, experts say.

Services offer 'rent now, pay later' payment options to cover rent, but fees raise concern

Rent can eat up an entire paycheck at the start of the month, so a growing number of renters are turning to a financial product that promises relief by letting

Renters use 'rent now, pay later' services to manage monthly payments, but fees raise concerns

Renters facing high costs are turning to "rent now, pay later" services like Flex, Livble, and Affirm.

A new way to pay rent is gaining steam but also drawing red flags

Rent can eat up an entire paycheck at the start of the month, so a growing number of renters are turning to a financial product that promises relief by letting them split the bill—for a price. So-called “rent now, pay later” services have emerged over the past few years as housing costs climb and paychecks grow less predictable, particularly for lower-income and gig-economy workers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, rents have jumped …

How Rent Now, Pay Later Works for Rent Payments

Rent is one of the few household expenses that still runs on a fixed, unforgiving timetable. It is usually due in full on a single day, regardless of when income arrives. “Rent now, pay later” changes that structure by inserting a third party between the renter and the landlord, reshaping how rent is paid, financed, and recovered. Attention has sharpened because these products are no longer niche. What began with specialist rent-splitting platfo…