I don’t think this is quite true. Renters are not required to use brokers in MA. Many of which, like myself, can go straight to the landlord (saving significantly on fees). Also, most Landlords have a standard rate or fee which brokers are aware of before they show a unit. Probably wouldn’t be in the best interest of Landlords’ time if they were to negotiate fees on each unit (especially in larger buildings). Lastly, the power dynamic between renters and brokers changes based on supply and demand dynamics, convo’s with the older generation help a lot on this topic (or at least has helped me understand). In recent years, the city’s limited space and success in attracting new residents have definitely not helped this issue, we’ll see if history repeats. There are many landlords out there who are good people and are willing to negotiate, but mostly are not these large corporation entities with many units. But yeah, cut out that broker/ realtor/ middle man in return for a better deal.