2. Negotiating (1)

1.

A: How much is the annual rent increase?

B: The standard amount in NYC is 3 percent.

A: You mean that’s a common amount.

B: I mean it’s the standard amount.

A: Where does 3 percent come from?

B: They tie it to the cost of living index.

A: But that varies every year.

B: It varies, but it averages out to 3 percent.

A: Well, 3 percent is a bit too much.

B: What would you be willing to pay?

A: I’d be comfortable with 1.5 percent.

B: I’d be comfortable with 2 percent.

2.

A: What is the annual rent increase?

B: Three percent is the standard amount in NYC.

A: Don’t you mean the common amount?

B: It’s more standard than common.

A: How do they arrive at 3 percent?

B: It’s tied to the cost of living index.

A: But the index changes yearly.

B: It does, but the average is still 3 percent.

A: I don’t want to pay 3 percent.

B: What do you want to pay?

A: I want to pay 1.5 percent.

B: I want no less than 2 percent.

3.

A: What’s the yearly rent increase?

B: The standard amount is 3 percent in NYC.

A: I think that’s more like the common amount.

B: No, it’s the standard amount, not the common amount.

A: Where’d the 3 percent figure come from?

B: It’s tied to the yearly cost of living index.

A: But the index isn’t 3 percent every year.

B: Yes, but it averages out to 3 percent yearly.

A: I’m not comfortable with 3 percent.

B: What are you comfortable with?

A: I can live with 1.5 percent.

B: I can’t live with less than 2 percent.

This entry was posted on Monday, July 16th, 2012 at 7:47 am and is filed under Conversations, Finding a Job, Language Learning, Speaking. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.