How to Negotiate When Renting
Many landlords are more open to negotiating than renters believe. It doesn't hurt to ask a potential landlord to consider lowering rent, particularly if he's having difficulty finding tenants and/or if there are a number of empty rental units in his apartment building. There are a number of things you can offer a potential landlord in exchange for lower rent. Before negotiating, however, it's important to know specific details about the rental market in the area.
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Instructions
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Research the neighborhood's rental market. Knowing how much other landlords charge for similar units in the same area is important. For example, it's likely not a good idea to tell a landlord you're only willing to pay $500 a month for an apartment if similar apartments in the same neighborhood rent for $1,000.
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Ask your potential landlord about occupancy rates in the building. If there's a high vacancy rate, the landlord might be willing to lower rent, as it's better to rent an apartment at a lower monthly rate than to have the unit stay vacant.
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Agree to a longer lease term in exchange for lower rent. High turnover is costly for landlords. It's less expensive for landlords to keep tenants than to continuously look for new tenants after previous tenants move out.
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Offer to work around the building for a decrease in rent. If you don't mind vacuuming and doing odd jobs around the building, and if you have the time, offer your services in exchange for lower rent. If the building has landscaping, offer to care for plants or mow the grass.
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Offer to pay rent in advance. Because of the time-value of money, many landlords will consider lowering monthly rent if you offer to pay several month's rent in advance.
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