Step 1: Prepare the flat
Make sure it's clean, the installations work and it has basic furnishings. Take a full set of well-lit photos — useful for both the listing and the handover report. Note the meter readings.
Step 2: Set the rent
Check prices of similar flats nearby and add up your costs so you don't price too low.
Step 3: Write the listing and find a tenant
A good listing has a concrete description, a full photo set, the floor area, the rent and charges, and the rules (deposit, pets, number of occupants). The more you answer up front, the fewer random calls.
Step 4: Screen the tenant
Before signing, verify the candidate — identity, income and optionally debtor registers. See the full process in How to screen a tenant before signing.
Step 5: Sign the lease
Prepare a lease with all the essentials — see Residential lease agreement — what it must contain. For extra safety, consider an occasional lease.
Step 6: Deposit and handover report
Take a deposit (usually 1–3 months' rent) and, when handing over the keys, prepare a handover report with photos.
Step 7: Settle the tax
Rental income must be taxed — usually via a lump-sum. See our guides for the practical side of managing arrears, and check your local rules for filing deadlines.
Step 8: Manage day to day
Renting out isn't the end of the work: track payments, settle utilities, handle repairs and never miss a deadline (lease end, inspections, indexation). This is where chaos creeps in — and where a system helps most.
Easier with SmartRentier
SmartRentier guides you through the start with an onboarding wizard, then keeps tenants, documents, payments and meters in one place — with automatic deadline reminders. Ideal when you're renting out your first flat and don't want to miss a thing.
Start for free — the Kawalerka plan is free forever, no card required. You only pay when you need more properties.