Can you haggle over rent

carolt

Yes, of course you can negotiate on rent.

Some landlords won't, like Fred - that's up to them.

But if you don't ask, you don't get. If you are an ideal tenant say, eg professional, female, for example, stress all this.

More so when renewing a contract - you have your track record as a reliable tenant who pays on time and looks after the property, and will save them the costs of readvertising and potential void periods.

My MIL for example has reduced her rent from c.850 to 700 pounds a month a couple of times - she's a nice well-spoken professional in her late 50's - landlords like her.

Plus rents are falling nationally - google on this. So don't pay more than you need.

BBurkill

Fred1 wrote: »

very true, but will a landlord who is prepared to haggle also be up to my standards?

Like everything else - you get what you pay for.

OH, I dont doubt I am..

In long term employment, non smoker, previous property owner (lost it when I lost my business). I want a LONG Let for Years (until I retire). I do my own repairs, I dont own pets, I am married. Kids grown up. responsible law abiding adult, excellent references. I think I might fit the bill.

SO why should I pay more or the same as a six month fly by night.. Someone who stays in it for 6 months then moves on.. I want stability (preferably a secure tenancy).

To quote my current landlord "I like you because you ALWAYS pay the rent".. Isnt that how it should be?? I rent it, I pay for it???.

Fred1_2

BBurkill wrote: »

SO why should I pay more or the same as a six month fly by night.. Someone who stays in it for 6 months then moves on.. I want stability (preferably a secure tenancy).

Although I wouldn't haggle on letting a property, I also want a longterm relationship with a good tenant. This means that I am very slow to put up rents for existing tenants. In fact I normally only review them every other year instead of annually and a review does not automatically mean a rent increase. This has the effect of giving a long-term tenant a de facto discount. I'm lucky I don't get many 6 month fly-by-nights.

I agree with you about the secure tenancy - the ASTs were setup to encourage people to become landlords by allowing them not to make a commitment to the business. That wouldn't be so bad, if mortgage and insurance companies didn't insist on ASTs but also allowed ATs. I can't understand either's thinking. Surely for someone on an Assured Tenancy is more likely to look after a property than someone on an AST? An mortgage companies needn't worry about ATs either. One of the mandatory grounds for evicting a tenant on an AT is that the house has been repossessed.

At the moment, I'm seriously looking at offering my best tenants a 3 year AST at renewal time instead of the normal 1 year. I can't see any pitfalls, but have a few months left to investigate it before the first one comes due.

brit1234

I would haggle. It must be common knowledge that rents are falling across the board now. They have fallen for the last few months due to a oversupply caused by people who can't sell and putting up for rent. Then you have to take into consideration that rents also typically fall in recessessions as well.

Do you home work, tell him you are considering your options and considering cheaper places around (guareenteed to be cheaper places in the current climate). You don't have to be but research some examples to back your story up.

The last thing he wants is void periods when looking for new tennants and he would have to adjust the rent down to attract them anyway. The power is in your hands, there is no shortage of affordable rental property at the moment.:think:

PS. Don't forget about the cuts in interest rates that have been passed on to him. You should benefit from that as well rather than being penalised.

2912pwil

Did you say you were thinking of moving in March?? Give him notice under the terms of the current tenancy (eg if 2 months then 2 months before you want to leave). Unless there is a clause in the tenancy saying you will agree to any suggested rent increase (unlikely) the he can't force the increase and, being realistic, can't get back possession in less than 6 months if you dig your heels in.

Penelopa.Pitstop

I don't haggle, I just offer what I think is the right price for the property. I offered below asking price on property I'll be moving in soon and it was accepted without a word. Of course I thought: I should have offered less

Before I put an offer I checked how long the flat was on the market and how the price changed during this time. All thanks to Property Bee.

LisaLou1982

You can offer anything you like!! But its ultimately up to the landlord at the end of the day....

Gorgeous_George

Please, haggle - or negotiate as I prefer to call it.

How much is the £70 rise percentagewise? Tell your LL that you cannot afford £70 and that you will look elsewhere. I think two months notice of a rent increase is reasonable so that should get you to March without a rise.

Maybe try this:
When you look elsewhere, find at least three properties, two of which that you like and one that is at a price you like (preferably with different agents). Then, tell the agents of the two that you like that their property is marginally better than the cheaper one but that you can only afford the cheaper one. If they don't try to match the cheaper rent, give them your mobile number and tell them that you will decide in a few days and that if anything else in your price bracket comes up, they should contact you.

GG

themanbearpig

Fred1 wrote: »

As a landlord, I wouldn't consider entering into haggling about the rent. I charge rents that are at the top end of the going rates for the comparable properties in the same area. But I pride myself on keeping my properties in tip top condition and providing excellent customer service to my tenants. That has a price. Some people are willing to pay that price some are not. So far I have always been able to pick and choose my tenants because most people who view my properties want to rent them.

You sound like a bit of a dreamer, stuck with 2007 ideals, when things were good. Things are changing quickly; it is now a buyers market. Fewer and fewer people are going to put up with any price increases, and property negotiation is getting more mainstream.
If you have good tenants, don't do anything that may make them want to move!
Things are going to get ugly in 2009, and you may find even the most reliable tenants not paying the rent, because realistically, they can sit in your house for 3-4 months without paying, and there is nothing you can do.

mchale

By all means haggle, its your right, but dont be suprised if LL comes back with a counter offer of agreeing to the rent you wish to pay, but wanting a new TA signed, tenants haggle with me over rent & I always ask them if I agree to discount, are they happy to be tied in for another 6 or 12 months, as the old saying goes "nothing for nothing"
Good Luck.