Is January the Best Time to Negotiate Rent?

Negotiations tend to be a tricky business, especially if you’re dealing with someone that you don’t know well or feel comfortable around. Landlords usually fit that bill. However, there are plenty of ways to get around an awkward conversation. One of the keys is to pick your time.

The other key is not to simply ask for a discount while offering nothing. After all, this is a negotiation — you have to bring something to the table, so check out these ideas.

Ask About Early-Payment Discounts

Once the holidays are over, landlords tend to hit a dry spell. Many tenants may have overspent during the holidays, so the most landlords can be sure of is that someone, somewhere, probably won’t pay. Security in a tenant is of incredible value to a landlord, so inquire about paying a large portion of the new year up front. If you can manage to lump six months in one payment, your landlord may very well grant you a discount.

Be a Perfect Tenant

Living in a place is easy, but remaining respectful to your landlord can be tough. You probably went through some kind of tenant screening when you first applied for the place, but those screens don’t cover everything.

Paying rent on time and replacing the batteries in smoke detectors won’t cut it — those are simply your responsibilities. However, making the effort to engage in conversation, keeping the house clean and dealing pleasantly with the landlord when repairs are required will make your landlord like you. If your rent is up in January, the negotiation poses a double whammy to the landlord — they’re potentially losing a great tenant and having an empty place in the depths of winter.

There Are Fewer People Looking

One of the simplest reasons that January is a good time to negotiate is because people don’t want to go out and about during the winter. This fact is the reason why — according to many people — January is the best time to sell a house. For those who rent, it means that the month [January] is the best shot you’ll get at landing a lower rate.

On top of that, you’ll want to keep an eye on what’s happening in the neighborhood. If you live in a college town, for example, the entire town might empty out over winter break. With less competition, you’ll have a wonderful time negotiating your rent.

Sign up for More Than a Year

If you know you plan to be in the area for more than a year and you aren’t looking to buy a house in that time, offer to sign a longer lease. This helps you out in more than one way.

For starters, if you’ve already signed a lease, you don’t have to worry about a price hike to stay in the place. You also know you won’t have to pay for moving expenses in a year, on top of possibly negotiating a lower price. After all, that added security means a lot to a landlord. They will probably be very happy to sign a longer lease with you, and many of them will agree to a discounted rate because of it.

Offer to Work on the Place

Working in exchange for less rent isn’t just an option for people who have experience. A simple paint job and floor polish can work wonders on an older apartment, and anyone can learn how to patch holes and cracks. However, your landlord is more likely to agree to deduct the work you do from your rent if you have some experience.

Anyone who knows basic construction or is a licensed electrician has a great chance of getting a good negotiation. Remember, if there’s ever a time that something’s going to go wrong, it’s probably during the winter. If you can fix it without the landlord going through the hassle of calling someone out to the property, they’ll easily see the value of you staying there. It’s just one more reason that January is an awesome time to negotiate!