Los Angeles woman finds 1-bedroom apartment for $2,500, but she still has to pay a subscription just to use her house key: ‘Lost their minds’
Apartment hunting in this day and age, especially in a big city like Los Angeles, can truly test your patience.
According to Apartments.com, the cost of living in Los Angeles is 52.3% higher, and housing is 135.4% more expensive than the national average.
According to one woman who’s currently searching for a place to rent in the city, the L.A. rental market has “lost their minds.”
In her video, which has gotten over 816,100 views, content creator Sharay (@sharayupshur) says one recent apartment hunting experience truly sent her over the edge.
What Happened While She Was Apartment Hunting?
“Hey, so everyone has lost their [expletive] mind,” she says at the beginning of the video. “Apartment hunting, housing market, renting, whatever it is. You’ve absolutely lost your mind.”
Sharay says she recently came across a one-bedroom apartment listed for $2,500, with no utilities included. It also required three months’ payment upfront and a minimum credit score of 650.
While reading the listing, she scrolls to the bottom of the page and finds something surprising. “I see that in order for you to access your unit, that you are paying $2500 for, you must subscribe to a monthly membership to use your key fob.”
According to her, some recent criminal events are closely tied to this type of attitude. “I know why people are burning down warehouses,” she says. “And I know why people are running up on CEOs and sending them back to their maker. People are tired. And it is only going to get worse.”
She says that for an average American, simply “skipping a late”—a controversial financial advice—wouldn’t make the cost of living suddenly more affordable.
“Do you understand what I’m saying to you?” she asks. “I don’t… This is… What are we doing?”
Is Being Charged for a Key Fob Subscription Common?
While there isn’t much widely available information for a key fob subscription specifically, there are plenty of “hidden fees” a tenant may encounter while searching for a place to live. The closest to this type of fee would be a technology package fee that’s meant to cover the cost of tech-related amenities.
The National Consumer Law Center calls these “junk fees” and names them as things like application form fees, processing fees, pet fees, administrative fees, and more.
These additional payments can add up quickly, and landlords often don’t properly disclose them, leaving tenants in a difficult position if they’ve already agreed to a contract.
Commenters Find the Fee Ludicrous
“THIS SHOULD BE ILLEGAL,” one user exclaimed.
“We’re witnessing the slow death of ownership,” stated another. “Nothing is truly ours anymore; we’re just renting our lives through endless subscriptions.”
“$2500/m WITH NO UTILITIES?!?? FOR A ONEEEEEEEE BEDROOM?!??” exclaimed a third.
According to Apartments.com data, the average price for a one-bedroom apartment in Los Angeles is $2,184 per month.
Sharay responded, “WITH PARKING AT A FEE!”
@sharayupshur The rental market has lost their mind
♬ original sound – Sharay
The Mary Sue has reached out to Sharay via TikTok and Instagram messages for comment.
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