You have found the perfect apartment. The only problem is that the rental lease doesn’t allow you to bring your pet, and it’s around $50 too much each month. You want to negotiate with the landlord, but you know that it could be a big ask to cut so much money off each month and to bring a pet.
Many potential tenants don’t realize that it’s acceptable to negotiate with a landlord. In fact, it’s advisable. If you’re offered a contract and rental agreement, it’s always smart to take it away and have your attorney review it. Then, you can reach out to your potential landlord to discuss any changes that you want to make.
For example, maybe the landlord adds a fee schedule for mowing and landscaping services, but you’d be happy to do that if he’d be willing to allow your pet and reduce your rental fees. That’s something you should ask about. Not every landlord will be willing to accommodate you, but many will if they feel that they’ll save money or have an excellent tenant as a result of minor negotiations.
Other people may want to negotiate to have more utilities included in the rental bill or to ask for adjustments related to late fees or rent payment due dates. Whatever your concerns are with the lease, it’s smart to talk them through with your attorney first and then to talk to the landlord about their willingness to adjust their rental contract. In the end, you could find a great landlord and get the perfect contract that allows you to remain a tenant for the foreseeable future.
