Do you make offers on rented properties too?

fannyanna

I was just wondering whether it was standard practice to make an offer on a rented property like most people do when buying a property.

sharpee

We did on our current property and got 12.5% off. We did our research and watched the property sit empty for a few weeks and went back with an offer.

At the end of the day it depends on

1. How desperate you need a house
2. How much you want that house
3. How busy the market it in that area
4 Can the LL afford for the property to sit empty for a while

It is always worth asking as you never no!

CCP

I don't know if it's standard practice but I've done it: I offered a lower rent for my current place - it had been empty for some time and the rent was a bit on the high side, tbh - and my offer was accepted on the spot.

It's definitely worth asking - the worst that can happen is that the LL / LA insists on the full price and then you can decide whether to go ahead at that price or to look for somewhere else at the amount you want to pay.

princeofpounds

Of course it's normal. As long as you aren't in direct competition with another prospective tenant you can normally get 5% or so off, and maybe more if the property has been on the rental market a while.

serious_saver

It seems more commonplace in certain areas but it may depend on the sort of property you are after and when you go for it. For example there's no point trying to get a lower price in a student area during the annual rush.

We rent privately and found it very easy to negotiate but we also found it in November when very few people were moving and we were able to move in the day after the previous tenants moved out. The flat was already a reasonable price and we knocked off £25 per month. It doesn't sound like a lot but over the course of a year that's £300.

rachel31a

The flat we rented was empty for a while before we moved in. We offered £50 less a month and the landlord accepted. He did however put the rent back up after our 6 month contract was up. It's worth asking!