How to Negotiate an Apartment Lease

Make sure you get all the details written out and agreed to before you sign on the dotted line. You'll have to abide by that agreement for the term of the lease.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Lease Laws
• Legal Counsellors
• Palm Handheld Organizers
• Financial Calculator
• Apartment Leases
• Credit Reports
• Pay Stub
• Notebooks
• Personal Organizers
• Writing Pens

1. Make a list of what is important to you and what details you want to include in the agreement.
2. Study the lease agreement as it is written and highlight any areas you want to change or negotiate.
3. Explain to the landlord your reasons for wanting or needing the change.
4. Be willing to give something up in order to get something else.
5. Act responsibly and respectfully. You'll have more success if you are pleasant to deal with.
6. Provide documentation to support your worthiness as a renter, such as a good credit report and a recommendation from another landlord or rental-management company.
7. Get everything in writing once you agree.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember that your ability to bargain depends on whether the landlord is anxious to have you as a tenant or there are plenty of other great prospective tenants from whom to choose.
• Negotiating the lease also involves such items as rent-due date, move-in date and things to be fixed or improved before the move-in date.
• Laws vary from state to state, so study your lease carefully to figure out what is negotiable.