Is it normal to offer less rent than the house is advertised at?

[Preschoolermum]

Or not? The house is nice, and competitively priced. There are other interested parties. Is it normal to make an offer anyway? Do most people make offers? I thought that was the practice if buying but not renting, but maybe I am wrong.
Thank you for your views!

There’s no harm in it. As long as you’re fine you might lose out to someone who can pay the full amount.

Dh and I offered less on our current house. The rent was way more that we would have comfortably afforded, but it was the only suitable property in like a 5 mile radius. The landlord liked us and was happy to go with that lower figure.

Our estate agent suggested the LL might take an offer, so I'd say it's fine and normal to do so. An odd choice if there's a lot of interest though.

Does it matter though? If you're the LL and you're that confident about the price and level of interest, just reject the low offer.

I’m a landlady and have only had offers over the advertised rent, not below.
If you don’t mind risking losing the flat you could try, being very diplomatic about how you ask.

I’m a LL and had a offer of £100 less rent per month. I laughed and said no way! But I was glad they’d identified as CF so early on.

I'm a landlord and prospective tenants have offered lower. Sometimes I accept.

I have in the past but I’m going back about 12 years. I think the market is probably different now.

I had it once, I declined as I had others willing to rent at the price I wished. If there are other interested parties it’s unlikely to succeed.

I have done this and had an offer accepted. I paid £100 less than advertised. However, the house had been up for rent for a few weeks with no takers. But when we gave notice it let within two days at the original asking price

I’m a LL and had a offer of £100 less rent per month. I laughed and said no way! But I was glad they’d identified as CF so early on.

I’m a LL too and would never think someone cheeky to make an offer. They have no idea what other offers you have on the table (if any) and how motivated you are to get the place leased.

OP, I’ve made lower offers before but only on places I didn’t mind if I didn’t get. As a LL, the last time I rented my place out I had 4-5 offers and 3 of those were over asking price (not by much, about £50-100pm) so if you really did want it then don’t mess around. If you wouldn’t be heartbroken to lose it then an offer is ok.

Oh and the LL agreed to my cat as well (!)

Probably depends on the area and competition, but I've certainly offered less than the asking price and been accepted.

I've also been offered less than I asked for a property I was renting and have accepted that as well.

It depends on the market. I find it happens occasionally, although very rarely, and I've certainly never accepted a lower offer as demand is strong, my pricing is fair, and I don't need to. Interestingly sometimes those who tried to negotiate then offer the full amount and I will still favour someone else as I will have the impression as they might find the full rent a struggle, and also that they might more problematic tenants anyway. Probably harsh and untrue, but it's a sellers' market generally so ...

It seems reasonable to take a chance on making an offer if the house has been available for some time with no takers. But if it’s a nice house in a good location with other interested parties I definitely wouldn’t. Why would they entertain an offer if there are other people willing to pay the full rent? You’d just get dismissed as a cheeky fucker and potential time waster.

Yes, it is normal. It happened to us. We said yes as more months going empty cost more than the rent discount and the tenants had solid recommendation (corporate rental).

I’m ll and use a letting agency. I have agreed to a reduced rent once or twice but that was way in the past and only during quiet periods such as just before / after Christmas. I’m talking £25 less on a rent of maybe £650 at the time - would be more now. Not likely now though as my properties tend to go fairly fast these days.

Of course you can

However. You are likely to not get it. If you offer rent lower than the price it is.

I worked as an estate agent. We've had people offer lower rent. But the owner if they have other offers at market price. Then most will go with them

I do however know of one property. Which had 6 people wanting it. From two professional couples. To a huge family. To a single but very successful person. I was sure that they would pick the professional couple. But they shocked us to our very core and chose the huge family. Said it was down to wanting their old family home to be used as a family home.

That family have been there 10 years. They say they are the best tenants they've ever had. They have some 20 odd properties. No issues. They fix everything themselves. Never been late on rent ever.

Stranger things. Such a lovely family too. I just wasn't expecting it. As kids and pets are usually last on the list.

We offered lower, engaged in a bid, ended up offering £50 higher than asking price - made it to the final two offers, were still higher offer and lost the house to a couple without children (we have a 3m old baby girl).

We’ve rented for years and only time we’ve ever offered less is when the house needed completely decorated. We viewed and it was a riot, landlord said he was decorating hence the higher rent (we knew previous tenant). We asked if he’d keep the rent the same and not decorated, and we would do the decoration. He agreed to that.

He got a deal, we painted the full house, new carpets throughout, new window frames etc and we lived there a year 😔 our reasons, not his

My friend is a landlord she has offered lower rent a couple of times when she hasn't had to go through a letting agent to rent it and therefore pay the fees.

Depends how much you want the property

It does depend on the tenant. But for my experience I didn’t appreciate being told my property was too expensive when I knew it was under market rent in the first place.

As part of the argument they said they’d seen a smaller place in a nearby area for less rent. So they thought they could offer me less for my much bigger and nicer property.

Of course it is! Though my experience is only in central London (and since 2007 we have owned) but when I was renting I ALWAYS negotiated on the price, the state of the flat if necessary (does it need redecorating before move in etc) and the terms of the lease (usually on rules around renewal / access for viewings etc). That might have been the lawyer in me but 🤷🏼‍♀️ I suppose then as a single professional with no pets I was probably desirable tenant.

A reduction of rent on asking price is often a smaller loss than having a place empty for extra weeks / months. Also good if you can move in quickly. You need to be realistic though - eg offering half the rent won’t get you anywhere. As a rule I would generally start at least 15% lower than asking.

Also have never offered or paid asking price for any property we have owned.

You don’t ask, you don’t get.

PS also assuming you are communicating through an agent. Need to consider your audience and method / tone of communication and negotiating style of agent vs landlord!

It depends on the area. When I was renting in the UK there wouldn't be a hope in hell of making a lower offer on a decent property and being accepted. Due to the large numbers of people wanting to rent and a dearth of quality properties (plenty of shit holes available) anything decent would be rented within a couple of days for the full advertised rent.

Umm no and if someone made an offer I’d think they were a CF and not have them anyway.

What SirChable said.

I imagine it’s especially true of high end properties. I manage two properties, one we accept offers on and not the other. One is very expensive one is not.