How can I negotiate lower rent?
As others have noted, negotiating rent is not easy. As with many difficult tasks, success is never guaranteed but there are ways you can improve your chances. Here are some suggestions: Sign a multi-year lease (the landlord knows that he will not need to look for another tenant again in a year, saving him effort and time) Longer notification time when you need to terminate your lease (the landlord knows that he will have ample time to find a new tenant which reduces the risk of vacancy) Prepay rent in advance (this gives the landlord peace of mind that he will not have to worry about collecting rent for several months) Promise not to smoke (this makes the rental unit harder to clean and repair) Agree to not keep pets (dogs and cats can damage the floors, walls, and leave stains on the carpet)