if a tenant wants to negotiate rent on a flat...

[astragirl]

do you get to negotiate back?

we have my old flat on at 860pcm, someone has offered 700. can we go back and say 750 or will we lose the potential tenant that way?

thanks!

Go back with the counter offer, accepting that you might lose the tenant. But if 700 is too low and you genuinely think it's worth more and can get more, you should ask for more.

The tenant probably wants 750 anyway but is just opening the negotiation.

Could you negotiate that it is 700 for the first 3 months and then 750 if that is what you are happy with?

Think we probably can do better (maybe 800), but the rental market is slow at the moment, so we'd have to wait till January to let it if we don't take this offer.

But we've gone back to the agent and have said 750. Will see what they say.

Hadn't thought of discount for first 3 months. That sounds like a good compromise. Will suggest that to the agent when he calls back.

It is normal to negotiate back

Best of luck

I would want to know how long they were wanting to stay aswell - if they are wanting to stay at least a year then it would be worthwhile - but 6 months and then you have to find other lodgers and pay agents fees then maybe not.

Good point Ivy. We asked the agent, who said they'd sign a 6 month lease, and sounded quite non committal on whether they intended to tay for a whole year.

perhaps a deal of 11 months for the price of 12 would be a better option then - that way they stay for the year - especailly as the last month would be december when everyone would like that little extra.

You would have to make sure you evened out the rent to suit you for the month of december though.

If I were the tenant I would be expecting you to come back with £750 and then I would feel like I had a good deal, question is do you feel like £750 would be a good deal? For 6 months?

Money coming in less than what you wanted is better than no money coming in.