Bartering over the rent of a city centre flat

the rental market is doing ok nationally so don't use that to barter but do tell them you know this fact because that will impress them and make them realise you actually know something.
other than this, there is so much to say about how to negiotate and why an agent would let you negotiate that most of it you need to learn the hard way and you need to know your stuff. for instance, i managed to negiotiate a much lower rent (900 to 750) on skyline central but probably only for the following reasons:
1) it has just been built and many apartments weren't rented and i wanted to move immediately
2) i was prepared to live in the lower block
3) i am businesslike about where i live and do not let friends/ other half come with me and blurt out about just how much they love the place
4) i was being honest about the price i could afford and would have walked away
5) i was looking to rent at a time of year that students were not, added negionating capital
6) i knew enough about the apartment beforehand that when i was given a tour they could tell me nothing i didn't know already about its specification, the building, the pool, etc
7) i actually knew the going rate for apartments all over the place and knew how to use them and their location to my advantage e.g. 'hmm, 900, but i can get a 2-bed in the former national express building for 650 and that's in a nicer area and closer to town' - do not fear putting their apartment down. if you are going to get emotional about it then they will tell you where to go but if you can use logic to negiotiate then they won't really have a choice.
those are just a few ideas. there is no formula. there are tons of other things.
one more thing, you might like to do your research on east mancs/ north ancoats (victoria mills is it?) and find out which ones have failed their investors in bringing returns- perhaps there is also a difficulty for them in finding tenants at *advertised* prices but i think they may be above your budget to start with, mr. staticmeltdown man.

welcome, jonathand.

What makes City South so good in your opinion? Wondering as I'm still looking - given up on three beds, now down to two:

Did our first viewings today, my opinion of developments:

Express Networks Building Extension -
Just completed, high spec (dual satellite points, dishwasher etc) , quality apartments (on admittedly a very short look-around).
However stupid "wet room" (a toilet and shower in a with no door in little box in the corner of the master bedroom), tiny second "double" room, window onto corridor (!) in second room instead of onto outside.

City Gate (Castlefield) -
Decent size rooms, medium-quality feel to it.
However, on a roudabout, shit architecture, Castlefield is far more isolated than I ever realised.

City Point II (Chapel Street)
Very generous sized rooms.
Student vibe to the whole place, low low quality feel - horrible carpets, doors lifts, dirty walls etc in communal areas. Furniture packs people got sold there look shit.
This place was down for 650, the estate agent told us he wouldn't pay 450 for it (I'm not sure he'd quite got the hang of sales patter yet!), we offered 530. Can't see any chance on earth the landlord will accept that.