When to Expect Apartment Application Results in Germany

Waiting for a reply after applying for an apartment can be one of the most stressful parts of the German rental process. After a viewing or a submitted application, many tenants ask the same question: when do you usually find out if you got the apartment? The answer depends on the landlord, the property manager, the city, and how competitive the market is. Still, it helps to know the typical timeline.

The good news: if a landlord chooses you, they usually get in touch quickly, because they want to let the flat. It also helps to have documents like proof of income, a SCHUFA report, and a self-disclosure form ready early.

When you typically hear back

There are no official figures on this, but rental guides agree on a typical pattern: if you get the apartment, you'll usually be contacted within a few days of the viewing, and sometimes only after one to two weeks. It can take longer if the landlord holds individual viewings with every applicant, or if a large number of applications came in, which is common in high-demand markets like Berlin. Our article on why apartment hunting in Berlin takes so long explains the bigger picture.

How offers arrive through Waitly

If you're on a waiting list through Waitly, the process is more structured. When a landlord has a flat for you, you receive the offer by email. Depending on the landlord, the offer may come with a viewing to book or a reply to give.

Two things matter here:

• Reply in time. If the offer has a deadline for responding, reply before it. If you miss it, you may lose the flat, so check your email regularly while you're on active lists, including your spam folder.

• Keep your profile up to date. Your contact details and documents should be current, so the landlord can reach you and you can act quickly. Our guide on how to join an interest list explains how these lists work.

When to follow up

If about one to two weeks have passed since the viewing with no response, it's usually appropriate to send a polite follow-up. A short, respectful message can signal continued interest without seeming impatient.

How to follow up

The best approach is a brief email or a calm phone call. Mention the apartment, refer to the viewing or application, and ask whether there's an update yet. It also helps to reconfirm your strong interest in the apartment.

Heard nothing after three weeks?

Then it's time to change approach:

• Follow up once more, then let it go. One short message asking whether the flat has already been let is fine. If that also goes unanswered, it's best to assume the flat has gone to someone else and put your energy into other applications.

• Keep applying in parallel. Don't put your search on hold for one flat. The more applications and waiting lists you're on, the less any single silence matters.

• Ask about your data if you want to. If you're not chosen, the landlord can't keep your documents forever. Under the GDPR, they have to be deleted once they're no longer needed, which in practice usually means after about six months. Our article on what landlords must do with applicant data after a rejection explains your rights.

What an offer looks like

If you're selected, the offer usually arrives by email or in writing from the landlord or property manager. It typically confirms you've been chosen and explains next steps, such as signing the lease, paying the deposit, or agreeing on a move-in date. Make sure you understand the cold rent, utility costs, and warm rent, as well as the signing timeline.

Good signs after a viewing

Some signs suggest your application is being seriously considered: the landlord or manager asks more detailed questions, requests documents like your SCHUFA report or self-disclosure form, or follows up again after the viewing. These signs don't guarantee an offer, but they show you're still in the running.

Improving your chances

While you wait, it helps to stay organised and keep searching rather than relying on just one apartment. Useful documents include ID, proof of income, SCHUFA report, self-disclosure form, and sometimes a certificate of no rent arrears from your previous landlord; our overview of the documents you need for a rental application goes through each one. General tenant information is available from the Deutscher Mieterbund.

Bottom line

If you get the apartment, you'll usually hear within a few days, sometimes after one to two weeks. Follow up politely if you hear nothing, reply quickly when an offer comes through Waitly, and keep other applications running in parallel.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it usually take to hear back after applying for an apartment?

If you're chosen, usually within a few days of the viewing, sometimes after one to two weeks. It can take longer in high-demand markets like Berlin.

When should I follow up if I haven't heard anything?

After about one to two weeks, a short, polite follow-up is appropriate.

What should I do if I've heard nothing after three weeks?

Send one last short message asking whether the flat has been let. If there's still no answer, assume it has gone to someone else and focus on your other applications.

How do I get an offer through Waitly?

By email. If the offer has a deadline, reply before it, or you may lose the flat.

What happens to my documents if I'm rejected?

The landlord has to delete them once they're no longer needed, which in practice usually means after about six months.

What does it mean if the landlord asks more questions after a viewing?

It's usually a good sign: your application is still being actively considered, though it's not a guarantee of an offer.

For how long viewings themselves take, see apartment viewing duration. Start your search on Waitly.