On BoligPortal, there are often many people searching for the same rental properties. In popular areas especially, landlords receive a large number of inquiries about their listings.
Therefore, it can make a big difference to your housing search if you take the time to write a good message to the landlord when you contact a listing on BoligPortal.
A good application is short and to the point, but detailed enough to give the landlord an impression of who you are as a person and as a tenant, and why you are interested in their specific rental property.
Our 4 best tips for writing a great message to the landlords
Think of your housing search as applying for a job. What makes you a particularly good tenant, and why should the landlord choose you? A thorough and serious application could be what sets you apart from other applicants.
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Write a short but interesting application tailored to the specific rental property
Private landlords often prioritize more personal and detailed applications. It also signals seriousness if you show that you have read the listing and are genuinely interested in their property.
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Fill out your user profile – and avoid using the same text as in the application
Landlords often filter messages based on the information you have marked on your user profile. Therefore, make sure to fill out your profile thoroughly and write a short, well written profile text that describes who you are as a person. Avoid simply reusing your profile text in your message.
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Upload a good profile picture
With a well-presented picture on your profile, the landlord quickly gets an impression of who they are communicating with – and it catches the landlord's attention in their inbox when you have added a profile picture. If you are a couple or similar, you can advantageously use a shared picture as your profile picture.
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Be patient – and understand that the landlord may take some time to respond
Many landlords receive numerous inquiries, so sometimes you need to be patient in your housing search. You won’t necessarily get a quicker (or positive) response by pushing the landlord for an answer.
Think of your housing search as applying for a job
Just like employers, many landlords are actively looking for a suitable candidate for their rental property – someone who meets the expectations and requirements they have for a future tenant.
Landlords often start by contacting applicants who make a good first impression. Therefore, a good description of yourself significantly improves your chances of being selected as the tenant.
You can think of your user profile as your resume, where you briefly and concisely describe yourself, and your message to the landlord as your cover letter, where you elaborate on why you are a good tenant and why you are interested in that specific property.
Messages without a description, or those that simply say "I'm interested!" or "When can I see the property?" often end up at the bottom of the pile.
The landlord will see both your profile text and message – so make them different
The landlord will see both your message and your search profile when you contact them through BoligPortal. Therefore, it’s a really good idea to put effort into both, and not just copy your profile text into your message to the landlord.
If you're unsure how to practically contact a landlord, you can read more here.
Your search profile on BoligPortal functions like a resume. It gives the landlord a quick and effective overview of whether you are a good match as a tenant for their property.
Many landlords begin their search for tenants by sorting and filtering potential tenants based on the information applicants have provided in their search profiles. This filtering happens before they even read your message. Therefore, you could be filtered out, even if you've written a great application and fit the landlord's requirements, simply because your profile is incomplete.
If you're unsure how to fill out your profile on BoligPortal, you can read more in this guide.
Check all the boxes
To create a good search profile, you should first and foremost provide all relevant information about yourself — including age, occupation, gender, and tenant details such as whether you have children, pets, smoking habits, etc.
Remember, there is no right or wrong way to be a housing seeker. Many landlords actively search for very specific types or conditions, so whether you're retired, a smoker, part of a family with children, a dog owner, or something else entirely, it’s good to note this in your profile.
Write a good profile text
Share a bit about who you are, what you do on a daily basis, and perhaps how you spend your free time.
Keep it short and relevant, but still detailed enough to give a good impression of who you are, so the landlord can get a sense of the person interested in renting their property.
There is no set recipe for writing a good profile text. The most important thing is that it allows the landlord to get a sense of who you are and what you're like as a tenant.
Whether you write 3 or 10 lines about yourself and your family, partner, or others you may be looking for a place with, it doesn't matter as long as it's interesting and relevant.
If you've indicated that you have pets in your profile, it’s a good idea to also include a few words about what kind of pets you have and how many. Many landlords don't mind pets, but they may have specific requirements regarding the number, size, or other factors.
Here’s an example of a good and a bad profile text. The good one works well because it gives the landlord a real impression of the potential tenant, including how they live and what they’re like as a renter.
Remember, this is just an example. A profile text can be written in many different ways, and this is just one approach.
Example of a good profile text
Hi, I’m Peter, 26 years old, and studying to be a teacher. I’m looking for a room in Copenhagen for a maximum of 6,000 DKK per month. I have a steady part-time job most afternoons, so I’ll mostly be home in the evenings and weekends, although I also visit my girlfriend often. I don’t smoke, but I’m fine living with smokers as long as it’s outside. I’m really into coffee and am learning to bake sourdough bread.
Example of a bad profile text
Looking for a place in Copenhagen. Contact me for more info.
When you click on 'Contact' on an ad, you will have the opportunity to send the landlord a message. It might be tempting to send something quickly, but the more effort you put into this message, the higher your chances of being invited to a viewing.
There is no fixed recipe – but consider the following:
– Why are you looking for that specific apartment?
– What do you do on a daily basis (work, study, etc.)?
– How long do you plan to stay?
– What kind of tenant are you?
– What are your interests or what fills your everyday life?
Try to relate to the apartment you are applying for in your message. Is it the area, the garden, the architectural style, the washing machine, the size, the herringbone floors, or something else that is exactly what you've been dreaming of?
Keep it short and interesting
Many landlords receive many messages, so try to make it brief (but not too brief) and exciting.
Especially in larger cities or popular areas, it might be an advantage to stand out a little.
Do you play an unusual instrument or participate in an unconventional sport? A little extra thing about yourself can make the landlord remember you over other applicants.
However, avoid clichés such as saying you are responsible, calm, mature, and so on.
Example of a good message to the landlord
Hello! My name is Peter, I’m 26 years old, and I’m studying to be a teacher with 2.5 years left, so I hope to spend the entire period as your roommate. Maybe I can tempt you with a nice cup of barista coffee and freshly baked sourdough buns (almost) every weekend? :-)
The room seems like a perfect match for me – I’ve always dreamed of a room with stucco! I have a stable income and will mostly only be at home in the evenings and weekends, where I’d be happy to play a game or have dinner together if the mood is right. I’m also a big Beatles fan, so maybe you’ll hear a tune or two from my room every now and then :-)
I look forward to hearing from you!
Best regards, Peter.
Example of a bad message to the landlord:
Hi. I’m interested. When can I see the room?
You can certainly reuse your message if you've written a good application that describes you well as a tenant.
However, it is a good idea to tailor each message to the specific property. It gives a serious and positive impression if the landlord can sense that you have actually read the ad and are genuinely interested in their property.
Be patient. Many landlords receive a lot of inquiries, and it is not uncommon for them to read all the messages first and then respond to applicants in batches.
Read more about why some landlords may take longer to respond here.