Most renters accept lease hikes to avoid the financial, emotional, and logistical toll of moving. Landlords recognize this and use it to their advantage.
BELLEVUE, Wash., July 15, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- StorageUnits.com, a reliable and user-friendly platform for finding the best and most convenient storage facilities, has released new survey findings showing that many landlords are leveraging tenants' reluctance to move to justify rent increases. The July 2025 survey of 1,000 renters and 300 landlords highlights the pressure renters face when deciding whether to stay or move.
Eighty-seven percent of renters say the hassle of moving influences their decision to accept a rent increase. Nearly all renters (91%) describe moving as stressful. The most common stressors include finding a new place (64%), the cost (64%), packing (62%), and the physical toll (58%). Half of renters fear ending up in a worse living situation, and 41% say leaving a familiar space creates emotional stress.
"Moving is stressful because it disrupts nearly every part of daily life," says Reagan Phillips, home organization and storage expert at StorageUnits.com. "There's the financial burden of hiring movers, paying deposits, and covering unexpected costs, and logistically, it's overwhelming to pack, organize, and coordinate timelines. On top of that, many people feel anxious about leaving a familiar space and fear ending up in a situation where they're less comfortable. Moving creates a physical, emotional, and financial strain all at once."
Most renters are willing to accept higher rent at renewal. Forty percent say they would accept a 1% to 4% increase, 20% would accept 5% to 9%, 8% are willing to accept 10% to 14%, and 3% say they would tolerate an even higher increase. About 24% say they would move rather than accept any increase, and 4% are moving regardless.
Landlords are aware of this reluctance. One in five (21%) say they charge existing tenants more than new ones. Nearly half (47%) say they do this because tenants are unlikely to move over a rent increase. In fact, 17% of renters say they have seen their former unit re-listed at a lower rate after declining to renew. If that happened, 45% of renters say they would be very angry and 34% would be somewhat angry.
Significant increases are common. Among landlords surveyed, 28% say they typically raise rent by 5% to 9%, and 6% say they raise it by 10% or more. While 53% say they try to reward long-term tenants with smaller increases, others admit they use rent hikes as a tool to push tenants out. Three percent say they use this tactic all the time, 6% say often, and 21% say sometimes.
"Landlords charge renewing tenants more than new ones because they are willing to take the chance that the existing tenant will decide they would rather pay the rent increase than deal with the hassle of finding a new place and moving," says licensed real estate broker Chuck Vander Stelt. "Rent increases will always risk long-term tenant retention, but landlords can use techniques to soften the impact of a rent increase. For example, upon a tenant signing a lease, let them know what the rent will be at the next renewal period."
Negotiation is not guaranteed. Nearly 1 in 10 landlords say they are not open to negotiating rent increases. Only 18% say they are always willing to negotiate, 17% say often, and 35% say they are sometimes willing to negotiate.
This survey, commissioned by StorageUnits.com and conducted online via Pollfish in July 2025, included responses from 1,000 U.S. renters and 300 landlords or property managers. For press inquiries, contact [email protected]. To view the full study, visit: https://www.storageunits.com/landlords-are-exploiting-tenants-distaste-for-moving-to-raise-rent/
StorageUnits.com is an emerging startup dedicated to helping consumers across the United States discover the best and most convenient storage options in their local communities. The website provides comprehensive resources and tools for traditional self-storage, full-service storage, and moving solutions. For more information, please visit http://www.storageunits.com.
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Amanda Baker, Storage Units, 8775408170, [email protected]
SOURCE Storage Units
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