A rental enquiry that gets a viewing names the property, answers the questions an agent would otherwise have to ask — your move-in date, who will live there, your work and income, pets and smoking, references — and asks when you can view, all in under 500 characters. The length matters more than most people realise: Rightmove's contact form stops at 700 characters and Zoopla's and PrimeLocation's at 500, so a longer message is cut off mid-sentence. And since 1 May 2026, offering more than the asking rent or months of rent upfront is off the table in England.
Each home still draws a queue. The average rental home on Rightmove received 10 enquiries in April to June 2026 — double the pre-pandemic level, though down from 22 at the 2022 peak — and of the OpenRent listings Dwellio tracked to let agreed, one in six got there within three days of first appearing. An agent working through that queue replies first to the messages that already tell them what they need.
What should a rental enquiry say?
A rental enquiry should say which property you want to view and answer the questions an agent would otherwise have to ask before offering you a slot. Rightmove's own renter guide lists the same points — your job and how long you have been in it, who will live there, your rental history, your move-in date and flexibility, and any adverse credit — and gives an affordability rule of thumb: combined annual income of roughly 30 times the monthly rent.
| Include | Why the agent cares | Example wording |
|---|---|---|
| The property | Agents run several listings at once | "the 2-bed flat on Albany Road" |
| Move-in date | They need it to match when the home is free | "from 1 November, flexible by a week" |
| Who will live there | Occupancy and suitability | "my partner and I, both working full-time" |
| Work and income | Affordability (~30× the monthly rent) | "permanent role as a nurse, £38,000" |
| Pets and smoking | Many adverts state a preference | "non-smokers, no pets" |
| References or guarantor | Shows you can pass referencing | "references from my current landlord" |
| When you can view | Saves a round of emails | "weekday evenings after 6pm" |
Two things to leave out: anything you would not want forwarded to a stranger, and your life story — save it for the viewing. Adverse credit is the exception worth raising early: Rightmove's guide lists it among the things to mention, and a short explanation now beats a surprise at referencing.
How long can a rental enquiry be on Rightmove, Zoopla and OnTheMarket?
Keep it under 500 characters — about 80 words — because that is the most Zoopla's and PrimeLocation's forms accept. A message written to that length fits every portal we checked; a longer one gets cut off on some of them, and the end — where you ask for a viewing — is the part that goes.
| Portal | Message limit | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Rightmove | 700 characters | The message box is optional — use it |
| Zoopla | 500 characters | Has a tick box to request a viewing |
| PrimeLocation | 500 characters | Shows a characters-remaining counter |
| OnTheMarket | No limit on the form | Asks you to pick your situation from a list |
| OpenRent | Not checked | You message after signing in |
| SpareRoom | Not checked | Free members cannot contact free ads under 7 days old |
Dwellio checked each portal's live contact form on 13 October 2026; limits can change without notice. The SpareRoom restriction comes from SpareRoom's FAQ.
Rental enquiry examples you can copy
Here are eight rental enquiry examples for common situations, each under 500 characters, with the details to change in square brackets. Swap in your own facts — an agent can tell a template that has been filled in from one that has not.
