Housing / 45 articles
Housing in Germany: from search to move-in
A flat search works best as a sequence of decisions. Agree on your criteria first, then prepare the documents for applications and the questions for viewings. Checking the tenancy agreement and handing over the flat are separate steps that should not be mixed up with shortlisting listings.
Where to start
Three steps to get to know the topic.
All articles in this topic
Full blog- Housing4 min
Looking for a flat in Germany: how to set realistic criteria
Must-haves, acceptable compromises and a single search budget.
Read - Housing3 min
Kaltmiete and Warmmiete: how to compare what flats really cost
Why the same price in two listings can mean a different monthly budget.
Read - Housing3 min
Documents for a rental application: how to put together your file
Preparing documents for the landlord's request without oversharing personal data.
Read - Housing3 min
Renting in Germany without a German credit history: what to discuss
How to explain your situation after moving and ask about alternative evidence.
Read - Housing4 min
Your first message to a landlord: what to write and what to leave out
A short enquiry about a specific flat with clear basic details.
Read - Housing3 min
Flat viewings: what to check and write down
The condition of the flat, questions for the landlord and notes for comparing options.
Read - Housing3 min
Viewing a flat by video from abroad: how to run the call
How to ask to see specific details and keep track of questions for an in-person check.
Read - Housing3 min
How to compare two flats after viewings
A matrix of criteria, open questions and the full cost of living there.
Read - Housing3 min
Kaution: how to plan for the rental deposit when moving in
Checking payment terms, the recipient and confirmations without mixing the deposit up with the rent.
Read - Housing3 min
Tenancy agreements: which questions to prepare for a legal review
How to organise a review of the Mietvertrag and collect verbal agreements.
Read - Housing3 min
Flat handover: how to prepare for the Übergabeprotokoll
Recording the condition, keys and meter readings when you move in.
Read - Housing3 min
A flat without a kitchen: what to calculate before you choose
Fittings, installation, timing and costs when renting an empty flat.
Read - Housing3 min
Looking for a flat with a pet: how to prepare your enquiry
What to discuss with the landlord and how to keep confirmed terms on record.
Read - Housing3 min
Furnished or unfurnished: how to compare your options
The cost of the transition period, what is included and freedom to set up your home.
Read - Housing3 min
Internet in your new flat: what to check before connecting
Availability at the address, moving your contract and setting up your workspace.
Read - Housing3 min
Electricity when moving in: what information to prepare
The meter, the handover date and checking your old contract when you move.
Read - Housing3 min
Rejected rental applications: how to rethink your search
Analysing your search funnel without trying to guess the landlord's motives.
Read - Housing3 min
Buying a flat in Germany: preparing to work with professionals
How to gather criteria, documents and questions before making commitments.
Read - Housing3 min
Your first month in a new flat: a log for household issues
How to keep faults, arrangements and unfinished connections in one place.
Read - Housing3 min
Staying safe when looking for a flat: how to check an offer
Checking the flat, the other party's authority and unusual demands before handing over money or documents.
Read - Housing2 min
How to find and rent a flat in Berlin: neighbourhoods, competition and portals
A practical guide to renting in Berlin: portals, viewings, and areas inside and outside the S-Bahn ring.
Read - Housing2 min
Renting a flat in Munich: how to win over landlords in Germany's most expensive market
Looking for a flat in Munich: rent per square metre, the one-third rule, commuter towns on the MVV network and guarantees.
Read - Housing2 min
Finding a home in Frankfurt am Main: the financial centre, its neighbourhoods and what to watch for
Renting in Frankfurt: Westend, Bornheim, Sachsenhausen, aircraft noise and help from employers.
Read - Housing2 min
Bewerbungsmappe: how to put together a rental application file that stands out
What a tenant's file contains: cover letter, tenant self-disclosure form, proof of income, SCHUFA report and confirmation of no rent arrears.
Read - Housing3 min
How to get your SCHUFA data for free (copy under Art. 15 GDPR) and the paid report for landlords
Two kinds of SCHUFA report: the free data copy under the GDPR and the paid BonitätsAuskunft.
Read - Housing2 min
Wohnungsgeberbestätigung: the landlord's confirmation, deadlines and fines under Section 19 BMG
The official confirmation of moving in that you need to register at the Bürgeramt: who must sign it, what it must contain and the consequences of fake registrations.
