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How to let apartment neighbors request movies and shows in 2026

Set up a simple way for apartment neighbors to request movies and shows, with clear rules, review steps and a few tool options.

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VLClean is published by the makers of Askarr and Watcharr, which are compared here alongside other tools.

Apartment building media sharers can let neighbors request titles by choosing one request method, setting simple rules, and reviewing requests on a fixed schedule. Askarr is one option, and it is covered below with the other choices.

OptionRequest methodCost details
AskarrSearch for a movie or show on Askarr and request it, and the owner's own Radarr or Sonarr adds it. [1]The Free plan costs $0 and allows 10 requests a month. [1]
Request formNeighbors submit movie or show titles through the chosen form.not published
Shared request listNeighbors add movie or show ideas to the chosen shared list.not published

What you need before you start

Start by agreeing on the shared library that neighbors can already watch, so everyone knows what is already there and what is new.

Write down the kinds of titles that are allowed, such as recent movies, shows, or both, along with any limit on how many requests one person can send in a month. Simple rules are easier for neighbors to follow than long lists of exceptions.

Choose the place where requests will be sent, whether that is a request website, a form, or a shared message thread. Tell everyone to use that one place so requests do not get lost across different channels.

Decide who approves requests before anything is added, and how neighbors will hear that a title was added. If the building already runs Radarr for movies or Sonarr for shows, the person who manages them should be part of this decision.

Step by step

  1. Pick one place where neighbors will send requests, such as a request website or a shared message thread, and tell everyone to use only that place.
  1. Write down who reviews each request and whether a title needs approval before it is added to the shared library.
  1. Write a short note for neighbors that says who can request, which kinds of titles are accepted, and how they will hear that a title was added.
  1. If you choose Askarr, the owner adds it once as an import list in Radarr and Sonarr. [1] Nothing else needs to be installed on the building's computers. [1]
  1. If you want to look at the dashboard before committing, Askarr offers a demo with sample data that you can open without signing in. [1]
  1. Send the note and the request location to the neighbors you want to include, with two lines on how to search for a title and how to submit it.
  1. Review new requests on a regular day each week, approve the ones you want, and remove the ones you do not.
  1. After the first week, ask a few neighbors what confused them, and update the note to fix those points.

Tools that can do it

Askarr is made by the team that publishes this site. Askarr is a hosted website that works with existing Radarr and Sonarr. [1] A neighbor searches for a movie or show on Askarr and requests it, and the owner's own Radarr or Sonarr adds it. [1]

Requests from Askarr reach the owner's Radarr and Sonarr, which then add the titles. [1] Askarr never connects to your Radarr or Sonarr and never receives their API keys. [1] Radarr and Sonarr send a message back to the site, so it shows when a title was added and downloaded. [1]

Askarr's plans include a request history with live status, so check which plan includes it before you choose. [1] The Free plan costs $0 and allows 10 requests a month. [1] Plus costs $3.99 a month for 50 requests a month. [1] Pro costs $6.99 a month for unlimited requests. [1]

Each friend who signs up through your link adds 10 requests a month to your limit. [1]

A request form and a shared request list are the other two options in the table. This page has no published details for the other two options, so check how each one handles requests, approvals and updates.

Common mistakes to avoid

Avoid letting neighbors request titles without explaining the rules. People need to know what kinds of titles can be requested and who decides what gets added.

Avoid choosing a tool before checking how it fits the way titles are already added to the shared library. The process should be clear both for the neighbors sending requests and for the person managing the library.

Avoid forgetting to review requests after setup. A request list becomes hard to manage when old or unwanted requests sit without attention.

Avoid skipping the privacy check. Look at what information a tool asks for and what access it uses before sharing the request location with the whole building.

Frequently asked questions

How can apartment building media sharers let neighbors request movies and shows?

Choose one request method, write down who can request and who approves each title, and explain in a short note how neighbors will hear that a title was added. Keep the rules simple, send the note with the request location, and review new requests on a fixed day each week. Ask a few neighbors after the first week what was unclear, and fix those points in the note.

Can Askarr work with Radarr and Sonarr?

Askarr is a hosted website that works with existing Radarr and Sonarr. [1] Requests from Askarr reach the owner's Radarr and Sonarr, which then add the titles. [1] For that to work, the owner adds Askarr once as an import list in Radarr and Sonarr. [1] Nothing else is installed. [1]

Does Askarr need access to the building's computers?

Askarr never connects to your Radarr or Sonarr and never receives their API keys. [1] Nothing is installed; the owner adds Askarr as an import list in Radarr and Sonarr. [1] Because the setup is a one-time step for the owner, neighbors only need the request location and the rules for what can be asked for.

How do neighbors find movies and shows to request with Askarr?

A neighbor can search for a movie or show on Askarr and request it, and the owner's own Radarr or Sonarr adds it. [1] A TMDB, IMDb or TVDB link can also be pasted to find the title. [1] Explain both methods in the note so neighbors know they can search by name or paste a link.

Is Askarr free for apartment buildings to use?

The Free plan costs $0 and allows 10 requests a month. [1] Plus costs $3.99 a month for 50 requests a month. [1] Pro costs $6.99 a month for unlimited requests. [1] Compare these limits with how many titles the building expects to request each month before choosing a plan.

The Free plan costs $0 and allows 10 requests a month. [1]

Try Askarr

Sources

  1. Askarr's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)

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