Working couple
Hello, I'd like to view the [2-bed flat on Albany Road]. My partner and I both work full-time — I'm a [nurse] and they're a [teacher] — with a combined income of [£58,000]. We'd like to move from [1 November], are non-smokers with no pets, and have references from our current landlord. Could we view this week? We're free weekday evenings after 6pm and at weekends. Thanks, [Sam]
First-time renter
Hello, I'd love to view the [studio on Hyde Park Road]. It would be my first rental: I've just started a permanent role as a [junior analyst] on [£31,000], and my employer can give a reference. I'm a non-smoker with no pets, looking to move from [mid-November]. Is there a viewing slot this week? I can do any weekday after 5.30pm. Many thanks, [Priya]
Student with a guarantor
Hi, I'd like to view the [2-bed flat on Cardigan Road] for myself and a coursemate. We're second-year students at [the University of Leeds], both non-smokers, and each of us has a UK guarantor ready to provide documents. We'd like to move in from [1 January] and stay until [the end of June]. When are viewings available? We're free most afternoons. Thanks, [Tom]
Self-employed
Hello, I'd like to arrange a viewing of the [1-bed flat on Canal Street]. I'm a self-employed [graphic designer], trading for [four years], and can provide two years' accounts and a reference from my accountant. I'm a non-smoker with no pets and would like to move from [1 December]. When could I view? I'm flexible most days. Kind regards, [Alex]
Receiving Universal Credit
Hello, I'd like to view the [2-bed house on Leman Street]. I live with my [8-year-old] daughter and work part-time as a [teaching assistant], with Universal Credit including the housing element. I can provide my award letter and a reference from my landlord of [three years]. We'd like to move from [early December]. When are viewings available? Thanks, [Jo]
With a pet
Hello, I'd like to view the [1-bed flat on Grove Street]. I work full-time as a [software engineer] and would move from [1 November]. I have a [5-year-old indoor cat] and can share her vet records and a reference from my current landlord, who has had no problems with her. I'm a non-smoker. Could I book a viewing? I'm free weekday evenings. Thanks, [Chris]
Family with children
Hello, we'd like to view the [3-bed semi on Moor Lane]. We're a family of four with two children aged [6 and 9], and we both work full-time, as a [paramedic] and an [electrician]. We're non-smokers with no pets, have references from our landlord of [five years], and need to move by [the end of January]. When could we view? Thanks, [Dan and Leah]
Room in a flatshare
Hi, I'm [Maya], [27], a [physio] working regular hours. I'm tidy, friendly and quiet on weeknights, and a non-smoker. I'd love to see the room on [Ecclesall Road] — I'm looking to move from [1 December] and have a reference from my current landlord. Are you free for a viewing or a video call this week? Thanks, [Maya]
Flatshare messages are judged differently: the people living there are choosing a housemate, so a line about how you live does more work than an income figure.
What not to say in a rental enquiry in 2026
Don't offer more than the advertised rent, don't offer months of rent upfront, and don't attach documents — landlords in England can no longer accept the first two, and the third is a risk you don't need to take. Older advice to offer several months' rent upfront predates the Renters' Rights Act, and following it now marks you out for the wrong reason.
- No offers above the asking rent. From 1 May 2026, a landlord must state one specific rent in any written advert or offer, and cannot encourage or accept offers above it.
- No more than a month upfront. A landlord cannot ask for, encourage or accept rent before you sign the tenancy agreement, and can ask for no more than one month's rent in advance after you sign.
- No documents in the first message. Say what you can provide; send payslips, bank statements and ID only when the agent asks as part of referencing.
Some things you no longer need to tiptoe around. Since 1 May 2026, a landlord in England cannot refuse to rent to you because you receive benefits or have children, and if you ask to keep a pet, the landlord must consider the request and should give a reason if they refuse. State these facts plainly, as the examples above do.
Why aren't letting agents replying to my enquiry?
Often because of volume: according to Rightmove's rental tracker, the average rental home received 10 enquiries in April to June 2026 — 14 in the North West, 8 in London — and an agent can only answer so many. Zoopla's September 2026 rental market report puts demand at 5.3 enquiries per rental listing, 6% higher than a year earlier.
Volume is not the only reason. SpareRoom lists several: the advertiser checks messages infrequently, the message landed in spam, the room is already let but the advert is still live, or they decided you were not the right fit and did not say so. And some agents simply fall short: a June 2026 Citizens Advice report found almost half of renters (48%) have faced rule-breaking behaviour from letting agents.
What to do when nothing comes back:
- Follow up once, then phone. SpareRoom suggests waiting at least 36 hours before chasing, then calling if the advert lists a number.
