New Research Finds Flexible Rent Payments Improved On-Time Payment Rates for Renters

Independent study of 488 multifamily properties links flexible payment timing to more reliable rent payments and lower short-term delinquency

NEW YORK, June 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A new study released today by economic research firm MetroSight finds that giving renters the ability to split their monthly rent into smaller, better-timed payments improved on-time payment rates and reduced short-term late rent, while pointing to longer resident tenure and stronger operating performance at the properties studied.

The study, "Rethinking Rent," was conducted by economists Daniel Shoag, Ph.D., and Issi Romem, Ph.D., and examines the rent-payment service offered by Flexible Finance, Inc. ("Flex"). It was commissioned and funded by Flex, which also provided the operational data used in the analysis. The research is being presented during the National Apartment Association's Apartmentalize conference, the multifamily housing industry's largest annual gathering.

The central finding is about timing. Most renters owe rent in full on the first of the month, while most workers are paid every two weeks or twice a month. That structural mismatch, the authors argue, is an overlooked driver of late rent that is distinct from affordability: a household can have the money over the course of a month yet still come up short on the day rent is due.

"Housing-stability conversations tend to focus on the cost of rent, and that matters enormously," said Ryan Metcalf, VP of Public Affairs at Flex. "But timing is a separate, fixable problem. This research is the clearest evidence yet that aligning rent payments with when people actually get paid helps renters stay current, and that reliability is good for residents and property owners alike."

Key findings

Analyzing 488 multifamily rental properties comprising roughly 75,000 units across 25 states, of which 134 offered Flex, the study estimates that at properties where Flex was available:

• On-time rent payments were higher. The share of rents paid on time was approximately 3 percentage points higher than at comparable properties that did not offer Flex, according to the study's estimates.
  
  
• Short-term late rent was lower. The share of rents up to 30 days late was about 2.5 percentage points lower, consistent with the idea that flexible timing helps residents manage temporary cash-flow gaps before they become larger problems.
  
  
• The effect was specific to timing. The study found no statistically significant effect on rent more than 30 days late, a pattern the authors describe as consistent with the product's design: flexible payment timing addresses short-term mismatches between income and rent, not severe or persistent financial hardship.
  

The study also reports that properties offering Flex showed longer median resident tenure and lower vacancy, along with lower turnover, collection, and concession costs. The authors characterize the operating-performance results, including net operating income, as directionally favorable.

"The most robust result is the one closest to how the product works," said Romem "When you let residents align rent with their pay cycle, rent shows up on time more often. The downstream effects on tenure, vacancy, and operating costs all point in a consistent direction."

About the study

"Rethinking Rent" is an observational study based on Flex's operational data, using controlled regressions, matched comparisons, unit-level analysis, and a range of placebo and sensitivity checks. As the authors note, an observational design cannot fully rule out unobserved differences between properties that adopted Flex and those that did not, and the report calibrates its conclusions accordingly, with the strongest causal language reserved for the rent-payment-timing findings. The study was funded by Flexible Finance, Inc., relies on data provided by the company, and has not been peer-reviewed. The properties in the sample are not nationally representative. The full report, including methodology and complete results, is available at https://www.metrosight.com/articles/rethinking-rent

About Flex

Flexible Finance, Inc. ("Flex") is a New York-based financial technology company that helps people split large essential bills into smaller, more manageable payments. With over 2.7 million customers to date, Flex has processed more than $33 billion in monthly on-time payments and has earned an average 4.8-star rating across more than 340,000 reviews. Flex provides financial technology services and does not operate as a bank. All lines of credit (including "Flex Rent"), banking services, and payment transmissions are provided by Lead Bank or Column N.A., Member FDIC. Learn more at getflex.com.

About MetroSight

MetroSight is a San Francisco Bay Area-based economic research firm specializing in data-driven analysis of housing, labor, and regional and urban economics.

Media contact
Media@getflex.com