Broker didn't make us sign anything

And people wonder why certain brokers exhibit certain behaviour.

good lord, the broker showed you the place first. Why be so shitty?

Most buyer brokers do not ask a buying consumer to sign any contracts for loyalty. Imagine how hard that is for good agents that work their butts off to find good places and good deals for buyers and renters. The apartment was no fee because the landlord/mgmt company pays the fee you normally would pay to your agent as a commission for the deal. Otherwise your paying a rental fee..

I agree with above notes. Would you have found this specific building and apartment otherwise? The agent that your seemingly agreed to work with found your a place and showed you the apartment. I would let them gain their 1 month fee commission and advise you to stay loyal to your agent. Seems the right thing to do.

Buyer and renter loyalty is a tough thing in this market for professionals, here is one example why

The building may have a blanket agreement to compensate brokers even if you didn't sign papers. The fact is that you engaged the services of a professional and are legally obligated to compensate them. You can't hire someone and then stiff them. You'll learn better next time. Welcome to NYC.

I'd take the broker's case pro bono. You are wrong both legally andmorally to try and screw him/her over like that. Wow.

What's a "no fee broker"?

Did this person come with the apartment, or did you engage them to show you multiple apartments that would suit you?

Maybe you used the dreaded big blue "Send Message" button on Streeteasy?

I had same question as "likestocook." If you called this broker and asked them to show you apartments, your cutting them out of the deal is both legally and morally indefensible. However, I'd have a different take if you responded to an add for the apartment, and the broker just opened the door for you. If that is the case, the building likely has a deal with the broker, and the building would not circumvent that deal knowing that the broker showed you the apartment, but you could certainly ask for a month's free rent if you have not signed anything. Then it is up to the building to determine whether it wants you as a tenant and what it will pay its broker. As an example, we had one rental where we actually walked away after the broker who "came with the apartment" showed it to us and we could not come to terms. The apartment owner subseqently reached out to us directly, and an entirely different deal was struck than that the broker had offered. When the broker tried to collect payment for a fee from us at closing, we directed her right back to the apartment owner, and they worked it out. It was easy because all parties were in the room and both apartment owner and tenants were all lawyers so we all understood.