Haggling over rent

need_an_answer

As a LL ive never haggled with a tenant over rental amounts.

Harsh as it may sound if you don't want to pay the advertised amount someone else will.

In terms of whether I'd take tenants with a guarantor,yes I've had a couple,they ar'nt my preferred tenant and again I may offer the property to someone without that bind if there is more than one prospective tenant wishing to proceed.

Probably not what you ideally want to hear but LL's choose in their opinion the tenant that best matches their requirements

terrence45

AdrianC wrote: »

Unless they're getting to the point of desperation for a new tenant, I'd say you're on flimsy enough ground even without asking to pay less...

Really? With a perfect 13-year renting record and willing to pay up front? (bad credit record is unfortunately due to a business decision).

I suppose I'm lucky in so far as the place I go has a lot of studio properties seemingly lying empty, and I'm not fussy about the area/condition for the year I'm going to be a student.

CarbonImage

To offer an alternative point of view, a good frind of mine and her partner just 'offered' the asking rent on a flat and could move in within the week with an excellent credit record, 2 months up front.

They were turned down because someone offered £100/month over the asking price! And this was not a cheap flat to begin with.

So I would say it depends on the area the flat is in - August is a particularly competitive time of year with thousands of students looking for new rentals.

danlewi2

Anyone else interested in the property? If the property is decent then there is usually competition, so if your not willing to pay the asking price then someone else will.

terrence45

danlewi2 wrote: »

Anyone else interested in the property? If the property is decent then there is usually competition, so if your not willing to pay the asking price then someone else will.

No particular property in mind yet.

terrence45

Ok how about an alternative plan: my parents rent it for me to live in it while I study. Can't be an unusual thing - plenty of foreign students come to the UK with no UK credit record and live in private rentals paid for by their parents.

Maybe a better plan?

danlewi2

simple answer - you can try haggling - doesn't guarantee you will get it. You can say you will pay the full asking price - again doesn't guarantee you will get it. You can offer above the asking price - again they may pick another tenant.

need_an_answer

There are plenty of LL's that will accept students so I don't perceive that to be a problem.Where you may encounter the problem is haggling over the rent payable unless you are prepared to leave it extremely late to source your accommodation.


It could work in your favour as with most student accommodation if the uptake hasn't happened by the 2nd week of September then the property is likely to remain empty for that calendar year.
It could also go against you in as much as if the area is popular with students then by the time you come to move in its only either the very expensive or poorly maintained stuff still available.


Can we ask what town or area you are looking at?

AdrianC

terrence45 wrote: »

Really? With a perfect 13-year renting record and willing to pay up front? (bad credit record is unfortunately due to a business decision).

Paying 6mo up front merely ensures at least six months before the landlord faces not getting any money off a tenant with a bad credit record.

A guarantor merely gives them a load of hassle and ballache to try to get money off somebody else, as and when the tenant doesn't pay the rent.

Put yourself in their shoes. Would you rather that, or a tenant that has a good credit record?

If £25/mo is make or break for your budget, does that give the landlord the warm-and-fuzzies over whether he can rely on your finances for the entirety of your occupation of the property?

terrence45

AdrianC wrote: »

Paying 6mo up front merely ensures at least six months before the landlord faces not getting any money off a tenant with a bad credit record.

A guarantor merely gives them a load of hassle and ballache to try to get money off somebody else, as and when the tenant doesn't pay the rent.

Put yourself in their shoes. Would you rather that, or a tenant that has a good credit record?

If £25/mo is make or break for your budget, does that give the landlord the warm-and-fuzzies over whether he can rely on your finances for the entirety of your occupation of the property?

Good points, but I have to live somewhere. Guarantor etc would be negotiated with the estate agent rather than the LL direct, who might not even find out about my credit record (since I read somewhere half the time they don't actually do a proper check). However I want to be honest about things.

£25 isn't make or break - money is no problem whatsoever! I was merely pondering, since this is a money-saving site.