Should you negotiate rent?

Duffield1

We're currently planning to sell our property, pay off all our debts (including the mortgage - can't wait to be completely debt free!) and rent for a couple of years before getting back onto the property ladder - with luck, we'll have a decent chunk of equity left to buy a much bigger property, plus by paying off all our debts can actually save up around £500/month by renting.

When you look on all the property websites for rental properties, they have rental prices listed. But should we agree to the price quoted, or does the agent have some room to manoevre with that rate?

We're looking to move into York (within a couple of miles of the city centre) and the rental market seems fairly bouyant - would the agent laugh us out of the lobby if we say "We won't pay £875 per month, but would pay £800!" What is the etiquette in this situation?

Also, we've got a dog, and many of the properties say 'No pets'. We've been advised by a friend to not mention our dog until we've found somewhere we are ready to commit to, and then offer to pay for all carpets to be cleaned when we eventually move out. Is this the best way of doing it, or should we come clean about the dog from the outset? She's 11 years old and well behaved, so not destructive like a young puppy might be.

tbs624

Welcome as a newbie poster

Some LLs/LAs do allow a margin on top of the rent figure that they wish to meet, so as to allow for some tenant negotiation: we all like to think we have managed to bag a bargain.

However, it does depend on the area and in many parts of York you're unlikely to manage to land yourselves a lower rent unless you can consider the more outlying areas. This is especially the case if you want to find a LL willing to welcome your dog.

You will need to be upfront from the word go about the dog - however, if the LA says no, always ask them to contact the LL on the issue. Some LAs tend to advise a blanket no dogs/cats policy for the LLs who sign up with them but some LLs will consider it on a case by case basis. Most who do would insist on a higher tenancy deposit and on the T footing the bills for a de-fleaing treatment as well as carpet cleaning at the end of the tenancy.

MrsAmanda_2

I think honesty is the best policy regarding your dog. Some landlords are ok with pets. If I found a tenant had lied, I'd want them out as soon as possible. The age of the animal would make no odds to me, my own dog caused more damage when she was old and poorly than when she was a bouncy puppy.
Remember that if you rent via a letting agency they usually do regular 'inspections' so you'd have to hide all trace of your dog on those days.

As regards negotiating, it's worth an ask. I've accepted a tenant who offered a bit under what we were asking.

princeofpounds

Negotiating rental rates is usually possible. It is easier if you do not have a hard deadline to meet to find a place, as LLs can just say no and let it to someone else in a short space of time, they aren't protracted negotiations like a sale could be.

tbs624

princeofpounds wrote: »

Negotiating rental rates is usually possible.

My bolding. Replace that with *sometimes" - in the York area, the property would generally have to be an absolute dive, an ex Council House, or out in the sticks , and/or belonging to a struggling amateur LL, for a lower rent to be agreed to. There will always be parts of many cities where you have no hope of pushing down the rent.

princeofpounds

I wouldn't have thought York was that much of a special place.

I've lived in many of the most in-demand areas of London and have managed to negotiate more often that not (although usually only small discounts of ~5%).

Lots of people *think* that particular areas are a bit special, but most landlords will take a good offer close to their asking price as makes no difference.

Although I do agree with sometimes rather than usually correction!

Pee

It really depends on the local property demand and whether the rent shown is higher than usual. Around where I live houses are snapped up as soon as they come on the market, even if the rent seems ridiculous, and landlords can demand that people don't smoke or don't have dogs and that they put down a sizable deposit. That said, some landlords who are dog owners themselves probably wouldn't worry about it, and others would consider it a definate no-no. I think it's best to be upfront.
I have to say that if I was letting a property to someone the fact they tried to bargain down the rent would make me think they were going to be a bit difficult to deal with and so if there was someone else who happily agreed to the rent I would prefer them as a tenant. (Even though of course the other tenant may be on the fast track to bankruptcy.)

I have to say I bought my first house because I couldn't find anywhere to rent with a dog.

Duffield1

Thanks for all these helpful words.

I would never be dishonest and conceal the fact that we have a dog, the query is more about the point at which we mention the dog. I would not move into the house without permission to keep a dog there, but so many properties specify 'no pets' on the particulars, and yet I know several people who have had pets in 'no pet' properties, with the landlords' consent.

BitterAndTwisted

Be upfront and absolutely candid about the dog. Lots of agents say "no pets" because they can't be bothered to discuss it on an individual basis with each landlord about each property. However if you're shown to be reasonable people who will look after their landlord's property some will actually ask the landlord if you request it. I think the best way to persuade an agent and their landlord that you are responsible pet-owners to to have them to visit you in your present home. But this is all utterly dependent on the market where you are looking to rent. If properties are snapped up very quickly you are in a much weaker position to negotiate, obviously.

mlz1413

I'd negotiate rent once I'd seen a property I liked, but with pets you will probably need to say that you have them when you say what properties you are looking for.

Try looking at rental ad's in the local paper these are more likely to be LL's advertising directly and so you can discuss the topic with them rather than an agent. Or you could put a wanted ad in the paper and see if any LL's contact you.

When negotiating it is good to have something to offer in return for having a pet or wanting a discount, which in your case would be the long term nature of your rental. LL's may be prepared to take on a dog in exchange for a 2 year committment - but remember if you sign for 1 or 2 years then you will need to be prepared to stay that long.