Haggling over rent

terrence45 · 14 August 2019 at 3:35PM

Slithery wrote: »

Offering to pay up front is quite often a red flag for landlords as it's mostly used by people wanting to set up cannabis farms or brothels.

Hahahahahhaa! I can imagine the conversation:

Me: Hello I'd like to rent your flat. I'm a student with a bad credit record, so can I pay up front?
LL: Sorry I don't rent to drug dealers or pimps.

Or perhaps it might be more like this:

Me: Hello I'd like to rent your flat. I'm a student with a bad credit record, so can I pay up front?
LL: Yes/no.
Me: Ok.

Arthritic_Toe · 14 August 2019 at 3:37PM

need_an_answer wrote: »

no I advertise at a sensible price in line with the current market in the area.

Just because I wont rent my properties to students doesn't mean I'm immune to the need for student accommodation...perhaps I could ask that you read my other contributions to the rest of the thread before you cast further judgement.

In what possible way was I casting judgement? You said "Harsh as it may sound if you don't want to pay the advertised amount someone else will." The point I was making is that sometimes the advertised rate is too high and in those circumstances it is reasonable to make an offer and it is likely to be accepted if market forces dictate that the offer is reasonable.

Slinky · 14 August 2019 at 5:00PM

A house in our close was up at £1250 as the one next door went for £1400 last year, but that was a fully refurbed property. Another very similar to the £1250 property came and went at £950, after 2 months the LL (who is apparently an EA) seemed to be getting pretty desperate, dropped to £850 and got somebody in. It's been empty for about 3.5 months so a lot of lost revenue. In the meantime another has come and gone around £995. He'd have got a better rate quicker if he'd compared his property with his competition properly. There aren't many rentals in our street but they've all changed tenants in the past 3-4 months.

We were asking £1150 for ours a couple of years ago, it has an extra bedroom, and we dropped to £1100 to get somebody in as winter was coming. We live in it ourselves now.

sillyhilly · 14 August 2019 at 5:08PM

I get the distinct feeling that this thread is 3 pages too long.

Try haggling and let us know how you get on.

terrence45 · 14 August 2019 at 6:23PM

sillyhilly wrote: »

I get the distinct feeling that this thread is 3 pages too long.

Try haggling and let us know how you get on.

Perhaps!

But, on a side note, this thread got me thinking: if I were a landlord, who would I rather rent my flat out to...

Me 5 years ago - perfect credit score, never missed a payment, in quite a lot of credit card/loan debt but just about servicing it, a bit of a risk-taker

Or me now (putting the student thing aside) - poor credit score (although apparently only just below the national average), no credit whatsoever and no hope of getting any, earning a decent amount and saving, way more knowledgeable and responsible about money (so richer mentally as well as financially), having never defaulted on rent, tax or bills.

Funny innit.

bradders80 · 14 August 2019 at 6:38PM

terrence45 wrote: »

Perhaps!

But, on a side note, this thread got me thinking: if I were a landlord, who would I rather rent my flat out to...

Me 5 years ago - perfect credit score, never missed a payment, in quite a lot of credit card/loan debt but just about servicing it, a bit of a risk-taker

Or me now (putting the student thing aside) - poor credit score (although apparently only just below the national average), no credit whatsoever and no hope of getting any, earning a decent amount and saving, way more knowledgeable and responsible about money (so richer mentally as well as financially), having never defaulted on rent, tax or bills.

Funny innit.

That's just the way it goes!! Some people go through insolvency and come out the other side completely changed, others don't! Also don't forget, some people go through insolvency for reasons that are not their fault, but all get lumped together with the gamblers, addicts and past-it celebs!!!!

AdrianC · 14 August 2019 at 6:39PM

Lovely, an' all. Now think about what the landlord actually knows about you.

terrence45 · 17 October 2019 at 8:22PM

Wee update, in case anybody cares... Have taken a very nice flat through a regular agency. Didn't haggle with the rent as it was OK as it was. Told them I was a student and ex-insolvent - they required a guarantor as expected, but that's it. Easy peasy.