How to rent out an apartment safely: 10 practical tips for landlords

Renting out an apartment in 2025–2026 looks very different than it did just a few years ago. In many cities, rents are stabilising, tenants are more informed, and landlords need to make decisions based on data, not assumptions.

That’s why below you’ll find 10 practical, non-obvious rules that help you rent your apartment smartly, safely, and with far less stress.

One key point upfront: everything starts with the right price.
If the rent is too high, tenants walk away.
If it’s too low, you lose money.

This is where Estify comes in — a Polish tool that generates an advanced apartment valuation report using dozens of market factors. It gives you a solid starting point for pricing and helps you compare your offer with real competition instead of guessing.

1. Start with valuation: what is your apartment really worth?

The most common mistake landlords make is setting rent “by feel”:

• I checked a listing portal,
• I looked at my neighbours’ ads,
• maybe PLN 3,000 sounds OK?

The problem is that rents in the same area can differ by hundreds depending on:

• size and layout,
• floor and elevator,
• building condition,
• type of heating,
• balcony, storage, parking,
• furnishing standard,
• local demand trends.

First valuation, then listing — never the other way around.

Estify analyses a large set of market data to calculate a realistic rental range. Instead of guessing, you know what tenants are actually willing to pay. This protects you from a bad start and long vacancies.
If you treat renting as an investment, Estify also lets you see how results change under different financial scenarios.

2. Choose the right rental type and duration

This isn’t a legal detail — it’s the foundation of your safety.

Common options include:

• standard lease,
• occasional lease,
• institutional lease.

Choosing the right form can be the difference between a calm year and a costly conflict. You should also decide whether you prefer:

• short-term rental (more rotation, more flexibility), or
• long-term rental (more stability, stronger need for trust and formal structure).

3. Create a simple, smart tenant screening process

This isn’t about interrogating people. It’s about a few sensible steps that protect you from bad decisions.

Check:

• income stability (employment contract, B2B, proof of income),
• rental history (references are normal — not rude),
• basic life situation (work, current location, plans for the next 12 months).

Ask open questions like:

• “What did you like most about your previous apartment?”
• “Why are you moving?”
• “How long do you plan to rent?”

You’ll learn more from answers than from paperwork alone.

4. Use a lease tailored to you — not a random template

Most rental problems come from vague clauses.

Your contract should clearly define:

• who pays for which repairs,
• when and how rent can be increased (e.g. once a year, indexed to inflation),
• rules on pets, smoking, subletting,
• use of storage units, garages, parking spaces,
• notice periods.

Always attach:

• handover protocol,
• full inventory with condition descriptions,
• meter readings.

These details save landlords far more often than any “clever tricks.”

5. Handover protocol + photos/video = your strongest protection

If you had to choose just one safeguard, it wouldn’t be the lease — it would be the handover report.

Do it properly:

• describe each room separately,
• note condition of floors, walls, doors, furniture, windows, appliances,
• take photos of everything (with date),
• record a short walkthrough video,
• store files in the cloud (Google Drive, iCloud).

These are your hard facts in any dispute.
Just like Estify needs accurate data to value a property precisely, you need accurate records to settle a rental fairly.

6. Match the apartment standard to your target tenant

Many landlords assume “nicer = more expensive.” That’s not always true.

What actually matters:

• functional layout,
• neutral colours,
• good lighting,
• modern appliances,
• clean kitchen and bathroom,
• balcony, parking, elevator.

Going forward, Estify also aims to suggest which upgrades actually increase value, instead of guessing where to spend money.

7. Set clear communication rules from day one

Many conflicts don’t come from bad tenants — they come from unclear expectations.

Keep it simple:

• define the main contact channel (e.g. WhatsApp or SMS),
• specify response hours (e.g. 8:00–18:00),
• define “urgent issues” (heating, gas, water),
• optionally provide contact details for trusted technicians.

Clear rules mean fewer calls and smoother cooperation.

8. Insure the apartment and require tenant liability insurance

This is one of the easiest ways to avoid big losses — and many landlords skip it.

You should have:

• property insurance (structure + contents),
• coverage for flooding neighbours,
• a lease clause requiring the tenant to have personal liability insurance.

A small annual cost can save you tens of thousands if something goes wrong.

9. Plan taxes and rental strategy in advance

This isn’t tax advice — just a practical rule: choose your tax method before signing the first lease.

Flat-rate tax is common, but not always optimal. Talk to an accountant if needed.

Also think long-term:

• will you rent for 5–10 years?
• or does selling later make more sense?

With Estify, you can regularly check your apartment’s market value and make decisions based on data, not intuition. The report also includes long-term value scenarios (residual value).

10. Manage your rental using market data, not intuition

The rental market in 2025–2026 is mature and dynamic:

• rents rise in some cities and fall in others,
• tenant profiles change,
• demand shifts between districts.

Landlords who “feel the market” often don’t feel it as well as they think.

Track:

• average rents in your exact area,
• prices for similar size and standard,
• trends (e.g. strong demand for 2-bedroom units, weaker demand for studios in some cities).

Summary

Renting out an apartment is not a lottery or a side hustle. Treated like a business, it can be:

• predictable,
• stable,
• low-stress,
• and profitable.

That’s why this guide starts with valuation.
Everything begins with knowing the real value of your apartment. And if you use a data-driven tool like Estify, the rest of the process becomes much easier.