What should a rental showing confirmation and reminder say?
A showing confirmation says who, where, when and how to cancel, in four lines or fewer. Send it right after booking, and send a short reminder the day before and, if you like, a few hours ahead. Making cancelling easy matters: prospects who can say "I cannot make it" in one reply are far more likely to tell you than to simply not show up.
What every confirmation should include
A confirmation has one job: make sure the person and you picture the same visit. Anything beyond that is clutter. Include these items and nothing else.
- Your name, so they know who to look for.
- The full address and the unit number, and where to park or which door to use.
- The date and start time, and how long you expect it to take.
- One line on how to cancel or move the time, such as "just reply to this message".
If the unit is occupied by a current tenant, say whether the visit is by appointment only. If there are steps, a gate code or an unusual entrance, name it. Surprises at the door cause the late arrivals and lost prospects.
The first confirmation
Send it as soon as the person picks a time, while the plan is fresh.
Example a made-up confirmation. "Hi Dana, this is Chris. You are booked to see 214 Maple Street, Unit B, on Saturday at 10:20 a.m. Park on the street in front. The visit takes about 15 minutes. If something changes, just reply here and we will find another time."
Keep the tone friendly and plain. A confirmation is not the place for rules about pets, income or fees. Those belong in the listing, so nobody is surprised.
The reminder
Send the reminder the day before, in the same channel. If you send a second one, make it a few hours ahead and shorter still. Do not send more than two reminders; after that it reads as nagging.
Example a made-up reminder. "Hi Dana, a quick reminder about Saturday at 10:20 a.m. at 214 Maple Street, Unit B. Still good for you? If not, reply and I will offer another time."
The question at the end invites a reply. A reply tells you the visit is on, and a cancellation frees the slot for the next person.
Make cancelling painless
People skip showings because cancelling feels awkward. Remove the awkwardness. Say plainly that changes are fine, and mention that you would rather hear it than wait. Do not add a penalty, a lecture or a cold "please be respectful of my time". A prospect you scold is a prospect who tells friends.
When a visit is cancelled, offer one new time right away, using the same two-option approach as in reducing showing no-shows. If they do not reply, treat the inquiry as quiet and follow the schedule in follow-up templates for rental leads.
Email, text or both
Use the channel the person gave you. Email is safe for confirmations and gives a written record. Texts are quick, but automated or bulk texting is regulated under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, and a prospect who gave only an email address has not agreed to be texted. A personal one-to-one message is different from an automated campaign, but check your own situation before you build a process that sends texts on a schedule.
Keep the wording neutral
Every confirmation should read the same whoever receives it. Do not add comments about the neighborhood being "quiet" or "safe for families", questions about who will live there, or remarks about a name or accent. Statements and notices that show a preference or limit based on a protected class are prohibited by 24 CFR 100.75. A confirmation that sticks to who, where and when cannot go wrong.
How DoorKeeping handles it
Ask your own Claude or ChatGPT to draft the confirmation and reminder for each booked visit. DoorKeeping's messages go to current tenants and helpers, not to prospects, so you send these yourself from your own email or phone and keep a copy.
Sources
- HUD, 24 CFR 100.75, Discriminatory advertisements, statements and notices (Cornell LII), read Oct 30, 2026
- Telephone Consumer Protection Act, 47 U.S.C. 227 (Cornell LII), read Oct 30, 2026
Questions
- When should I send a showing reminder?
- The day before, and optionally a few hours ahead. Two reminders is the limit; more reads as nagging.
- What should a showing confirmation include?
- Your name, the full address and unit, the date and time, how long it takes and how to cancel or reschedule.
- Should I charge for missed showings?
- No. A penalty or scolding drives people away. Make cancelling easy and move on to the next person.
- Is it okay to text a prospect a reminder?
- Only if they gave you a number and are fine being texted. Bulk or automated texting is regulated, so keep messages personal.