Haggling Over Rent (1 Viewer)

[Zeelander]

Hello.

I'm meeting with a letting agent to view a flat tomorrow. The flat sounds good, although I am hoping I can get €75 knocked off the monthly rent. Is this fairly standard practice and can I get some tips!

I succeeded in doing this in my last place by making up some reasons on the spot ("You advertised a studio- this is a bedsit!" / "That fouton looks like a deathtrap", poor ventilation etc.). I have a list of things I hope this new flat will have, but even if it has all those I still want it for €75 less! Can anyone think of some random stuff I could use as haggling points or things that I can say that make me sound like the ideal tenant?

Thanks pals. x

 

[oh shit]

casually say something like
"oh look! haha, my daddy recently settled for a client who was near crippled by a bath/cupboard/window-frame/toiletseat/whatever just like this one! i think she got a few grand!"

 

[Latex lizzie]

complain of a vague smell of death. Tell him you used to work in a morgue and that you would "recognise that smell, it stays with you forever" Glare deeply into his eyes, leave a pause and ask for the money off. works a charm.

 

[krystal]

Give it a try Zita. We got 50 knocked off our rent when I pointed out to (the worlds worst) landlady that she was charging over the odds and that we could get the same sort of flat cheaper in the same area.

 

[Zeelander]

complain of a vague smell of death. Tell him you used to work in a morgue and that you would "recognise that smell, it stays with you forever" Glare deeply into his eyes, leave a pause and ask for the money off. works a charm.

And that's not even entirely a lie as I used to work in The Morgue pub in Templeogue.

 

[Bag'o'cans]

I'm useless at this stuff, i pay way to much for my flat that frankly does smell of death, thing is though, if i was a landlord/letting agent i'd tell me to fuck off and wait for the next shmo like me to come along who'd happily agree to pay to live in a coffin.

 

[Latex lizzie]

And that's not even entirely a lie as I used to work in The Morgue pub in Templeogue.

there you go then..you are now morally obliged to tell aforementioned lie. .|..|

 

[Wavioli]

And that's not even entirely a lie as I used to work in The Morgue pub in Templeogue.

well now. You've probably served me manys the pint.

 

[Zeelander]

well now. You've probably served me manys the pint.

How bout that. It was when I was still in school; I looked pretty much the same as I do now except I look younger now- go figure. You can tell Sadie you spotted me first so.

 

[RSJ]

If it's by the road, point out how the cars sound like they're practically in the room.

 

[F. Fred Palakon]

I think a lot of the time landlords/letting agents are looking to just get someone to take it so they can stop showing the place.

So if you say that you'd really like to take it, and that could take it straight away if they knocked blah off the rent, that might work. I don't necessarily think they look for ideal tenants, I think they just have a bar above which everyone is 'acceptable' and after that whoever can come to a deal the quickest will get it. It worked for us anyway.

Good luck with it, flat-hunting is a nightmare.

In unrelated haggling news, I rang Vodafone the other day to complain about not being eligible for an upgrade, and threatened to switch to o2. To appease me they gave me free line rental until I am eligible. Hooray for haggling!

 

[Zeelander]

I think a lot of the time landlords/letting agents are looking to just get someone to take it so they can stop showing the place.

So if you say that you'd really like to take it, and that could take it straight away if they knocked blah off the rent, that might work. I don't necessarily think they look for ideal tenants, I think they just have a bar above which everyone is 'acceptable' and after that whoever can come to a deal the quickest will get it. It worked for us anyway.

Good luck with it, flat-hunting is a nightmare.

In unrelated haggling news, I rang Vodafone the other day to complain about not being eligible for an upgrade, and threatened to switch to o2. To appease me they gave me free line rental until I am eligible. Hooray for haggling!

Thanks for the advice Helena and everyone. You've all been very helpful, apart from those of you who haven't been helpful at all. x