So, your landlord has decided to slap you with a rent increase. Times are weird, sure, but it’s more likely they’ve just done a cursory Google search and were embittered to discover that their neighbour-lords were squeezing way more out of their tenants. It’s not like they need the extra income, it’s simply the shrewd thing to do. Or maybe it isn’t the landlord’s vampiric ambition to suck, suck, suck you dry… Maybe it’s the real estate agent’s idea. It’s only fair these bottom feeders would leap at the faintest whiff of blood in the water to glean a little extra commission off the top of an “advised 10 percent increase” to “bring the property in line with the market”. Ah yes yes yes… the market.
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But not all hope is lost. Claudia Conley, community manager at Flatmates, said while they weren’t well known, rent price negotiations are “definitely possible”.“Many renters, especially young inexperienced renters, might not understand their rights or what’s on the table for negotiation,” she told VICE.If you receive a notice of a rent rise, Conley said, you should do your research before entering negotiations. Find out your suburb’s median rent for your house size, and compare your home’s quality to similar ones in your area.“Definitely find out if a price increase chat with your landlord is on the table and whether you’ll need to move out if you can’t meet the new price.”If your home is deteriorating, you can also bring that into negotiations to add value alongside the price rise. Say, if your home is needing an aircon or dishwasher, you can possibly negotiate those improvements in line with the price rise.But has this actually worked for anyone? Actually, yes. VICE spoke with a bunch of tenants who successfully negotiated out of extreme rent increases. Take note. My apartment is a shithole that my roommate and I have done up and after an inspection they tried to increase our rent on the basis of how much it’s improved. We showed them photos of what a dump it was beforehand and threatened to leave. They wanted an extra $60 a week based on the fact there were fewer marks on the walls and a couple of other things, but we had pics of everything from when we moved in so we literally got out the receipts and pulled the uni student sob story.We signed a lease in February 2022 for $410 per week. In 2023 the landlord said gimme your money we want 550 now, we responded saying $460 aligns with the 10% rental increase of the market and the price of units of our size and value, we will sign a new 12 month lease today to give you the security and he accepted!In 2024 they said gimme $600!!! We have people waiting to move in if you say no!!!! This is non negotiable!!!
Fern, 20, Brunswick West, VIC
Sami, 25, Brisbane CBD, QLD
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We said there have been no improvements to this unit, but also we know the rental market has increased dramatically in BNE so we will be happy with 550 and he came back with 570, which we signed. Our neighbours were told the same and replied asking whether it was up for negotiation to which the landlords responded by listing their unit. I’m a lawyer and am very privileged to have an education in arguing. My friends have accepted rental increases without even trying to negotiate because they didn’t know they could, let alone how to email the person controlling their living situation. Hopefully this gives people confidence to at LEAST try! Reference other properties available that are newer, have nicer facilities, are recently renovated. Show your landlord that there are other affordable options for you but you are a great tenant and want to continue to live in your current home – which is more convenient for both of you! Bargaining chips I have used are 1. Tell them if they accept the price, you’re happy to sign today (even if your lease doesn’t end for another 3-4 months). And 2. Be open to a lease term that suits the landlord. Some want longer tenancies to ensure steady income flow for 12 months et cetera, whereas others want shorter terms so that they can increase the rent again.Around September last year my lease agreement was expiring and I wanted to continue the lease. My property agent told me the landlord wanted to increase the rent from $350 to $420 a week. She asked if I was ok with that and I said no, and I asked for it to be $390 a week. She replied saying the landlord insisted on $420, and then I responded back and said $400, and again they wouldn’t budge, and I didn’t reply to them, and started looking for inspections. I started applying for places, and a new agent started calling my current agent and that was when they called me back and said “oh you know the landlord thought about it and $400 a week is fine”. His excuse was that he “needed the money for maintenance” – heavy stress on “maintenance”. All he’s done since is change a lightbulb. The range hood needs to be replaced, the aircon needs to be fixed. They’ve just said it’s coming.
Kia, 26, Melb CBD, VIC
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Zane, 28, Coburg, VIC
Stella, 27, Stanmore NSW
Jaiya, 26, Coburg, VIC
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Angel, 27, Brunswick VIC
Samson, 27, Marrickville NSW
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Lena, 26, Carlton North VIC
Dasha, 27, Brunswick VIC
Angeline, 32, Newtown NSW
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Last year, it was harder because there hadn't been any major environmental disasterso I basically ran the same line about taking care of the place and areas of damage in the house the landlords and agents had ignored. Then I was just really explicit about the fact that two of the people in the smaller bedrooms couldn't afford the rental increase and would need to move out. There are two bedrooms that are essentially children's bedrooms or studies that are very hard to rent to anyone over the age of 26 who isn’t looking for a super super cheap room. So I said if they put the rent up $25 on those rooms, the people in them would need to move out and they'd be incredibly hard to fill for the price because they're not actual "standard" bedrooms. And the two people in the normal rooms couldn't absorb the whole rent increase because the house was just not worth it ( with all of the problems, and compared to similar properties in the area). So we'd all potentially move out. I then asked to "open negotiations with the landlord", which I think fills people's hearts with cbf.I have found it helpful to put a value on yourself as a renter. Because there are a lot of really annoying tenants out there and I think a lot of landlords just ask for a rent increase because it’s that time of year. But if they're faced with some kind of negotiation with people they've otherwise had no problems with they'll often just ceebs. I also said how much care we’d taken to fill the place with with responsible people – as soon as tenancy changes the landlord opens themselves out to nightmare people moving in and trashing the place so a lot of them at the end of the day would rather avoid the hassle of displacing a bunch of poor but upstanding young people.Also they’re not aware of all the stuff you’re doing or “minor” problems with the house that the real estate agents don’t make a note of so it’s good to kind of remind them of potential issues they’d need to fix were they to sell it or re-list the place. Sometimes the agency just tries to raise rent without the landlord asking because they just want to look like they’re doing something, so asking to “open negotiations with the owner” along with a big list of issues will make them drop it because “work”.Arielle Richards is the multimedia reporter at VICE Australia, follow her on Instagram and TikTok.