Smart home
Smart home in a rented flat: what works without drilling
No changes to the electrical installation, no traces when you move out – and still lights, blinds and security under control.
A smart home is seen as something for homeowners. That has not been true for a few years now: most functions can be retrofitted in a rented flat without anything being left behind when you move out.
Lighting: the simplest layer
Radio bulbs and smart plugs need no electrical installation. Anyone who wants to keep the existing switch adds a radio button stuck to the wall. That triggers scenes without anyone hunting for their phone.
Blinds and climate
Electric blinds can often be retrofitted with a radio module – but that belongs in the hands of a professional and needs the landlord's consent. Without any intervention, thermostatic heads on the radiators and sensors that monitor windows and temperature will do the job.
Security without alterations
Battery cameras, a smart lock on the inside of the cylinder and a radio alarm system can be fitted so they are fully reversible. When you move out, at most one drill hole remains.
What we advise tenants
- Start with one room, usually the living room or bedroom.
- Look for Matter, so the devices keep running with the next system too.
- Buy nothing that will not work without a manufacturer account.
- Run cables that have to stay visible in the wall colour – narrow trunking goes unnoticed.
What the landlord has to allow
Anything that touches the fixed installation needs consent: replacing switches, radio modules in the blind control, new holes in tiles. Anything that plugs in or sticks on does not. In practice, landlords agree when reinstatement is guaranteed in writing and a professional does the work.
A suggestion to get started
- Living room: two or three radio bulbs or a floor lamp on a smart plug, plus a radio button beside the door.
- Bedroom: a thermostatic head on the radiator and a motion sensor for the way to the bathroom.
- Entrance: a smart lock on the inside and a battery camera.
The effort depends on brand and number of devices – and everything moves with you.
What is not worth it
Cheap devices without a standard that only run with the manufacturer's app. They work until the service is discontinued. Look for Matter or at least local control without a compulsory account.
When you move out
Radio bulbs and plugs come with you. The button is taken off, the adhesive released with heat. On the lock, the original cylinder goes back in – so keep it safe.
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