RENTING IN GERMANY — A DETAILED 2022 GUIDE

Finding a place to live is one of the most crucial tasks when relocating to Germany. Most ex-pats choose to rent in Germany; just a handful choose to buy a house or apartment after living in Germany for a while. When it comes to renting an apartment in Germany as a foreigner, there are a few things you should be aware of to prevent a bureaucratic slog and unneeded stress.

This article will detail all of the pitfalls and idiosyncrasies of German flats, as well as provide crucial suggestions on locating an apartment in Germany and what to look for in the rental contract.

8 points to remember when renting a property in Germany

You should be aware of what to expect from German flats before you start your apartment hunt there. They differ from what you are used to in your nation of origin.

In Germany, the great majority of available apartments are unfurnished. Let’s discuss what this involves.

1. The bathroom is a standard feature of German apartments.

Every rental unit in Germany comes with a bathroom (s). The shower is frequently built into the bathtub rather than existing as a separate unit. The unit is smaller the more likely this is.

2. Kitchens are absent from German apartments.

For the majority of ex-pats, this is by far the most unexpected component, and it causes a lot of disbelief. The vast majority of unfurnished rental apartments in Germany lack a kitchen. Yes, you did read that right.

What are your choices is the crucial query, then.

Make sure the kitchen is mentioned in your rental agreement if you locate a listing that has one in the apartment’s pictures. If not, the previous tenant — who might also be the kitchen’s owner — will probably take it with them. You can choose from the following options for the kitchen:

• Buy the kitchen from the previous occupant.
• Only consider apartments with kitchens.
• Rent a completely furnished flat.
• Rent a place without a kitchen before getting one.

3. Appliances are not usually included in German apartments.

The same is true for devices like washers and dryers. They are probably not mentioned. Make careful to double-check the measurements if you need to buy one because washing machines in Germany come in a variety of shapes and sizes to fit in teeny apartments. However, due to their large size and high energy consumption, dryers are not commonly used in Germany. Germans use clothes racks to dry their garments.

4. In Germany, utilities are calculated separately from rent.

The phrases for the cost of a flat are warmmiete (warm rent) and compete (cool rent) (cold rent). The rent is frequently the first amount you see for an apartment. The utilities (Nebenkosten) for water, heating, waste pickup, and occasionally TV cable, among other things, must be included in the rental rate, so this is not the total amount you will pay. Therefore, your total monthly rent payment consists of both the cold rent and the utilities. Typically, utilities do not include electricity, so you will need to sign up with a supplier.

5. When looking for an apartment in Germany, communication partners vary.

There is no single individual to get in touch with when looking for an apartment to rent. The landlord (Vermieter), the former tenant (Vormieter), the property management (Hausverwaltung), a real estate agent (Makler), a tenant (Mieter) looking for a sublet (Untervermieter), or a flatmate may be in charge of the listing (WG-Bewohner). To determine who you are dealing with, carefully read the listing.

6. Deposits are highly prevalent in Germany.

You will almost certainly be asked to pay a deposit before you can move into your new home (Kaution). The law permits deposits up to three times the net cold rent. The landlord will keep the deposit in escrow while you are a guest there.

After moving out, you will get your deposit back in three to six months. The deposit is typically repaid a few days or weeks after you vacate, and the trustworthiness is typically good.

The landlord may, however, keep a portion of your deposit if you have damaged the apartment or have not fully renovated it to restore it to the condition it was in when you first moved in. Therefore, take good care of your apartment and report any damages right once so that they may be fixed.

7. The number of floors in an apartment varies in Germany.

The floor numbering in German apartment listings is not confusing. In Germany, floors are referred to by the following names:

• Basement
• Ground floor
• The first floor above the ground floor
• top floor — literally under the roof

8. In Germany, an apartment’s number of rooms is set.

In Germany, a flat’s kitchen and bathroom are never considered to be rooms. In light of this, you want to think about renting a 2-room apartment (2 Zimmer Wohnung) in Germany if you desire a living room and a bedroom.

Documents Required In Germany For Renting

The rental property advertisement will specify the precise documentation you must provide. The following are the seven types of paperwork that are typically needed in Germany when renting an apartment.

1. A copy or scan of an ID or passport (Necessity)

2. Evidence of income (Necessity)

3. a report by SCHUFA (Requested most of the time)

4. A request letter or application form (Sometimes requested)

To compare the interested parties, some adverts ask you to complete an application form or write a formal application letter. Even if it is not required, an application letter could make you stand out from the competition.

7. Insurance for private liability (Beneficial)

You may need to have third-party liability insurance, according to some landlords. We advise including it in your application even if your landlord does not demand it because it shows that you are protected and enhances your credibility.