Graduate looking to rent home, any scope for negotiation?

fiish

Hi fellow MoneySavers,

I just graduated from uni and got a job lined up in Cambridge, shall be starting work there beginning September. So in the meantime I am trying to find accommodation there. I have viewed several flats and am thinking about making some offers. The offered flats are 2bed properties between £650 and 700 pcm. (I am looking for 1bed properties ideally, but they seem to be closer to the city centre and more expensive; my workplace will be outside the city centre so I am looking around there)

However, with the rental market the way it currently is, do I have any scope to negotiate on rent? I have good references from my renting as a student.

Thanks a lot for any advice.

MoneySavingSpender

Despite your experience, have a long gander on
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=937335
and
http://www.shelter.org.uk/

So that you understand types of tenancies, what you should look out for and what your responsibilities are for renting an entire estate to yourself.

Secondly, I imagine you're kind of stuck in a catch22 position where desirable bachelor flats will be mostly located in central Cambridge but your workplace is outside Cambridge, it's down to you to find the right location and balance, have you considered a houseshare for the first 6months in a place near work while you settle in so that you can slowly look for the perfect flat in the mean time?

As for haggling, it depends on the demand and supply there, if people who were selling are now letting and if people who were buying are renting and which is greater, obviously you will want more supply than than demand which would lower the rent for you etc.

I would suggest you book a B&B up there come late July/early August to have a good look around booking viewings etc and speaking to locals to see what they say. considering the academia and technical/geeky social circles there I would hope there are plenty of online forums/sites with regard to Cambridge living/accommodation.

becky_rtw

Hi Fiish,

If you're talking about out by the science park/chesterton area -go for that, cheaper, 10 minute walk into town and it reasonably nice, plus there is load of traffic in the mornings out to the science park so if you're out there already you're less likely to be stuck in it.

Rents here are weird - asking rents in city centre/mill road are massive but you can usually negoiate a discount out of student season. Also ignore the overpriced flats by the train station - rubbish, noisy, ugly and really bad problems with antiosocial behaviour (for Cambridge anyway)!

I've rented in Cambs for ages PM if you want any more details/info. Also there's a great local free mag called 'property plus' which is worth picking up when you come up to visit. There's also brettward - an internet noticeboard for private rents which is great. Many agents here are proper crocks - be careful, they have a captive market and hcagre huge fees.

If you insist on being city centre bound try the mews houses on Devonshire road 1 bed usually go for between 6-750 a month and they have parking (always a plus).

becky_rtw

In fact I've had a look and found one for you now:
http://tgresidential.com/Rent/Details.aspx?id=L0576

£685 a month! 1 bed, FF, Parking, available 12th August (is this too early)?

(No I do not work for these agents, but I have lived in one of these houses and they are okay for a single person and very central).

fiish

Brettward seems to be quite a gem - thanks a lot. Am rummaging through there now

barnaby-bear

fiish wrote: »

Brettward seems to be quite a gem - thanks a lot. Am rummaging through there now

I'd rent in a shared house first and get to know the area, the science park is near some of the tattiest areas, poor shops/dodgy estate pubs etc... it depends on your lifestyle but Chesterton/Arbury/Kings Hedges (anything they call good for Science Park or "North City") isn't exactly upbeat or uplifting area to live in. Nowhere's further than 20min by bike and the cycle path network is fairly good so it isn't a nightmare.

becky_rtw

Chesterton is okay if you're by Church St etc - very pretty and new bridge means even closer to town/river.

Agree about Arbury - avoid at all costs!

barnaby-bear

becky_rtw wrote: »

In fact I've had a look and found one for you now:
http://tgresidential.com/Rent/Details.aspx?id=L0576

£685 a month! 1 bed, FF, Parking, available 12th August (is this too early)?

(No I do not work for these agents, but I have lived in one of these houses and they are okay for a single person and very central).

Those back onto the railway (ok for a train spotter) and it's a noisy road and cut through with lots of street-scum at night... and it's a nightmare driving from there to science park (30-40 min) in rush hour....

barnaby-bear

becky_rtw wrote: »

Chesterton is okay if you're by Church St etc - very pretty and new bridge means even closer to town/river.

Agree about Arbury - avoid at all costs!

The old bit is ok but it's a bit isolated and not much going on - wouldn't recommend it for a female to get back to easily at night with the river crossing... is the OP a girl...

fiish

How is the Cherry Hinton/Fulbourn Road area?

barnaby-bear

fiish wrote: »

The OP is a non-big&tall guy :P

How is the Cherry Hinton/Fulbourn Road area?

Quiet, ok schools, cheap for the city modern house, lots of not that well off families with small kids...