Apartment Rental Can I negotiate down a short term apartment rental? Especially with the "blue" $$s

[ThomasTo]

I'll be arriving in BA in a few weeks and know that short term rentals need to be paid in $$US. However with the blue exchange rate of over 6pesos:$1 should I be able to get a better monthly rental price? Is it typical to negotiate anyhow? Thanks all!

 

[earlyretirement]

The best thing you can do is ask politely. It never hurts to ask but it's just going to depend on the owner and what their occupancy rates are like.

I find it helps if you give some detail in your email to them like "non-smoker, non drugs, quiet, no parties, clean and tidy, etc.". Including a bit of personal details that are positive tends to help.

It never hurts to ask for a discount. But most short-term owners have been asking for dollars already anyway so it will all come down to how full their property is.

 

[ThomasTo]

Yeah, but they can turn around and get more pesos for said dollars, no?

 

[earlyretirement]

Yes, they can get more pesos but most owners I know never wanted pesos and don't save their money in pesos (which is a constantly depreciating currency).

The white rate is a totally artificial and manipulated rate. Just remember that. The blue rate is the true rate by which actual supply and demand is dictated by.

Most things in Argentina are negotiable as long as your offer is reasonable. But I know many owners that just don't have any interest in using the white rate for anything, especially rentals. It's just not the true rate.

 

[PatrickPt]

The considered opinion here is that a clause in rental contracts that provides rent must be paid in foreign currency is voidable and unenforceable. So, for example, if you are in possession and occupying an apt pursuant to a lease that provides for payment in US $, you can refuse to pay and require that the owner accept pesos (at the official rate of exchange) in lieu of the dollar price. He will not be able to evict you if you offer the correct legal rent. Accordingly, you may want to do to your Ar landlord what they have been trying to do their tenants (screw them) - agree to pay in dollars, move in, and then insist upon your legal right to pay in pesos regardless of the signed lease term to the contrary.

If you are not in possession (occupying) the apt, chances are the owner will either refuse to accept pesos or set the peso rent at a higher rate (equivalent to the cost in US$ x the black market peso price). He may also want the right to raise the peso price periodically if the term of the lease is more than a couple of months.

Temporary renting of apts is fraught with pitfalls, e.g., difficulty of getting deposit back, (illegal) demand to pay in foreign currency, refusal to make necessary repairs, etc. Try to protect yourself by setting some clear terms about these things.