What's the likely achievable discount on monthly rentals at the moment?

I've seen a few I can't afford at £750 pcm. What typical discounts off are LLs or agents giving in these locations?

Any intel would be appreciated, thanks. (PM me if you prefer!)

Depends on the type of property, but 1 bed places in the South East are so easy to let that a discount is unlikely.

You could probably ask for a £50 pcm discount, but the LL would probably keep it on the market for another couple of weeks before they accepted your offer, by which time someone else might have taken it.

That makes me chuckle when they do that, because for example...

they hang on a few more weeks or even a month or more waiting for someone to pay let's say £700
- but I'd have paid them £650 2 weeks sooner than they eventually let it for at the price they'd hoped
- so they lose £325
- that means the landlord must rent it out for 6.5 months before he even recoups what he/she lost by not accepting my offer
- and if the tenant goes after 7 months, they've lost £325 for sure

All seems rather daft to me.

I know some so-called professional career landlords who do this, doesn't seem to make much sense, unless they are in a Union of Landlords to keep prices up. But it's self-defeating each time for them unless their place is a real hotspot.

Always look at the photo and judge the season, if it looks all summery and it is mid winter it has either been on the market for 6 months or they are using an old photo. If it is the first, the LL will be desparate, voids hurt, LL's have to pay 100% of the council tax on furnished property and 50% on unfurnished plus heating over winter, mortgage etc.

Thanks for the tips re council tax, I didn't know that, much appreciated.

As for the seasons (cue Four Seasons music!) most of the photos, well all really, have no trees or anything, crafty bunch!

Music
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pe-MIDDfckw

Should just add, I'm 90% sure one I was going to view has gone - to repo. LLs waited too long for a high rent. BTL mortgage co called time.

I rent in the North Herts area- and apart from the usual dross flats (which are going for 500-750) there is precious little about that doesn't get snapped up straight away.

When i have considered changing homes, mainly because I see something that looks nicer/better, invariably it is gone by the time I make the call.

I have to say in this area things are bouyant- why...? shrug...

It's all a bit of a mystery, these things go in fashionable phases, then the "crowd" moves on and there's loads of places to rent. Social networks of people move into areas I think, that's my only guess. "Oh Laura, you must move to X and be near to me and Phil, then look after my brats and come to dinner once a year..."