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I just moved into an apartment advertised at $1,420/mo that is costing over $1,700/mo because of extra fees only mentioned in fine print inside a 100+ page lease. The "no hidden fees" ISP that I'm now forced to use has over $30/mo in hidden fees. It's not just prevalent, it's business as usual for every company everywhere -- because they can and they know nobody will do anything about it.

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Oh weird, how common is this? I rented from 2002 until 2020, and never experienced anything like this. The advertised rent was always the same as the check I'd mail the landlord every month. Sure, I had to pay for electricity, internet, etc. on my own, but that's expected and spelled out in the lease agreement.

One thing I did learn was to check on things like ISPs beforehand. You know the address of the place, so you can visit your preferred ISPs' websites and see if they offer service before you sign the lease. Ditto for cell service; when initially looking at a new place, I'd always check my cell phone to make sure I'd get decent service inside.

There is a fudge factor there that the landlord can play with. Common utilities like sewage, sometimes water, and some other stuff can be tacked on to the monthly bill. Some buildings will also make a deal with comcast and take a cut out of internet/cable. It varies based on the jurisdiction and what they can get away with. A typical case would be 10% or so in junk fees.

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