Book the showing within a day of the inquiry, confirm it by text right away, remind the renter the day before and a few hours before with a way to confirm or reschedule, ask a few questions about the rental first, and follow up the same hour when someone misses. Showings booked far out happen less often. In RentEngine’s Q1 2026 data, published May 21, 2026, “showings scheduled within 24 hours complete more than 60% of the time” (RentEngine, Q1 2026).
A no-show costs you the drive, the time and often the renter. Most of the figures below come from RentEngine, which draws on thousands of scattered-site properties. The places its reports name are all in the US, and none of its figures covers Canada, so treat them as a guide and check them against your own numbers.
Why do renters miss showings?
A missed showing is usually a lost renter, not a postponed one. In RentEngine’s Q1 2026 data, “only about 15% of prospects who miss a showing ever complete one at that property” (RentEngine, June 8, 2026). Its Q4 2025 data was lower still: less than a 10% chance, and 75% of cancelled showings were never rescheduled (RentEngine, February 3, 2026).
Time is the clearest cause in the data: the further out a showing is booked, the less likely it happens (see the next section). The other causes are practical. The renter was never a fit for the unit, the confirmation got lost, or they could not find the building or parking.
How fast should you book the showing?
Within a day of the inquiry if you can. RentEngine says completion rates “follow an exponential decay curve the further out a showing is scheduled”, and that showings booked more than two days after the first inquiry “have a low chance of actually happening” (RentEngine, June 8, 2026). Its Q4 2025 report found a 50% drop-off for anything scheduled more than three days out (RentEngine, Q4 2025 report).
Successful showings tend to be booked close to the date. In Q1 2026, self-guided showings were booked a median 15.2 hours ahead, against 60.7 hours for accompanied ones (RentEngine, June 8, 2026). In Q3 2025, the average successful accompanied showing was booked 2.6 days in advance, and the average self-guided one 0.68 days, about 16 hours (RentEngine, Q3 2025).
So offer the soonest slots you have first. A renter offered tomorrow evening is more likely to come than one offered next week.
Should you offer evening and weekend showings?
Yes, because that is when many renters inquire and want to visit. In RentEngine’s Q1 2026 data, “53% of leads arrive after hours, and 48% of showings are scheduled after hours” (RentEngine, Q1 2026), and 52.8% of prospects chose a showing time outside normal business hours (RentEngine, June 8, 2026).
Hemlane found the same pattern in data on 15,772 tours across 2,762 units: “more than half of self-guided tours happen on weekends or outside 9 to 5” (Hemlane, July 30, 2026). Hemlane does not say which region the tours were in.
Slow replies after hours make it worse. In RentEngine’s Q4 2025 data, the median response time was 85 minutes during business hours and about 19 hours after hours (RentEngine, February 3, 2026). For ways to cover that gap, see how to answer rental inquiries after hours.
What should the confirmation text say?
Everything the renter needs to arrive, sent the moment the showing is booked:
- The address and unit number
- The date and time
- Where to park and which door to use
- Who will meet them, or how access works
- A way to confirm or reschedule by reply
“Confirmed: Thursday 6:00 p.m. at 118 Oak Ave, unit 2. Park on the street, main door on Oak. Reply C to confirm or R to pick another time.”
Before you text renters, check the consent rules in how to text rental prospects legally. For first replies to new inquiries, see how to respond to rental inquiries.
When should you send reminders?
The day before and a few hours before, with a request to reply. Reminders raise attendance at healthcare appointments. A 2013 Cochrane review of eight trials with 6,615 people found attendance at healthcare appointments of 67.8% with no reminder and 78.6% with text reminders, rated low to moderate quality evidence (Cochrane).
One showing tool, as an example, sends a reminder at 7 p.m. the night before a morning showing and at 8 a.m. for an afternoon one, then a confirmation link a few hours before (RentEngine Help Center). A sample first reminder:
“Reminder: your showing at 118 Oak Ave, unit 2, is tomorrow at 6:00 p.m. Reply C to confirm or R to pick another time.”
Nolan sends showing reminders by text and by email, and can confirm or free the time before each showing.
Should you cancel showings nobody confirms?
Yes, once you have tried to reach the renter. RentEngine’s tool cancels a showing automatically if neither the prospect nor the agent confirms (RentEngine Help Center), and Tenant Turner says it will “cancel any unconfirmed appointments” (Tenant Turner).
A simple rule: if the renter has not replied to the reminder by a few hours before, call once. If you still have no answer, free the slot and offer it to the next renter.
Should you pre-qualify before booking?
Yes, lightly. Ask every renter the same few questions before you book: move-in date, budget, pets and parking. A renter who needs a unit in three months will not rent this one, whether or not they show up.
Keep the questions about the rental, never about who the person is, and ask them the same way every time. In Quebec, the human rights commission says a landlord cannot require the number of people who will live in the unit, employment or salary details, or a social insurance number (CDPDJ). For the full lists, see what landlords can ask tenants in Quebec and in Ontario.
How much notice do you need to show an occupied unit?
