Are rentals negotiable?

[Nix01]

Hi again,

There is a house that's been listed on RIghtmove for around 50 days becoming vacant this week. Everything seems to get snatched up pretty quickly.

It seems a long time around here but expensive at 2000pcm.

I've previously asked the agent is this is negotiable and been told not, but it's quite awhile later and I was wondering if it would be very cheeky to email them again and ask them to present our offer to the landlord with a view of increasing the rent in 6 months time?

yes you can ask for sure.

if they say no they say no

Yes definitely. But you need to present yourself well ie can move in immediately, have excellent references, long term tenants, want it as it is (ie no new carpets, redecorating), no pets, not smokers . . .

Make an offer by all means but don't include the increase part, you are just shooting yourself in the foot with that.

yes, definitely if the market permits. And this one sounds like a case of that.

do check for a hidden 'but' though before signing. Hopefully it is just overpriced.

Yes absolutely

Tell them every week it sits empty is 500, which is the same as..... Reduction in rent.

Sometimes it can help to negotiate if you can pay a few months up front. Tbh if it's way overpriced then I'd be worried about the ll or agent. And I am a ll.

Yes, we rented house that was up for £1, 150. Said we could move in within a week and would sign up for a 12 month tenancy if they accepted £1, 000. The agents said no, so I told them we'd find somewhere else. Got a call back 10 mins later agreeing to £1, 000!

Everything's negotiable ...... Except bedtime, that's definitely not!

Just read the fine print of the tenancy contract before you sign. Ours said that the rent would be subject to 5-10% increase (only) in line with market. We refused to sign until they reworded increase to 'changes' so that we could get it down if we wanted to (which we did after the first year). So if you are offering less than what LL wants, make sure there isn't a steep increase in 6-12 months which will want you to leave.