Checking, negotiating and signing

Househunting in Six Steps - http://lsrfm.com/househunting-in-six-steps/ Housing contracts are a difficult beast. If there are any sneaky terms in their you may find yourself caught out. That's why it's important to read through your contract carefully, or even better, get the contract checked by the Unipol outlet downstairs in the Union. However, this stage in the househunting process is also when you can negotiate. This could include asking if the rent could be reduced or if a certain aspect of the house could be worked on before you move in, or asking for the signing fee to be reduced or scrapped all together. Reduced summer rent is also a popular option. Whilst you're by no means guaranteed to get what you ask for, you'll never know until you ask.