- Ask whether it is still available. It saves you waiting on a home that has already gone.
- Fix the message, not just the timing. If a generic note is getting no replies, add the details from the first table in this guide.
- Keep your alerts running. A home that is let agreed today is replaced by new listings tomorrow — the next one is where speed counts.
How fast do you need to send a rental enquiry?
The same day, ideally within hours: of the OpenRent listings Dwellio tracked to let agreed, one in ten got there within 24 hours of first appearing, and more than a third within a week.
| Area | OpenRent listings | Let agreed within 24 hours | Within 3 days | Within a week | Within 2 weeks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| London | 1,227 | 11.5% | 17.8% | 37.7% | 62.2% |
| Outside London | 1,089 | 7.7% | 16.0% | 32.7% | 54.2% |
| All | 2,316 | 9.7% | 16.9% | 35.3% | 58.4% |
These are OpenRent listings matched by Dwellio users' alerts, first seen between 15 July and 12 October 2026 and later marked let agreed. OpenRent is the only portal where our tracking records a let-agreed date — on the others we only see a listing disappear, which can also mean it was withdrawn — so read this as a picture of OpenRent, not of every portal. Time runs from when we first saw each listing to when we recorded it as let agreed, and listings already live when a user set up their alert are left out, so "first seen" is close to when each one went up. Some let-agreed homes also come back on the market, so treat "let agreed" as the point where your chance mostly closes, not where it always does.
The practical upshot: write your enquiry once, keep it ready, and send it the moment a match appears. Our guide to being first to view a rental property covers the alert set-up that gets you there.
Let Dwellio write your enquiry for you
Dwellio watches Rightmove, OnTheMarket, OpenRent, SpareRoom, PrimeLocation and Leaders and alerts you within minutes when a matching rental is listed. Every new match comes with an enquiry writer — Write my enquiry in your alert email, Write enquiry on your dashboard. It drafts the message from details you save once — move-in date, household, work, pets, references — and sizes it to that portal's message box, so it pastes in whole. Free accounts get five drafted enquiries; Pro gets up to 40 a day.
When an agent asks for more, our tenant CV and offer letter templates cover the next step, and the free tenant CV and offer letter generator writes both from the same details.
Set up your free alerts — no card needed to sign up.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I say when enquiring about a rental property?
Name the property and say you would like to view it, then give the facts an agent checks first: when you want to move in, who will live there, your job and income, whether you have pets or smoke, and whether you have references or a guarantor. Finish by offering times you can view. Keep it under 500 characters so it fits the message boxes on Rightmove, Zoopla and PrimeLocation.
How long should a rental enquiry be?
Under 500 characters, or roughly 80 words. Rightmove's contact form takes up to 700 characters, while Zoopla's and PrimeLocation's take 500, so a message written to 500 characters fits all of them without being cut off mid-sentence.
Should I phone or message a letting agent about a rental?
Message first, so the agent has your details in writing, then phone if the listing shows a number and you have not heard back. SpareRoom, for example, suggests waiting at least 36 hours for a reply before calling the advertiser.
Can I offer more than the asking rent to secure a property?
Not in England since 1 May 2026. Under the Renters' Rights Act, a landlord must state one specific rent in the advert and cannot encourage or accept offers above it. They also cannot take any rent before you sign the tenancy agreement, and no more than one month's rent in advance after you sign.
Do I need to send documents with my first enquiry?
No. Say what you can provide, such as payslips, references or a guarantor, but send the documents only when the agent asks for them as part of referencing. Bank statements and ID carry personal data you should not hand over before you know the property and the agent are genuine.
How much is a holding deposit for a rental?
In England a holding deposit is capped at one week's rent. The landlord or agent then has 15 days to agree the tenancy, unless you both agree a different deadline in writing, and can keep the deposit if you give false information, pull out, do not reply to reasonable requests or fail a Right to Rent check.