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Q: Is my landlord over-aggressive?
I've lived in the same apartment for two years and the landlord is trying to raise my rent from an admittedly low, Y1600, to an absurdly high Y2500. The percentage of the raise is irrational-I can move one floor up for Y2100. Now I feel hard done by. Furthermore, I'm into my last year, comfortable, and I really don't want to move. Why didn't he just go for a middle ground? Do Chinese people know about, "A bird in the hand," or are they just greedy? Has this happened to you? This happened at my last place too. BCD!
They don't have a clue about business and business rules.
I have similar thing at my School. Our Contract allow Resignation/Dismissal with 30 days notice.
I've been served with Dismissal (without cause) just some 10 days before start of the semester. I've never stepped in the classroom.
School wanted, I vacate apartment in 7 days after dismissal. They also wanted to cancel RP in 7 days.
SAFEA schooled them about 'respecting contract', and I am allowed to stay in the apartment 30 days after dismissal.
School must also give me Release letter and FEC cancel. cert., so my new School can extend my RP.
Now, School is demanding rent pay of 2000 Rmb for duration of my stay in the apartment. They didn't ask me yet for 3000 Rmb for Z visa cost.
They don't understand, I don't owe them anything, because dismissal was without reason/cause. Contract state, if valid reason (drunk, late for classes, interfere in Chinese politics and such) school can dismiss FT in 7 days.
My apartment is poorly furnished. I have retractable picnic table, which collapsed in 1st week. It's broken beyond repair. Total value of an old, used table is maybe 20 Rmb the most. School gave me an option: 'repair' or 'buy a new one'.
I replied: 'I don't do that!'
Why don't you just say straight out that he's not getting 2500 from you. If he wants you there, then he'll make an appropriate deal, If he doesn't, then you'll find somewhere else (like, as you said, above).
Point out that if you leave, he'll have to hunt for a new tenant, which may mean he gets nothing for a long time, and he won't know what they'll be like (ie, could be quite destructive, late with rent - or no payment of rent , loud, problematic). His choice, if he thinks it's worth it!
wagon:
Yeah, I know. I have a hard time giving money people who have TRIED to cheat me. I boycott several neighborhood stores, fruit/vegetable stands, and even chuanr places because of their "us vs. them" attitude. The good ones get my business on a regular basis.
Maybe he just need the place (to sell it or whatever else) and it's a way to make you go away, without having to be direct ? I know that would be poor human relation instead of poor business practice, but I've seen that too.
If you are sure the place is good and you will stay there, you can try to negotiate on the basis of paying several months in a row. I know some people hate that but I find that it is a quite efficient negotiation tool.
This just recently happened to me like a month ago. His financial lady sent a text. Just 10% but I didnt like how they went about it. So, I called and I said directly, we are moving. We have been good tenants, you know your house is in perfect condition still, we pay our rent early, and you just pretty much forget we are there. I dont appreciate you sending me a text informing me I dont have a choice. So we are moving.
It wasnt a bluff by the way. We didnt wanna go through the hassle of moving, but we do kind of want a bigger place.
He made an excuse that his secretary did that without telling him, and hes lucky to have us and he has no plan to change the rent.
Laziness won out and we stayed.
Maybe you've made the classic mistake of giving him the impression you are happy there.
Mt tactic is to find niggly little faults before the negotiation and hand him a list of things that need doing before starting the negotiation.
coineineagh:
oh yeah, never let show your satisfaction. owner will percieve it as weakness and attempt to price gouge. on a similar note, never show remorse or concern in a traffic accident!
