The flat is to be photographed for sale while people are still living there. A coordinated photography appointment requires more preparation than a free time slot. Our editorial recommendation: clarify the purpose of the images, the rooms concerned and how to deal with personal items in advance, so that private information is not decided under time pressure at the appointment.
Discuss the actual purpose of the images
Talk about what the images are intended for and what publication steps are planned. A personal memento of the flat and an image used publicly for sale are different purposes. The European Data Protection Board explains purpose limitation, the necessary scope of data and the personal reference of images. [EDPB] Which specific authorisation covers recording and publication must be clarified according to the situation.
Also agree who will organise the appointment administratively and who will review the intended images. Ownership of the property does not automatically answer every question about the personal items depicted or the persons involved. For this reason the article does not prescribe a general photo permission.
Check the room for unintended information
Ask the residents to decide for themselves which private items should be removed from the intended image area before the appointment. Think of documents, names, family photographs or personal clues in the background. This is not about rummaging through other people's cupboards or changing things without agreement.
Also discuss areas that should not be photographed or only after further clarification. The person taking the photographs is given this boundary in advance. That way they do not have to guess from the outward appearance which shots are appropriate and authorised.
Example: the work area remains occupied
A seller continues to work in the living room until moving out. Documents with other people's names lie on her desk. She clears away the private and professional items not needed for the photo herself before the appointment. The photographer knows that the desk area will only be photographed after a brief query.
Afterwards the actually intended image version is reviewed. An accidentally visible detail is not simply accepted because the shot has already taken time. Those involved agree on a suitably corrected or new version.
Not just taking the photos, also agree on sharing them
Agree who will receive the images and which version is intended for further marketing. Access to all original files is not automatically necessary for every party involved. Unclear rights to images or edits are clarified before their use.
If the flat is altered later, check whether the material still conveys the shown condition. This guide promises neither a complete data protection legal review nor a universal release form. Its practical purpose is a photography appointment that respects personal boundaries and produces a sale-ready version that has been transparently reviewed, rather than inadvertently publishing private information.