Responding Fairly and Efficiently: Best Practices for Rental Inquiries and Showings

When your rental listing goes live, the flood of emails and texts can feel overwhelming. But how you respond to those first contacts isn’t just a matter of convenience, it’s a matter of fair housing law. Ignoring or cherry-picking which prospective tenants to respond to can quickly cross the line into illegal discrimination.

This guide walks you through practical, legally compliant ways to respond to inquiries and book showings with confidence and consistency.

Why Response Matters

Under state and federal fair housing laws, you must treat all prospective tenants equally. That includes how and when you respond to inquiries. Failing to reply to someone, even if unintentional, can give the appearance of bias.

Remember: your inbox is part of your screening process. If your system only allows certain people to move forward, it is no longer a neutral process.

Key takeaway: Respond to every inquiry. If you're using pre-screening criteria, apply them the same way to everyone.

Set Expectations Early

California law requires housing providers to make their screening criteria available to applicants. Including your screening criteria in early communications helps ensure that your time is spent showing the property to those who believe they meet your requirements. However, you cannot prohibit anyone from applying—even if they do not meet your criteria. You may require prospects to complete a brief pre-screening step, such as reviewing and acknowledging your screening criteria, so long as you require it of everyone who inquires.

Create a templated response that sets clear expectations. For example:

"Thanks for your interest in [Address]. All qualified applicants are considered. Please review the attached screening criteria for more information about our rental requirements."

This helps you:

• Avoid back-and-forth emails

• Demonstrate consistent practices to all prospects

• Filter out applicants who do not meet your stated criteria

Many of our members simply include screening information in an email reply or printable handout. Attaching your screening criteria as a PDF file to your email is a great way to share it clearly and consistently. That works just fine. You do not need a website or online form. This helps screen out those unlikely to qualify and saves time without excluding anyone from applying.

Once you receive a response confirming interest, follow a consistent showing process:

• Offer a fair and manageable set of showing windows

• Use group showings if managing volume is an issue

• Confirm showings in writing (email or text) and document all interactions

If a unit is in high demand, continue responding to new inquiries until you have an accepted application or lease in progress. We do not recommend stopping replies simply because interest is high. In fact, if you're getting a windfall of inquiries, it may be a sign that your rent is set too low. However, once the unit is no longer available, you should promptly inform remaining prospects.

What not to do:

• Don’t ghost prospects

• Don’t show the unit only to people who "seem like a better fit"

• Don’t rely on intuition alone to judge who moves forward

Special Considerations

When the Unit Is Still Occupied

If your current tenants haven’t yet vacated, you may still show the unit with proper advance notice—typically 24 hours under California law. Be respectful of the tenants’ time and space, and offer showings during reasonable hours. Group showings may be especially useful in this scenario.

Virtual Showings

When in-person access is limited or inconvenient, virtual showings (via video call or pre-recorded video) can be a helpful option. This allows prospects to view the space without disrupting current residents, and can reduce the volume of in-person appointments.

Avoiding Common Mistakes

• Don't skip replies. Silence can be interpreted as discriminatory

• Don't mention your preferences. Never say you’re looking for a certain type of person or lifestyle

• Don't alter your process midstream. Apply the same steps to everyone until the unit is rented

Tools and Templates

• Sample Inquiry Response:

  "Thank you for your interest in 1234 Elm Street. All qualified applicants are considered. Please review the attached screening criteria to determine if the unit may be a good fit."

• Sample Showing Invitation:

  "We are scheduling showings on Tuesday from 4:00 to 5:30 PM and Thursday from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM. Please let us know which window works for you."

• Use BPOA's Member Resources: Templates, checklists, and screening guidance are available in the BPOA Knowledge Hub.

Final Tip: If the inquiry flood is too much to manage, consider hiring a leasing agent. BPOA can refer you to member-vetted professionals who can help you stay compliant and stress-free while filling your unit.