# How to rent out your apartment step by step — a beginner's guide

> Renting out a flat for the first time? We'll walk you through the whole process — from preparing the flat and setting the rent, through screening the tenant and the lease, to tax and day-to-day management.

Published: 2026-06-16
Updated: 2026-08-27
Source: https://smartrentier.com/blog/how-to-rent-out-your-apartment-step-by-step
Tags: Guides, Management

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## 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](https://smartrentier.com/blog/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](https://smartrentier.com/blog/residential-lease-agreement-what-to-include). 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.

Once the tenant moves in, they have 30 days to fulfil the address registration obligation — your role is to confirm the fact of residence, not to grant permission. Details in the article on [registering a tenant](https://smartrentier.com/blog/registering-a-tenant-in-a-rented-apartment).

## Step 7: Settle the tax

Rental income must be taxed — usually via a lump-sum. See [our guides](https://smartrentier.com/blog/tenant-not-paying-what-to-do) 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.

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PL: https://smartrentier.com/blog/jak-wynajac-mieszkanie-krok-po-kroku.md