Renegotiating Rent--Cobble Hill
We’re currently paying $2600/month for a 1 BR + office in cobble hill. While the apartment has nice character and a ton of space, we’ve had continuing problems with cockroaches and mice, and many of the appliances are on the fritz. The LLs have been non responsive to our requests for exterminators and appliance replacement….
We’re currently paying $2600/month for a 1 BR + office in cobble hill. While the apartment has nice character and a ton of space, we’ve had continuing problems with cockroaches and mice, and many of the appliances are on the fritz. The LLs have been non responsive to our requests for exterminators and appliance replacement. Our lease is up in a few months, and while we’re considering a move, we’d like to save the hassle and just renegotiate our rent down a few hundred bucks and make the LL address our mounting issues. Any advice on how to approach the LL on this? What size deduction should we ask for and how should we couple our request for repairs and lower rent?
Vica seems to know the most about the laws and livability issues so hopefully he’ll post but your lease entitles you to services- and that includes working appliances and a vermin free place. You’re not in the wrong- your landlord is not fulfilling the terms of the lease. And one of those terms is maintenance.
I’m with ironballs. Don’t worry about strategy or trying to game your landlord. Decide what you want to pay and tell him that you need to move because there are vermin and you’re paying too much but that if he’ll drop the rent to X you’ll hire your own exterminator.
And if he doesn’t like that, move.
I also say go out and look. Then you have better perspective on what fair rent/conditions/alternatives.
You should definitely start looking at apartments as soon as possible — don’t trust the listing photos but take a look and see what the rent is on a comparable place.
1+ bedrooms really vary in size depending on whether the house is 17, 20, or 25 feet wide (and some are 35 ft long while others are 47 or more). But unless you have more than 1000 square feet, it does seem a bit high for the neighborhood.
On the other hand, if your landlord isn’t even willing to call an exterminator or repair appliances, I doubt you’ll get a reduction in rent but it’s worth a try. You might be better off in a similarly-priced apartment with a landlord who bothers to fix things. It’s certainly reasonable to expect this if you are paying $2,600/month rent, and if he’s not responding now, it’s even more unlikely he’ll respond if your rent is lowered. Good luck.
Just to give you an idea of what else you can get, I just came across this 1 bedroom plus den in a North Slope brownstone (with fireplace and new looking appliances from what I can tell).
It’s $2200.
http://www.idealpropertiesgroup.com/property/details/12932#img_preview
I’d move if I were you. You are paying far too much. You can get a decent 2 bedroom in any BK neighborhood for what you are paying.
Similar problem here. I managed to talk the LL out of raising the rent (it stayed the same) and got her to fix one thing, but not other problems.
Unfortunately, I would advise you to go out and look for a new place. This will serve two purposes: a) it will give you a good idea about the current market price for your existing place, and b) it will give you leverage when its time to negotiate.
The landlord’s failure to hire an exterminator and fix the appliances is inexcusable. That should be taken care of NOW, regardless of any new lease.
When you find a place that you could actually live in, then its time to talk to the landlord. “Hi, the lease is up in 30 days. We have been looking for a new place and found one. We would just as soon stay here though and avoid the cost of moving, but not at the current rent. If you are willing to sign a new lease at $2300 (or whatever you are willing to pay), then we will stay, otherwise you’ll have the keys back in 30 days.” You could add “since the appliances are broken, we propose to have them fixed and deduct the repair charge from the rent.”
You have the power in this relationship. Use it!
Decide the most you’d be willing to pay and make the landlord an offer.
If he says no, move. There’s no magic “strategy” involved in this type of negotiation.
Appliances are actually pretty cheap, especially if you buy them used off Craigslist.
If you landlord won’t properly maintain the apartment for $2600/mo what in the world makes you think he will for $2450 or $2300 per month?
I think you should just plan on moving.
Otherwise… I’m usually in favor of being honest without confrontational or insulting.
I’d wait until 60-45 days before lease expiration and just tell the landlord “Hey, we’d like to renew here for another year (insert ‘we like x, y, and x’ about this place here), but with the real estate market down so much we are seeing a lot of bargains on the market. We’d be willing to pay $2300 (or whatever) to renew. Otherwise, I think we’ll need to look for a new place.”
As for the maintenance issues, I’d address them separately and now. If they don’t get dealt with, then I would just move.
If the don’t get fixed, and you stay there (at a lower rent), you should plan on fixing them yourself.