Grammar Nazis, fall in~

Never use "I note that" unless you need to increase your word count for some reason or another. It's obvious you note whatever it is you're saying.

Toss the "shall" as it's kind of precious here. It really means the future tense, but you're already looking forward to a response, so the shade of meaning is off.

Also, use please and thank you because you should be polite when you're asking for this sort of a favor. It's not a small favor, by the way. If your rent could go up $10/month tomorrow, you're essentially asking for a $240 gift after taxes.

My suggestion(s):




Even so, this seems quite distant, cold and formal, considering that you have a "long-term relationship."

I refused to answer this question. I'd say that if you want people to help you, calling them "Grammar Nazis" and telling them to fall in is not a good way to accomplish your end.

Lots of people think that term is fall over themselves funny. They're wrong. It's nasty and insensitive.

So, did you cringe through the whole "Soup Nazi" episode of Seinfeld, or were you just not a fan?

No Grammar for you!

I think the grammar is ok. I don't like the tone of the letter.

Your goal is to persuade them to keep your rent the same. Imagine getting this letter and think if this would make you more likely to renew the lease at the same rent.

You might want to be a little more diplomatic.

Yeah, agreed. If you're asking for a favor - even from a business - it couldn't hurt to be friendly.

I would skip the part about the "economic outlook". Not only does this sound threatening, it isn't a good way to appeal to your landlords better side, it also isn't true. The fact is that in almost any place in the country the rents are going up meaning that the landlord could probably raise the rent and get another tenant without too much problem if she wants to.

You are asking for them to not raise the rent. You probably do not have very much leverage. My strategy would be to start nice. The tone of the letter should be that you like living there and hope that the lease can be renewed at the same rent. Say you you like living there and would like to renew the lease at the current rent.

Then if they say no, find out how much they want to raise the rent. Then decide what your bottom line is and negotiate from there (or find a new place). You may have some leverage (not much) because changing tenants has some cost to them. But wait to find out what they want in terms of rent, and then negotiate from there.

The other option is to not even send a letter and to let them make the first move. This is a common negotiation strategy... the first person to make an offer in any negotiation (in this case they would have to tell you how much the new rent is) generally ends up bending more. Wait to find out what they want to do, and then try to negotiate down from there explaining that you are a good tenant that they really want to keep.

Not a fan, actually.

It's a humorous phrase, nothing more.

I didn't expect a kind of grammar inquisition.

If it were me, I would say: Since our rental agreement expires 31 March 2006, I would like to renew for another 2 years at the present rate. I hope that our long-term relationship will continue.

I like that, Glennn. My one hesitation is that it invites a counter-offer.

What about leaving out any mention of rent, and just say "I would like to renew the lease for another 2 years.". That way if the reply is a rent increase... they will have made the first move and then it makes it easy to respond that you can't afford the rent they are proposing.

Yup. That's better yet.

Same here. Kind of like asking you geeks for computer help.

Two words: Relative Morality

That may be difficult depending on vacancies in the area.

I don't mind being called a "grammar nazi" or a "computer geek".

Not answering them is one way to respond to what you consider a derogatory designation. OR, you could offer them an answer that is so wrong that it will surely get them evicted . . . if not jailed. For instance:

Since our rental agreement will be expiring pretty soon, I believe that it would behoove you to renew our agreement for another 2 years. It would also be to your benefit to keep the rental rate as it stands. I can think of no reason why our long-term relationship should be terminated. Can you?