Renters with the most home-related apps are locked out more, miss more messages from management, abandon more tasks and are more likely to be thinking about moving out.
Renting used to come with a key. Now it comes with a login, and often several of them. Rent goes through one portal, maintenance requests go through another, the gate has a code, the front door has an app and the thermostat has its own account.
Property technology has become a routine part of renting, from online payments and maintenance requests to smart locks and app-based building access. These tools may serve different purposes, but renters experience them as part of the same home. When the systems don’t work together, everyday tasks can become harder than they need to be.
The Rently 2026 Rental Tech Stack Report examines how many systems renters manage, where problems arise and how their experiences relate to lease renewal decisions.
About the Rently 2026 Rental Tech Stack Report
Rently partnered with the third-party survey platform Pollfish in October 2026 to survey 800 U.S. renters. All respondents use at least one app, website or online account for rental-related tasks.
The survey covered the number of systems renters use, digital rental tasks, access failures, missed communication, repeated data entry, support and lease renewal intentions.
Key Findings of the Rently 2026 Rental Tech Stack Report
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- 36% of renters with three or more home-related apps have abandoned a task because the technology was too much hassle, compared with 23% using one or two
- 32% of renters with three or more apps have considered not renewing because of technology, compared with 23% using one or two
- 33% of renters with three or more apps have been locked out by failed entry technology, compared with 22% using one or two. Repeat lockouts are twice as common (18% vs. 9%)
- 44% of renters with three or more apps have missed, or may have missed, an important management message, compared with 32% using one or two
- Only 43% of renters have one clear contact when something at home stops working, falling to 34% among those with three or more apps
- 59% say technology has made renting easier, compared with 12% who say it has made renting more complicated
- Only 11% fully trust apartment security claims like “gated community” or “24-hour surveillance” in rental listings.
- 88% would like some rental services combined into one app, especially rent payments (54%) and maintenance requests (45%)
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Renters With More Apps Report More Technology Problems
36% of renters with three or more home-related apps have given up on doing something at their rental because the technology was too much hassle, compared with 23% of renters with one or two.
— Rently 2026 Rental Tech Stack Report
Asked how many separate apps, websites or online accounts they use for their home, 42% of renters said one, 23% said two and 35% said three or more. That last group includes 5% who have lost count.
Across different measures of the resident experience, renters with three or more home-related apps reported more problems than those using one or two. They were more likely to give up on a task because a system was too much hassle (36% vs. 23%), miss or possibly miss a message from property management (44% vs. 32%) and experience a technology-related lockout (33% vs. 22%). They were also more likely to have considered not renewing their lease because of technology (32% vs. 23%).
Among renters with three or more apps, 30% avoided or declined a feature over privacy concerns, compared with 20% of those using one or two. Nearly a quarter (24%) requested a physical key, fob or other backup, compared with 10% of renters using fewer apps.
Across all renters, 23% have avoided or turned off a feature over privacy concerns, while 13% did not know declining was an option. Login issues also surfaced in 11% of renters’ written responses.
“By far the most annoying thing would be constantly having to unlock the app through another app.”
— Survey Respondent
Rental Technology, Resident Retention and the Renewal Decision
46% of renters connect technology to their renewal decision, either because it has already made them think about leaving or because it would factor in if it got worse. Rently 2026 Rental Tech Stack Report
Most renters see value in property technology: 59% say it has made renting easier, while 12% say it has made renting more complicated. Still, technology frustrations can enter into the decision to renew a lease.
Technology at their rental has made 26% of renters consider not renewing, including 6% who call it a big reason they are thinking about leaving. Another 20% say it would factor into the decision if it got worse. Together, that means 46% have weighed technology in their renewal plans or say they might if it worsens; 47% say it would not affect their decision.
Access Failures and Lockouts in Rental Housing
Repeat lockouts are twice as common among renters with three or more home-related apps. 18% have been locked out more than once, compared with 9% using one or two. Rently 2026 Rental Tech Stack Report
Among renters whose building, unit or garage uses an app, keypad or smart lock, 37% have experienced a lockout because the technology wasn’t working.
