01 · Brief & timeline
0 / 6Set the framework and responsibilities
Phase gate:Continue only when the letting decision, realistic start date, responsibilities and approval routes are clear.
WELLHÖNER
Exclusive landlord tool
Letting checklist
From the decision to the key handover
A new letting involves many interdependent decisions. This tool combines 48 concrete checks in eight phases: timing, property records, rent setting, marketing, tenant selection, agreement, handover and follow-up.
Work through the items in order, treat each phase gate as a stop point and print the current status if useful. A tick records only your own review; it is not legal clearance or a promise of quality.
How this tool differs from existing content
The detailed process and background are covered in “Successfully letting a home”. Separate in-depth pages explain rent setting, tenant selection and property handover. This page does not duplicate those articles; it is an operational review and print view for lettings in Germany.
Eight phases · 48 checks
Your working checklist for a new letting
Tick an item only after it has been reviewed for the specific property or consciously documented as not applicable. Gold-marked items are release criteria for the next phase.
02 · Property & records
0 / 6Prepare the advertised and handover condition
Phase gate:Describe and photograph the property only after its condition, areas, fixtures and available evidence have been checked.
03 · Rent & costs
0 / 6Set transparent and supportable figures
Phase gate:Base rent, operating costs, deposit and every price statement must be approved and consistent before publication.
04 · Listing & marketing
0 / 6Publish complete and accurate information
Phase gate:Publish only after mandatory details, costs, availability, images and operating process have passed a final review.
05 · Enquiries & viewings
0 / 6Manage contact fairly and with minimum data
Phase gate:Begin viewings only with a consistent process, a lawful first-stage data scope and documented objective criteria.
06 · Tenant selection
0 / 6Review evidence proportionately
Phase gate:A selection needs comparable criteria, sufficient evidence and a documented human overall decision.
07 · Offer & agreement
0 / 6Conclude consistent arrangements
Phase gate:Make a binding offer only when the parties, start date, costs, agreement type, deposit and handover condition are settled.
08 · Handover & follow-up
0 / 6Record condition, keys and completion
Phase gate:The process ends only when handover is recorded, keys allocated, payment and data processes started, and open points scheduled.
This checklist has no fields for names, income, contact details or other personal data. Ticks are not transmitted or stored permanently. Applicant records belong in a separate access-controlled process with a defined deletion policy.
Working method
Turn the list into a reliable process
The sequence reflects dependencies: there is no consistent listing without reliable property data, no publication without approved figures and no fair review without criteria defined in advance.
Tick only after a review is documented or non-applicability has been established. Put open legal, tax, technical or privacy questions in a separate action list with an owner and deadline.
- Use a separate working or printed copy for each property.
- Review critical gate items before moving to the next phase.
- Name versions of the listing, calculation and draft agreement clearly.
- Record decisions and open points objectively, sparingly and traceably.
- If rent, condition or start date changes, revisit all affected later phases.
Records
Keep the working documents consistent
Not every document is legally mandatory in every case. Any records used in the process should nevertheless reflect the same property status, costs and start date.
Property file
Plan, area figures, fixtures, condition, key inventory and relevant evidence.
Rent calculation
Support for base rent, operating costs, deposit and any further agreement elements.
Marketing set
Approved listing, energy details, photos, portal text and documented publication versions.
Applicant process
Staged questions, objective matrix, access rules, retention and deletion policy.
Agreement set
Reviewed tenancy agreement, annexes, house rules, powers of attorney and agreed additions.
Handover set
Record, meter and key lists, photo record, deadlines and remaining-action list.
Quality control
Four stops prevent expensive backtracking
A full progress bar matters less than approval at the correct point. These four gates collect the transitions with the greatest practical risk.
Gate 1 · Ready to market
Condition, records, rent and mandatory details are reliable. Only then publish images and text.
Gate 2 · Ready to select
Criteria, data scope, responsibilities and evaluation route are fixed before substantive review starts.
Gate 3 · Ready to contract
Applicant review, terms, start date and property condition are settled before a binding offer.
Gate 4 · Ready to hand over
Agreement, payments, works, record and keys are prepared; deviations have written deadlines.
German law and privacy
The checklist does not replace case-specific advice
For German residential lettings, the rules on rent at the start of a tenancy, security deposits, energy information, equal treatment and data protection may be relevant. Application depends on the property, location, date and facts.
