Fees, explained
How rental fees work
No surprise fees at signing. Sidewalk shows the fees you'll actually pay right on the listing, before you reach out.
You don't pay the listing broker's fee
For years, you paid a fee to a broker the landlord hired, who was never working for you. New York City's FARE Act ended that: when a landlord hires the broker who lists an apartment, that fee is the landlord's to pay, not yours. Sidewalk's listings come from landlord-side brokers, so by default you won't be charged a broker fee. Listings with no fee to you carry a “No broker fee” badge, so you can see it at a glance.
You can't be charged a broker fee for a broker you didn't hire.What you'll see on a listing
Every listing states its broker fee plainly. If a fee is yours to pay (for example, when you separately hire a broker to represent you), you see the amount on the listing before you request a tour, exactly as the FARE Act requires. No fine print. No fee that shows up at signing.
Beyond the broker fee, renting in New York usually comes down to the rent itself, a security deposit (generally capped at one month's rent under state law), and at most a small application or background-check fee (capped at $20 under state law). If anything else applies to a specific listing, you'll see it disclosed there.
The FARE Act
New York City's FARE Act (effective June 11, 2025) requires that any fee a renter must pay be disclosed up front, and prohibits charging a renter the fee of a broker hired by the landlord.