Can you haggle over rent

BBurkill

mchale wrote: »

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.

I am happy to be tied in for two years, perhaps longer.. Thank you for that one..

RainMaker_2

themanbearpig wrote: »

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.

Oh really ?

Gorgeous_George

themanbearpig wrote: »

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.

If my tenant didn't pay me on time and didn't contact me to explain the problem I would contact her by phone and letter after 1 week had passed. I would try to agree a payment plan to cover the missed payment and to help her stay in her home.

If the rent wasn't paid for two months and agreement on a payment plan could not be reached, I would serve notice to quit (S21 or S8 depending on how I feel at the time and how long she had been a tenant).

GG

Fred1_2

themanbearpig wrote: »

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.

I have very good tenants and am looking after them. I hope none of them move. But if they do or I buy more properties, whih I intend to do when I think we're at or getting near the bottom of the price crash (probably a year away), I have three people who want to rent from me.

I agree average rents are falling and there is a growing number of empty houses out there. But that's because there are a growing number of !!!! houses being offered for rent. I wouldn't let my dog go in one of those, let alone expect people to live in them.

Of course I can't speak for other parts of the country, but just because average rents are falling doesn't mean that rents on places people actually want to live in are falling - in fact possibly the opposite. There are more people looking for somewhere to rent and only about the same number of actually habitable houses in decent areas available.

I'm sure if my portfolio consisted of newbuild flats or ex-council houses instead of early 20th century 3/4 bed terraced houses in 2 close knit communities, I'd feel differently.

yes it's possible that some of my tenants may stop paying the rent. It's one reason that I need to do more homework before opting for the 3 year AST. At the moment, starting negotiations about missing rent with a Section 21 notice the day after it was due can really focus the mind. This is something that I've luckily only had to do the once.

You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one

50plusabit

To be more accurate, I have contacted my current landlord and told him I do NOT agree to the increase, but am obliged to accept it by virtue of his words "Please reply whether you agree to this increase or whether we are to advertise the property for new tenants". So I will wear this increase, but move out ASAP (and keep an eye on it to see if it gets let).

Your landlord should give minimum of 1 months full notice. You have contacted hime stating your are not happy with the increase ( that increase is too much, if he drives you out then he has got to relet and pay those fees). If you are planning to leave in March, then I would state that you are unwilling to pay the increase, and will be looking to vacate as soon as you have alternative accomodation. This should stall him and you will have saved £200+. If he pushes you, he has to give your 2 months notice which will take him passed March.