Please help me negotiate - same apt higher floor now available for same rent

let me ask you a question. If the rent actually went up in the neighborhood, is it fair for the landlord to increase the rent, though you have a 3 year lease?

If you know you will be staying there for 3-5years, ask him you'll leave another month of security and extend the lease by another year. Ask him to lower your rent by 2x the amount you were thinking of.

Sorry, I don't understand your last sentence "Ask him to lower your rent by 2x the amount you were thinking of.". I want the other apt. To be clear, I am willing to pay what he is asking assume its 8K, the same as what I currently pay - -what are you suggesting? thanks

I would say that you're not in a great position because the landlord has already freshened the upstairs apartment; if you move into it, then he'll have to freshen yours. If you were s/he, what would you say?

That's true but what difference does it make if he has to freshen mine up now or later. If anything, wouldn't he rather do it now when there is less wear and tear. Also, since the higher fl has been vacant; he might be better off letting me move into it, and then trying to get mine rented since he could ask less for it because it is on a lower floor. Maybe the lesser price would be more appealing to the market?

sorry, i misunderstood your post.
Why don't you just stay where you are and ask him to reduce the rent.

Landlord will reduce if you extend the lease...to lower the rent even further, add another month of security if you have the $

Why on earth would a landlord lower the rent 1 year into a 3 year lease? Are you people that stupid? Do you think landlords were born yesterday?

Alpine292 - Any thoughts on how I could induce the landlord to let me swap apts? Ot do you think a landlord would have an issue with the proposal? THanks!

From a landlord's perspective, I can't think of any incentive for them to consent to the deal. If you wanted to swap to a more expensive, larger apartment, that is soemthing that most landlords would agree to. But doing an even swap does not benefit the landlord. Maybe you can offer an extra month security deposit?

That's a possibility. Thanks for the insight alpine292.

I don't think Sideline is asking to lower his/her existing rent, but instead to break his current lease and move into the vacant upstairs apartment.

Sideline - are you certain you would want to make such a move? Sure, the higher floor may have a better view/light, but is it worth the incredible hassle (not to mention expense, if you use movers) of packing everything up, schlepping it upstairs, then unpacking? Just because the move is within the same building does not mean the process won't be just as headache-inducing as if you were moving across the city. Is the higher floor unit THAT much better? Seems like a huge waste of time/energy to me.

Also, remember that such a move would technically require you to break your lease in unit A, and start a new lease in unit B. Your landlord would lose at least a couple of weeks while he updated your current apartment to make it market-ready, whereas the upstairs apartment is ready to rent. Time costs money.

If I were your landlord I'd probably not want to go to the trouble.

((Maybe you can offer an extra month security deposit?))

What good would that do? That's not money the landlord gets to keep.

Would you take the higher-floor apartment for $200 more per month? You could offer to pay higher than the asking rent - that might persuade him/her...

Why don't you just ask. Say you'll sign on for a few more years. Honestly if you are a good tenant he may just let you do it

Higher floors are only worth something if by going to a higher floor your view becomes better, typically you are now over the buildings directly in front of your view. Otherwise, for instance, in Chelsea Stratus, there's no difference between 23 and 25, or frankly between 17 and 37.