Is putting offers in for a rented property the norm?!

[Tiredmum21]

Posting for traffic - currently looking to move out of our rented two bed flat into a 3 bed with garden. Long term renters - 5 years + in the same place.

For all the properties we've been interested in we've been asked to 'make an offer' which usually means saying what we want to pay rent wise (usually what's been asked for) plus lots of info on salary, job etc. The landlords then seem to be picking from lots of offers - sometimes but not always taking the first one. Is this normal?

We've been in the same place for ages but i'm sure we just viewed it & said we'd take and then signed up. I just find it baffling we've having to make an offer for a rented property! We saw one yesterday - 6 offers of which the landlord is now mulling over 3 - we offered over the asking monthly rent and even that doesn't seem to have won us it! Just wondering if this is normal or just in our area..!

[VodselForDinner]

Normal for where I live. Offers usually include a lot upfront too, such as first six months of rent along with deposit.

[Tiredmum21]

Oh wow @VodselForDinner - no wonder our offers aren't getting anyway! It's so depressing as we'd never be able to offer that.

[VioletCharlotte]

Yep unfortunately this is the norm now. I had to offer £100pm over the asking price to get my house

[Inkpaperstars]

Long term london renter, only offers I have ever heard of are offering below asking price which in my experience mostly succeeds.

Otherwise it's the norm, I thought, to pay a holding deposit when you offer asking price and the property is taken off the market until your references etc go through.

[Waxonwaxoff0]

Definitely not the norm where I live and I've rented all my life until recently. You just pay a month's deposit and then whatever rent is advertised. I'm in the east Midlands though in a not particularly desirable location so maybe it's different elsewhere.