How to Negotiate a Student Discount With Landlords

You head off to your new life at school, but suddenly instead of the comforts of home you have to find a place to live—and pay for it. You soon discover that rent is not cheap, and you have a lot of other expenses to worry about as well. Perhaps you can save money by negotiating a student discount with a landlord.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Ask. If the "for rent" ad doesn't specify a student discount, ask the landlord if one is available. If he senses you are willing to pay the full amount without taking any money off the top, he isn't likely to bring up the subject of a discount. But he may be willing to offer one if you bring it up.
2. Dress the part. There are a lot of students looking for housing, and the landlord is generally able, within the bounds of anti-discrimination laws, to pick the best possible tenant for his property. You don't need a suit, but grungewear or T-shirts with obscenities aren't likely to make a good first impression either.
3. Prove your stability. You may be far from home, but bring work records, contact information and letters of reference that can help the landlord see that you are likely to be a responsible tenant. He's more willing to negotiate a student discount if he believes you can pay on time and won't trash the apartment.
4. Discuss up front whether you are alone or sharing with roommates. Most leases have specific requirements on the number of people that can live in an apartment, so make sure the landlord knows your plan and how he can get his rent money. He may be more willing to negotiate a student discount if one person in the group is responsible for paying and bears the risk of collecting from the others.
5. Treat it like a job interview. Your attitude goes a long way in determining whether the landlord can negotiate a student discount.
6. Ask around. Check with others who have lived in units owned by a particular landlord to see whether he was willing to negotiate a student discount with them.
7. Decide what you can promise. The landlord may negotiate a student discount if you promise to mow the lawn or pay early each month. Before committing, make sure you can meet such conditions.