Guides/Tips

How to Write a Message to a Landlord That Actually Gets a Reply

By Socials··3 min read
How to Write a Message to a Landlord That Actually Gets a Reply

TL;DR: Landlords ignore generic "Is the room still available?" messages. A reply-worthy message has your name, age, move-in date, job/study, and mentions one specific thing from the listing. Keep it under 120 words.

The average good listing on WG-Gesucht, Funda, or Idealista gets 100-200 messages within the first hour. Landlords skim them in 10 seconds each. Your job is to make yourself easy to pick.

What gets ignored

These get deleted instantly:

  • "Hi, is the room still available?"
  • "I'm interested, please send more info."
  • "Hello, I would like to visit the apartment."

Anything that requires the landlord to write back with basic information already in the listing. They won't.

What gets replied to

The winning format has 5 parts, in this order:

  1. Greeting using their name if visible in the listing (signals you actually read it)
  2. One sentence about who you are, name, age, nationality, student or working
  3. Your specific situation, what you study or do, when you want to move in, how long you'll stay
  4. One specific detail from the listing to prove you read it carefully (e.g., "the kitchen with the view of the canal", "the bike storage in the courtyard")
  5. A clear ask, a viewing, phone call, or video tour

Copy-paste template

Hi [Name, or "hi there" if no name],

I'm [Your Name], [age], a [nationality] student starting my [Master's in Computer Science / exchange semester / full degree] at [University] in [September]. I'd move in on [date] and stay for [12 months].

I saw your listing for the room in [neighborhood], I love that it has [specific detail: natural light, the balcony, proximity to the tram]. It looks like exactly what I'm looking for.

I have a stable income of [€X]/month from [source: scholarship, part-time job, parental support] and can send you [proof of enrollment, recent bank statements, guarantor document] right away.

Would it be possible to arrange a viewing this week, or a video call if you prefer?

Thank you! [Your Name] · [+phone number]

What to skip

  • Long life stories. Landlords don't care.
  • Over-formal language. Friendly and professional beats stiff.
  • Attaching a "rental CV" as a PDF in the first message. Save it for the reply.
  • Emojis. In most European markets, emojis in a first message read as too casual.

What to prepare before you send

  • A profile photo (warm, smiling, recent). Some platforms let you attach one.
  • Documents ready to send on request: passport scan, proof of enrollment, last 3 months of bank statements, guarantor letter if you have one.
  • Your WhatsApp number in international format (+49, +31, +34...).

Language matters

If the listing is in the local language, at least open your message in that language: "Hoi, ik heet [name]..." / "Guten Tag, ich heiße..." / "Olá, chamo-me...". Then switch to English if your local-language skill ends there. It shows respect and dramatically increases reply rates.

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