Renting out a room: from first chat to a signed rental contract

How does renting out a room through Hospi Housing work? From chat request to rental contract and deposit payment - this guide explains the full process.

Renting out a room often starts with a match between a host and a tenant. But what happens after that? How do you move from initial contact to a confirmed rental agreement?

Hospi Housing guides hosts and tenants through a clear process: from sending a chat request to signing the rental contract and starting the rental period. This guide explains the full process step by step, with a focus on what hosts need to do when renting out a room.

Step 1 - Send or receive a chat request

The process begins with a chat request. Tenants can send a chat request when they are interested in a listing or profile. The host or landlord can then:

Only when the request is accepted does the chat open. This way the host or landlord stays in control on who to get in touch with.

Step 2 - Chat and get to know each other

Once the chat opens, hosts and tenants can start a conversation. This is an important part of the matchmaking process because it helps determining if the house or tenant are a good match. Typical topics include:

For hosts, this step helps determine whether the tenant is a good fit for the household or house. For the tenant it is good to help to decide if they want to live here.

Host Zwannet and her tenant Marc in front of their home in Veenendaal

Step 3 - The host creates the rental contract

When both sides agree to proceed, the host prepares the rental contract via Hospi Housing. This can easily be done by going to the Chats and opening the chat with the tenant. In this chat click the option: Create contract. When the contract is created you can check and fill key details of the contract. We have pre-filled as much fields as possible to make it easy. Fields to check or fill:

Step 4 - The host signs the contract

After creating and checking the contract, the host signs it digitally. After sending, the tenant then receives the contract for review. The tenant is informed by email and can find the contract in their Chats and My Stay environment.

Step 5 - The tenant reviews and signs

The tenant checks the contract details and easily signs if everything is correct. Once both parties have signed, the rental is officially confirmed. Both parties can easily download the contract (in Dutch and English) from their Tenants and My Stay environments.

Step 6 - The tenant pays the deposit

After signing, the tenant pays the deposit through Hospi Housing. This ensures payments are tracked and handled safely. Deposits are automatically refunded at the end of the rental period. The host is in charge for a period of 14 days to refund the entire amount or part of the deposit.

Step 7 - The rental begins

Once the deposit has been paid, the rental period begins! Hospi Housing manages the rent payments so both hosts and tenants have a clear overview. Let's get started!