Organise applications in stages: minimal data for enquiry and appointment, further evidence only for serious interest, and identity data at the concrete pre-contract stage. Remove data that is no longer required under the defined deletion policy.
- Do not derive rent solely from portal listings; review legal permissibility separately.
- Rely on exceptions or previous rent only with supportable requirements and evidence.
- Do not estimate energy data; copy it from the available valid certificate.
- Use objective criteria and avoid discriminatory wording.
- Collect only necessary applicant data, restrict access and define deletion periods.
Orderly completion
Key handover is not the end of the process
After signing, the handover condition, outstanding works, payments and data clean-up still need active management. The handover record documents observations and agreements; it does not replace the tenancy agreement or an expert defect assessment.
Consistency matters in the property file: key quantities, meter readings, known defects and promised works should match across the record, correspondence and later handling.
Outcome
One controlled process, not 48 isolated ticks
The checklist creates a shared working status and makes dependencies visible. It cannot remove every risk, but it helps expose missing records, conflicting statements and premature decisions before they become expensive.
General working aid, not legal, tax, data-protection or technical advice. German law and local requirements may change. Material statements, clauses and decisions require qualified review for the individual case. Legal status: August 2026.
Get professional support with your letting
Would you prefer not to coordinate marketing, applicant management and agreement preparation alone? Explore Wellhöner Immobilien’s letting service.
View letting serviceAuthor, editorial review and sources
Written by
Wellhöner Immobilienmanagement GmbH & Co. KG
First published: 30 August 2026Last updated: 30 August 2026Legal position: August 2026
Sources and professional references
- § 535 BGB – Inhalt und Hauptpflichten des MietvertragsBundesministerium der Justiz / Gesetze im Internet
- § 551 BGB – Begrenzung und Anlage von MietsicherheitenBundesministerium der Justiz / Gesetze im Internet
- § 556d BGB – Zulässige Miethöhe bei MietbeginnBundesministerium der Justiz / Gesetze im Internet
- § 556e BGB – Berücksichtigung der Vormiete oder einer ModernisierungBundesministerium der Justiz / Gesetze im Internet
- § 556f BGB – Ausnahmen für Neubau und umfassende ModernisierungBundesministerium der Justiz / Gesetze im Internet
- § 556g BGB – Rechtsfolgen und Auskunft über AusnahmenBundesministerium der Justiz / Gesetze im Internet
- § 87 GEG – Pflichtangaben in ImmobilienanzeigenBundesministerium der Justiz / Gesetze im Internet
- § 19 AGG – Zivilrechtliches BenachteiligungsverbotBundesministerium der Justiz / Gesetze im Internet
- Datenschutz-Grundverordnung – Rechtmäßigkeit und DatenminimierungEuropäische Union / EUR-Lex
Frequently asked questions
FAQ about the letting checklist
How does this checklist differ from the detailed letting guide?
The guide explains background, choices and typical errors. This page is an operational tool with 48 tickable items, phase gates and printing. It links to depth instead of duplicating it.
Does every item apply to every letting?
No. The property, location, letting model and facts differ. A non-applicable item should still be considered consciously and recorded as such in your property file.
How long is my progress stored?
Only for the current page session. Ticks are not transmitted to Wellhöner Immobilien or stored permanently in your browser. Reloading resets the list.
When may a German landlord request applicant documents?
Collection should be staged and purpose-limited. At first contact, a small amount of data will normally be sufficient for the enquiry and appointment. Further evidence is considered only when the interest is concrete. The permissible scope requires case-specific review.
Are current portal asking rents enough to set the rent?
No. Portal listings are at most one market indicator. Property features, suitable comparables and German legal limits on rent at the start of a tenancy also require review.
Which energy details belong in a German listing?
If an energy certificate is available when the advert is placed, section 87 GEG requires specific information. Copy the figures directly and unchanged from the valid certificate.
May an application be rejected solely because of a credit score?
The decision should not be entirely automated or based only on one score. Use an objective, proportionate overall review against criteria defined in advance.
When should a binding offer be made?
Only after the parties, premises, start date, costs, agreement type, deposit and handover condition are reliably settled. Avoid parallel binding offers.
What should a handover record contain?
At minimum: date, attendees, condition, defects found, meter readings, keys by type and number, documents handed over, concrete agreements and remaining deadlines.
Does the checklist replace legal review of the tenancy agreement?
No. It structures the process but does not assess an individual clause or local issue. Material contractual terms and decisions should receive qualified review.