Renters should have choice in how they pay rent

In October 2026, there were industry wide changes which meant any added surcharges associated with using a card ceased. That covers debit and credit cards.

Many payment and service providers in the rental marketplace responded by removing cards as a payment option altogether. This means renters on those platforms no longer have the choice to use a card and have to seek alternative ways to pay their rent.

Ailo is built on the principle that renters should have choice and control over their rental experience. Payment optionality and consumer choice is central to how the Ailo Platform has been designed. As such, the Ailo platform provides numerous options for renters to suit their personal preference and circumstances. These options include a range of both on app and off app methods for paying rent; including bank transfer, direct debit, PayID, Centrepay and agency trust account are all free. Paying rent through the Ailo Platform is free. Full stop.

Cards are one more option, not the default. We will not push renters towards them. We will not remove them either.

We spoke to renters who pay rent and rent-related expenses by card. We wanted to know why they choose it when free bank options are available. Four reasons came up again and again.

Cash flow - Rent is the largest regular payment most people make. Paying by credit card gives a renter up to a month between rent liability on the property manager's ledger being settled and money being paid out of their account. For people who paid monthly, irregularly or on commission, that gap may be the difference between paying on time and paying late.

Points - Rent is often a household's biggest spend. Renters who earn rewards on everything else see no reason to exclude it. Several told us the points on rent alone funded redemption of services such as flights or gift cards.

Convenience and control - Card payments clear straight away. Renters see the payment confirmed in the app the moment they make it and leave their account the same day, rather than waiting days for a direct debit to settle through the banking system. They can choose to pay now, schedule it, or set it and forget it. They can change their mind, and their method, at any time.

Businesses and commercial renters - There are renters that are not individuals paying for a home. They are businesses paying for premises, or people running a business from the home they rent. A business card keeps rent related expenses consolidated inside the company accounts and in many cases they also get the additional benefit of the reward points.

None of these renters are careless with money. The opposite. They have chosen a method that suits how they earn, spend and keep records. Taking that choice away because a regulation changed who bears the cost is the wrong response. The option to control their payments and switch between payment options at any given point in time is a big plus bonus for many.

We had the option of removing card options altogether like a number of other providers or create more value and continue to offer cards as part of a broader and growing set of home management functionality. We chose the latter. Read more here.

So card payments on Ailo are now accessible as part of a broader set of functionality and inclusions through a home membership for renters. Membership is optional. It is between the renter and Ailo. Members can pay rent and bills by debit or credit card with no transaction charge or service fees, alongside new tools designed to make renting easier: savings goals, expense tracking, checklists, multi-language translations, shared tenancy support and more. Prices and inclusions are shown in the Ailo app at each relevant point and before a renter chooses the option.

Everything to do with renting stays free for everyone. Paying rent, viewing their history, requesting a repair and messaging their property manager are not part of any membership and never will be. Read more here. All renters can continue to use Ailo as they have been and can keep accessing a range of payment options including direct debit, PayID, CentrePay or direct to the agency trust account without needing a membership. Either way, the choice stays with them. That is the point.