It depends on the province. Alberta’s page says a landlord may enter “without permission” after 24 hours’ written notice (Alberta), while in Quebec the tenant may require you or your representative to be present (TAL).
| Province | Showing to a prospective tenant | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Ontario | No written notice once a notice of termination or an agreement to end is in place, but you must try to tell the tenant first (LTB guide, December 2020) | 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. |
| British Columbia | Written notice at least 24 hours and no more than 30 days before, with the date, time and reason (B.C.) | 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. |
| Alberta | Written notice at least 24 hours before, after notice to end a periodic tenancy or in the final month of a fixed term (Alberta) | Not given on the province’s page |
| Saskatchewan | At least two hours’ notice, by phone or email, once the tenant has given notice or a fixed term ends within two months (Saskatchewan) | 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., not on a Sunday or the tenant’s day of religious worship |
| Manitoba | No advance notice needed once notice to end the tenancy is given (Manitoba RTB) | Not stated for showings |
| Quebec | After the tenant’s notice, act reasonably and respect the tenant’s privacy (TAL) | 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. |
| Nova Scotia | 24 hours’ notice, even if the tenant has given notice to end the lease (Nova Scotia, 2023) | Not stated in the 2023 release |
Showing to a buyer is different in Ontario: it needs 24 hours’ written notice, between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. In Manitoba, other entries need at least 24 hours’ written notice at reasonable times, and in Quebec, visits during the lease need 24 hours’ notice, verbal or written. Ontario’s guide was last updated in December 2020, so check the board’s current rules before you rely on it.
Are self-guided showings worth it?
They get more renters to a showing, but accompanied showings close better once they happen. In RentEngine’s Q1 2026 data, self-guided showings were scheduled by 49.1% of new leads and completed by 28%, against 37.2% and 14% for accompanied ones. Properties using self-guided showings averaged 31 days on market, against 33 (RentEngine, June 8, 2026).
The same post says accompanied showings, once completed, convert to a submitted application at a higher rate. Hemlane’s 2026 data points the same way: self-guided units took a median 18 days to a signed lease, against 16 for person-led units, and logged about 5 showings against about 2 (Hemlane).
The main tools are US companies that list prices in “$” without a currency code, so read these as US dollars:
| Tool | Software | Devices | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| ShowMojo | Annual plans from US$1.30 per unit (Pro) or US$2.70 (Ultra), or US$50 or US$110 per listing | Lockboxes from US$64, smart locks from US$85, US$3.50 a month per device (US$5 for third-party devices) | Says it has served Canadian property managers since 2013 |
| Tenant Turner | Annual plans from US$1.17 per unit (Pro) or US$2.43 (Ultra), or US$42.50 or US$98.50 per listing | Lockboxes from US$64, smart locks from US$85, US$3.50 a month per device (US$5 for third-party devices) | Says it works in Canada |
| Rently | US$28 per listing credit (Standard, US$2,800 a year for 100 credits) or US$37 (Premium, US$3,700); one credit per active listing per month | Most setups need a Rently Smart Hub; no hub price listed | Not stated |
For a side-by-side view, see the showing software comparison.
Does Quebec’s July 1 cycle change anything?
Yes: it concentrates showings into a few busy months. Most Quebec leases end on June 30 (Canadian Encyclopedia), and for a 12-month lease the landlord’s notice of changes goes out 3 to 6 months before the end, with a month for the tenant to reply (TAL). For a June 30 lease, that notice window runs from January 1 to March 31 (Éducaloi).
So many Quebec vacancies become known in the same weeks, and they all need showing before July 1. Once the tenant has given notice, you can post a “for rent” sign, and visits must take place between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. (TAL). In that stretch, a no-show also costs you a slot another renter wanted. For the full calendar, see the Quebec lease renewal calendar.
Why does this matter more in 2026?
Renters have more choice. CMHC’s 2025 Rental Market Report puts the national vacancy rate for purpose-built rentals at 3.1%, up from 2.2% in 2024, and reports operators offering new tenants one month of free rent, moving allowances and signing bonuses (CMHC).
When a renter has other units to see, a slow booking or a forgotten showing is easy for them to replace. Fast booking and clear reminders matter more than they did when vacancy was tight.
What do you do when someone does not show?
Follow up within the hour with a new time. The recovery rates above are low, between less than 10% and about 15% depending on the quarter, so the sooner you offer a new slot, the better. Keep it short and friendly:
“Sorry we missed you today. The unit is still available. I can do tomorrow at 5:30 or Saturday at 11:00. Want one of those?”
Some renters had a real conflict and will rebook. If they tell you they found something else, you can close the lead and stop following up.
Do group showings help?
They can when a unit draws many inquiries. One open window instead of many separate appointments means a renter who misses it costs you less time. Confirm and remind exactly as you would for a private showing, and respect your province’s notice rules if the unit is occupied.
What should you track?
Log scheduled showings, completed showings and applications for each listing. Your show rate (completed divided by scheduled) tells you whether faster booking and reminders are working. Compare it month over month rather than against other companies’ numbers, since unit type, city and season change it a lot.
To put a dollar figure on lost inquiries and vacant days, see what a missed leasing call costs.