How to prepare successfully for a rental apartment viewing

Lukas Draheim · Real estate expert at rentcard

Published June 12, 2026 · Updated June 12, 2026

6 min read

You have secured a viewing appointment. Now what matters is not just the apartment itself, but how you prepare and present yourself. At mass viewings, landlords often decide within minutes who they want to make an offer to. Whoever appears prepared wins.

Google Maps gives you the commute time, but not the traffic lights or a packed bus at 8:15 am. The day before the viewing, do a dry run of your commute to work at the exact time you would normally leave. What looks like 22 minutes on paper can turn out to be a 40-minute trip.

Also take a short walk through the street, ideally on an evening around 6 pm when the neighbourhood is alive. You see parking pressure, hear the noise, and you can tell whether the nearest supermarket really is 5 minutes away or just appears so on the map.

A quick search on the property management company

Is a property management company named in the listing? Then search their name plus reviews online. Some management companies have a poor reputation in tenant forums for slow repairs or opaque utility billing. This is not a minor detail: as a tenant you live with this company, not just the landlord. Three minutes of research can save you a lot of trouble.

Finish your application folder before the viewing

Complete your digital application folder in full before the viewing so you can share the link on the spot or send it that same evening. The folder should contain your ID, payslips for the last three months, a CRIF credit report, and a completed tenant self-disclosure form. With rentcard all of this is verified in a single file. For more detail, see the article on creating your Bewerbermappe.

Photos in listings are often taken with wide-angle lenses and never show corners, storage rooms, or the view from the bedroom window. The viewing is your only chance to see all of this before you sign.

Water pressure, windows, mobile signal

Turn on all taps in the kitchen and bathroom and let them run briefly. Low water pressure indicates old pipes, which can lead to costly renovations. Check window seals by holding your hand near the frame: draughts around old windows significantly raise heating costs and can signal upcoming renovation needs. Walk into each room with your smartphone and check the mobile signal, especially if you work from home and cannot rely solely on WiFi.

Damp, floors, storage space

Look closely at walls and ceilings, especially in corners and behind doors. Dark patches or peeling paint are clear signs of damp or mould. Mould in a rental flat is a defect the landlord must remedy (Sec. 535 BGB), but better to know before than after. Walk across every floor and listen for creaking or damaged boards, which can indicate water damage or plain age. Also check the actual storage space: utility room, cellar, loft, and compare it with what the photos suggested.

Five targeted questions show more genuine interest than fifteen, half of which were already answered in the listing. Limit yourself to what you genuinely need to know, and ask the questions during a calm moment, not in the middle of the walkthrough.

Utility costs and heating

Do not just ask about the monthly utility advance payment; specifically request the last Nebenkostenabrechnung. The advance is an estimate. The statement shows what previous tenants actually paid and whether any top-up payments were due. Also ask: which heating system is used, gas, district heating, heat pump? What is the energy certificate rating? Has the heating system been renewed in the last ten years? An old gas boiler from 2005 in a poorly insulated older building can cost 200 euros per month or more in winter.

Rent increases and internet access

Ask directly: are rent increases planned in the next twelve months? Landlords must announce increases up to the local comparative rent (Sec. 558 BGB), but asking early gives you clarity before you commit. Also ask which internet providers serve the building and at what maximum speed. Fibre is not available everywhere, and a 16 Mbit/s DSL connection in an older building can become a problem if you work from home.

Arrive 2 to 3 minutes before the agreed time. Not 10 minutes early: that can feel pushy, especially at mass viewings where the landlord may still be finishing with the previous applicant. Dress neatly, no suit required, but yesterday's jogging shirt is not a good look.

Have your rentcard folder link ready on your smartphone. When the landlord asks whether you have documents, you can show or send the link immediately. This signals: I am prepared and serious. In markets like Munich or Hamburg where 30 applicants compete for one apartment, this is often the difference between an offer and a rejection.

Ask 3 to 5 prepared questions, not 15. Asking too many looks like you are hunting for problems. Asking none looks like you are not interested. The middle ground shows genuine engagement without suspicion.

If you are interested, write a short email or message the same evening. The formula is simple: thank them for the viewing, say in one sentence why the apartment appeals to you, and include your rentcard folder link. Nothing more, nothing less. Many landlords make their decision within 24 hours. Whoever delivers a complete application first has a clear advantage.

Avoid hollow phrases like "I would be very pleased" without substance behind them. Being specific is better: "The quiet location and proximity to the S-Bahn fit perfectly with my work situation" says more than three sentences of filler. If you are looking for more tips on your application strategy, check out the article on impressing landlords.

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