Lockouts were more common among renters managing multiple home-related apps. Among those with three or more apps, 33% reported experiencing a lockout, compared with 22% using one or two. Repeat lockouts were also twice as common among renters with three or more apps (18% vs. 9%).
Missed Communication From Property Management
37% of renters have missed, or believe they may have missed, an important message from property management because it went to a system they don’t check often. Rently 2026 Rental Tech Stack Report
An important message can still be missed if it lands in an app a resident rarely checks. In the survey, 12% say they have missed a message once and another 12% have missed one more than once. A further 13% think they may have missed a message without realizing it. Another 16% say they have come close.
Resident Support When Rental Technology Fails
Only 43% of renters know exactly who to contact when something at their home stops working. Rently 2026 Rental Tech Stack Report
Only 43% say there is one clear place to go when something at home stops working. For 29%, the right contact depends on what broke; 12% usually guess and 5% have had to figure out whether to contact management or the device company. Among renters with three or more apps, just 34% have one clear contact.
When technology frustrates them, residents most often turn to property management: 35% contacted their property team. Others worked around the problem, including 16% who stopped using the feature and 15% who requested a physical key, fob or other backup.
For multifamily operators using several technology vendors, that can mean fielding support requests across multiple systems.
What Renters Want From a Single Rental App
88% of renters would like at least some rental services combined into one app. Only 12% would rather they stay separate. Rently 2026 Rental Tech Stack Report
88% of renters would like at least some rental services combined into one app. Asked which services they’d most want combined, renters chose rent payments (54%) and maintenance requests (45%) most often, followed by management messages and alerts (34%) and packages and deliveries (24%). Only 12% preferred to keep the services separate.
81% pay rent through an app or portal and 57% submit maintenance requests digitally. Far fewer use apps to access their building (17%) or unlock their unit door (12%).
22% of renters say they constantly or fairly often enter the same personal information in multiple systems. Among those with three or more apps, that rises to 27%, compared with 20% using one or two.
“I hate having to enter the same personal information in different apps for rent, maintenance and packages, and dealing with multiple logins that don’t sync with each other.”
— Survey Respondent
“What’s interesting about these findings is that renters actually like the technology. Over the years, properties have added different systems to solve different problems, and residents have been left navigating all of them. Each tool might work well on its own, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the overall experience works. A renter shouldn’t have to think about which vendor manages the front door or which system handles maintenance. They want to get into their home, take care of what they need to do and know who to call when something goes wrong. Operators need to look at technology the same way residents do, as one connected experience. That’s how you see whether it’s actually making their lives easier.”
— Merrick Lackner, CEO, Rently
Frequently Asked Questions About Rental Technology and Property Management Apps
Do renters using more property apps report more problems?
Yes. Renters with three or more home-related apps report more lockouts (33% vs. 22%), missed or possibly missed messages (44% vs. 32%) and abandoned tasks (36% vs. 23%). They are also more likely to have considered not renewing because of technology (32% vs. 23%).
How many apps do renters use for their home?
42% use one home-related app, website or online account and 23% use two. The remaining 35% use three or more, including 5% who have lost count.
Do renters want one app or multiple apps for their rental?
88% would like at least some rental services combined into one app. Rent payments (54%) and maintenance requests (45%) top the list; 12% would keep the services separate.
Has rental technology made renting easier or more complicated?
59% say property technology has made renting easier, 12% say it has made renting more complicated and 23% say it has done both.
How many renters miss messages from their property manager?
37% have missed, or think they may have missed, an important message because it went to an app or system they rarely check. Another 16% say they have come close.
Does rental technology affect lease renewal decisions?
26% have considered not renewing because of technology, including 6% who say it is a big reason for leaving. Another 20% say technology would factor into their decision if it worsened. Among renters with three or more apps, 32% have considered not renewing, compared with 23% using one or two.
Are renters concerned about privacy with rental technology?
23% have turned off, avoided or declined a rental feature because of privacy concerns. That rises to 30% among renters with three or more apps, compared with 20% using one or two.
