What to put in a spare room ad video so the enquiries are serious

A spare room ad video gets more serious enquiries when it answers the questions people would otherwise ask by message: what the room is really like, what is shared, how bills and rent work, the main house rules and who already lives there. Say these plainly in the video and the ad text, show the space as it is, and leave out anything you are not willing to stand behind. Short and honest filters better than short and glossy.

Plan and credit details are from kadapt.com/pricing as of 22 October 2026 and can change. SpareRoom and local law set their own rules for ads and for what you may ask of or say about applicants; check their current help pages and, where unsure, official guidance.

Most unserious spare room enquiries come from a mismatch nobody mentioned. The room is smaller than expected, the bills are extra, or the house has a rule the person would never have agreed to. A short video cannot screen people on its own, but it can answer those questions up front, so the messages you get are from people who have already decided the room could work.

Show the room as it is

Lead with the room itself, because it is what people are deciding on. Film or photograph it in daylight with the bed made, and include one shot that gives a sense of size, such as the door and the far wall in the same frame. A wide-angle trick that makes a small room look large costs you a wasted viewing. For the order of shots, see how many photos and what order.

Cover the questions people ask first

Write a short line for each of these and put the same facts in your ad text. Include only what is true and what you are happy to be held to.

Rent and deposit. The monthly figure and the deposit, if you are sure of them.
Bills. Whether they are included, and if not, roughly how they are split. Do not quote a number you have not checked.
What is shared. Kitchen, bathroom, living room, garden, laundry. Say which are shared and with how many people.
Furnishing. What is already in the room and what the person needs to bring.
Availability. The move-in date and any minimum stay you actually require.

House rules, stated plainly

People are more comfortable with a rule they hear early than one sprung on them at a viewing. Mention the few that really shape daily life, such as quiet hours, guests staying over, smoking, pets, or how shared spaces are kept clean. Keep it factual and short: “quiet after 10pm on weeknights” is useful, a list of ten rules reads as a warning.

Who lives there, without describing the ideal person

Applicants want to know who they would be sharing with. Say how many people live in the home, how the household tends to run (people out at work in the day, someone working from home, shared meals or not) and what the atmosphere is like. Describe the home, not the person you want in it.

Rules about what you may say or ask of applicants differ by place and by platform, and phrases that screen people by personal characteristics can cause real problems. If you are not sure a line is allowed, leave it out and check SpareRoom’s guidance and the official rules where you live.

Frame it honestly

Honest framing is the filter. If the room is small, say it is a compact single and that the desk folds away. If the road is busy, say so. Someone who still wants the room after hearing that is much more likely to turn up, accept the offer and stay.

A Photo Reel adds motion to still photos. It is not walkthrough footage, so do not describe it as a tour. When it finishes, watch it with the sound on and check each claim against the real room, as in the guide to fact-checking an AI script.

Make the video

Put your answers in a short brief, one factual line per photo, as described in the step-by-step guide.

Open the new-reel form and add your photos with Photo Reel selected.
Paste the brief with the rent, bills and house rules lines, then choose a length, style, voice and music.
Read the script and shot plan. Remove anything you would not say to a viewer’s face.
Check the credit quote, then approve. Nothing is charged beyond what you approve.

The room walkthrough shows an example, and the host photo checklist covers what to reshoot first.

What it costs

New accounts get 25 free credits with no card. The pricing page lists Starter at $14.99 a month with 200 credits and illustrates a 15-second Photo Reel at 5 picture credits plus 1 narration credit when the plan is prepared. Planning, edits and longer reels use more, and the app shows the quote before you render.

The reel is a separate video you download and share yourself. It does not replace the photos or ad on SpareRoom, which you manage in their own tools.

Ready to try it? Make your first reel, or see Kadapt Creator for other video types.

Common questions

Should I put the rent and bills in a spare room video?

Yes, if you are sure of the figures. Say the rent, whether bills are included, and what the deposit is. People who cannot afford the room can then skip it before messaging you. Check that anything you state matches your listing, and show nothing you are not prepared to honour.

Should I mention who I live with?

A neutral description helps: how many people share the home, roughly how the house runs day to day, and whether anyone works from home. Describe routines and the way the home runs, not the type of person you want. Rules on what you can say or ask about applicants vary, so check SpareRoom's guidance and the law where you live.

Can I say what I want in a housemate?

You can describe how the home works, such as quiet after 10pm or a cleaning rota. Avoid wording that screens people by personal characteristics. If you are unsure whether a phrase is allowed, leave it out or check the official guidance.

Does the video replace my SpareRoom ad?

No. Kadapt makes a separate vertical reel from your photos that you download and share yourself. Your SpareRoom ad, photos and any listing video are managed in SpareRoom's own tools.