When I've asked, I was told the only options are what is listed on their website. The suggestion is eCheck, as it's cheapest.

Additional fees (including the common "plus tax" at the store) are a scam and should be abolished. If that were the case, the MTA issue in the article wouldn't matter.

The problem is your landlord wants your full rent amount and it depends on how you pay them. If you pay through a medium with fees, I'd argue you should pay those fees.

It should be made apparent how they accept money and what the associated fees are before you sign your lease. That's the only malice I see.

The landlord should build the fee into the price for the cheapest method of accepting payment.

Apartment rental companies in the US don't usually accept wire transfers (which is crazy itself), but they usually accept checks, and fortunately you can write an exact amount on a check.