Graduate looking to rent home, any scope for negotiation?

fiish

MoneySavingSpender wrote: »

Sorry to shout this. but:

ENSURE YOU GET ANY PROMISED REPAIRS/WORKINGS TO A FLAT/HOUSE DOWN IN WRITING, WITH A PROMISED DATE, WITH COMPENSATION FOR EVERY WEEK DELAYED WITH A GET OUT CLAUSE IF IT TAKES MORE THAN 2MONTHS.

Or similar

I appreciate this advice, and when I made my offers for the flat (yes, I made more than one) I specifically asked about that. However, the LA said someone had applied to take the place as it was so that's that.

At any rate, even at asking price it seems like it will be difficult to demand anything of a LL/LA; they'll just go look for an 'easier' tenant.... with regard to prices, I always thought the place where I was looking (cherry Hinton, not particularly near the city centre) wouldn't have OTT rents like in London.

I had a viewing with a private LL this evening. You're right, dealing with a private LL might be more pleasant. Someone had beat me to the place though, it was a very nice flat, fair play to them

Chasing more leads on Brettward and Gumtree.

P.S. - Anyone have experience dealing with Bush? There's a potentially interesting one listed with them, although their role in it seems to be just tenant finding.

Ebany

Agents wise, I've dealt with three:

St Andrews who weren't good, but weren't dreadful, they just kind of...were...but then I don't think we had much call to involve them during our stay. I do vaguely recall them being fairly good about our 'snagging' list from when we first moved in. Deposit came back without too much trouble, though there was a bit of a wait for it.

Tucker Gardner were very good, repairs dealt with quickly and without fuss, and the agent gave me the key back after she had inspected (the day after my leaving date) so I could go back in and clean up the odd little patches she found, which was nice of her. Deposit returned promptly and with no fuss.

Redmayne, Arnold and Harris have been wonderful, quick resolutions to problems, reasonable fees (by far the cheapest I'd seen for a while), and willing to investigate into my whims (i.e. they spent considerable time looking into if we would be allowed a cat, according to both our landlord and the lease for the building). Don't know about return of deposit yet as we are still with them.

I had a colleague deal with Ambassador and they were left without hot water for several months in winter. I've never considered any of their properties after hearing the palaver he went through.

I'm afraid I don't know much about the south side of the city as we have always been central or very slightly north, I'm lazy and consider anything further out than the station is too far (and even thats pushing it!)

barnaby-bear

fiish wrote: »

I appreciate this advice, and when I made my offers for the flat (yes, I made more than one) I specifically asked about that. However, the LA said someone had applied to take the place as it was so that's that.

At any rate, even at asking price it seems like it will be difficult to demand anything of a LL/LA; they'll just go look for an 'easier' tenant.... with regard to prices, I always thought the place where I was looking (cherry Hinton, not particularly near the city centre) wouldn't have OTT rents like in London.

I had a viewing with a private LL this evening. You're right, dealing with a private LL might be more pleasant. Someone had beat me to the place though, it was a very nice flat, fair play to them

Chasing more leads on Brettward and Gumtree.

P.S. - Anyone have experience dealing with Bush? There's a potentially interesting one listed with them, although their role in it seems to be just tenant finding.

You tend to have to be fast... some places do multiple viewings and it's first back to the office :eek: Not fun.

The town's so small and bike-able that whereas 10 years ago living in CH would make a noticible saving now it's marginal... For a noticible drop you are talking Ely/Newmarket and the costs and hassles of transport involved... I think there are deals to be had on the expensive overpriced and supplied new build stuff round warren close but negotiating discounts isn't easy particularly at the highest demand time of year when all the new researchers for next academic year are also hunting...

PasturesNew

It makes me wonder where I'd live if I moved back to Cambridge. Born/grew up there, but there's no way I could afford those rents. After rent/basic bills I'd have to take the car off the road and live on Lidl beans forever!

I'd probably go out to the villages and drive in.

I was born in CH and moved there again to live in a mobile home (across the crossing from the asylum - which at the time was a drugs rehabilitation unit)