Read - Housing2 min
Pitfalls in a German tenancy agreement: Staffelmiete, Indexmiete and cosmetic repairs
Risks in a German tenancy agreement: inflation-linked rent increases, cosmetic repairs and waivers of the right to give notice.
Read - Housing2 min
Getting your rental deposit back: review periods, interest and disputes over damage
How to recover your deposit in Germany: the usual review period of three to six months, retention for the service charge statement and steps before going to court.
Read - Housing2 min
Checking your service charge statement (Nebenkostenabrechnung): how to spot inflated items
Reviewing the annual statement: the 12-month deadline, costs allowed under the BetrKV and typical landlord mistakes.
Read - Housing2 min
The broadcasting fee (Rundfunkbeitrag): registering your flat, avoiding arrears and exemptions
Germany's mandatory broadcasting fee (€18.36): one flat, one fee, online registration and reductions.
Read - Housing3 min
Choosing an electricity supplier in Germany: basic supply or a comparison portal
How to save on electricity in Germany: switching from the expensive basic supply tariff, comparing on portals and price guarantees.
Read - Housing2 min
Getting home internet in Germany: DSL, cable or fibre, and the technician's visit
How to get fast internet in your flat: comparing technologies, the technician's appointment, your own router and temporary 5G.
Read - Housing2 min
Ending a tenancy in Germany: the three-month rule, the notice letter and replacement tenants
How to give notice on a Mietvertrag properly: the third-working-day rule, written form with a handwritten signature and finding a replacement tenant.
Read - Housing2 min
A flat without a kitchen: buying from the previous tenant, IKEA or a kitchen studio
German flats without fitted kitchens: buying the kitchen from the outgoing tenant, measuring, ordering a new kitchen and connecting the hob.
Read - Housing2 min
Mietpreisbremse: how to check whether your rent is too high and ask for a reduction
Germany's rent cap: the local rent index (Mietspiegel), the 10% allowance and recovering overpaid rent.
Read - Housing2 min
Finding a room in a shared flat through WG-Gesucht: your message and the WG casting
Renting a room in a shared flat (Wohngemeinschaft): how WG-Gesucht works, a good message and the casting.
Read - Housing2 min
House rules (Hausordnung): quiet hours, waste separation, barbecues and guests
The rules for living together in an apartment building in Germany: quiet hours, waste separation and possible fines.
Read - Housing2 min
Mould in a rented flat: proper airing, documenting the problem and reducing the rent
Dealing with damp and mould in a German flat: a ventilation log, airing in bursts and rent reductions (Mietminderung).
Read - Housing2 min
Personal liability insurance (Privathaftpflicht): protection against damage to your rented flat and lost keys
Why tenants need personal liability insurance: damage to the rented property, water damage and lost keys to a master-key system.
Read - Housing2 min
Buying a flat in Germany: the steps, the notary, property transfer tax and estate agents
The full purchase procedure: checking the land register, the notarised contract, additional costs and the transfer of ownership.
Read - Housing2 min
Getting a mortgage in Germany as a foreign national: deposit and interest rates
How to obtain property financing (Baufinanzierung): residence permit requirements, equity (from 15 to 20%) and fixed interest periods.
Read - Housing2 min
Subletting (Untermiete): the landlord's permission, taxes and the sublease
Rules for subletting under Section 553 BGB: the tenant's legitimate interest, the risks of secret subletting and termination.
Read - Housing2 min
Handing back your flat when you move out: painting, the handover report and signing without pressure
Returning the flat to the landlord: fixing defects, reading meters, drawing up the handover report and recording disagreements.
Read - Housing2 min
Furnished apartments where you can register: Wunderflats, HousingAnywhere and Homelike
How to find temporary housing for your move: mid-term rental platforms, the landlord's confirmation for registration and moving on to a permanent contract.
Read - Housing2 min
Finding a flat in Hamburg: Altona, Winterhude or the suburbs, prices and transport
Hamburg's housing market: popular areas by the Alster and Elbe, housing cooperatives and the HVV transport network.
Read
Need help with this topic?
See what the service includes and discuss the tasks you would like to hand over to our team.