Housing and declaration

In Germany, there is a large supply of quality flats to rent, but demand is also high, particularly in the big cities. We'll give you some advice and explain what you need to think about before and after you move in.

The first accommodation

While waiting to find accommodation in Germany, you can also initially stay in a furnished flat, a hostel, a hotel or a youth hostel. However, you cannot generally declare your place of residence there. Please note that you must register your place of residence with the competent authority within 2 weeks of your arrival in Germany (see the Moving in section).

What are the different types of accommodation?

There are a number of ways to make yourself at home in Germany. The following options are available to you:

Rental apartment

• long-term accommodation (three months' notice)
• generally unfurnished, not always equipped with a kitchen

Sublet flat

• temporary accommodation for an agreed period
• usually furnished

Shared flat (WG)

• individual and generally flexible rental periods and furnishings
• living with flatmates, generally cheaper than living alone
• kitchen and bathroom generally shared, with each person having their own private room

Student Dormitory (for Students Only)

• Generally furnished, relatively inexpensive.
• Various offers: individual apartments, single rooms with shared kitchen and bathrooms, parent-child apartments.
• The residence is typically made up exclusively of students, offering good opportunities for social interaction, and sometimes includes leisure activities.
• There are often waiting lists; it is recommended to apply early through the appropriate channels.  University Works (Students' Union) of the university. The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)) also offers a variety of advice for finding accommodation.

Shared accommodation, particularly in large cities, is often a cheaper option than having your own flat. Given that finding suitable accommodation can take longer than expected, a holiday flat or a furnished sublet flat is also a good solution for finding accommodation in Germany in the early stages. This is also a good way of preparing the documents needed to find accommodation, such as pay slips or opening a bank account.

In property classified ads, we often see terms such as ‘2-room flat’, for example. This usually means that the flat has two rooms (e.g. a bedroom and a living room) and also includes a kitchenette and a separate bathroom with toilet. You'll find the most common abbreviations in this file PDF.

You can also buy property. The price of a shared-ownership flat or house varies according to location and city. For example, shared-ownership flats in Munich are more expensive than in other major German cities. When buying a flat or house, don't forget that other ancillary costs may apply, such as land transfer tax (Grunderwerbsteuer), land registry fees or notary fees.

People on low incomes who have a permanent residence permit in Germany are eligible for various forms of state support. They can apply for a residence permit or ‘Wohnungsberechtigungsschein’ (WBS) from the housing authority in their place of residence in order to be able to live in social housing. The rent for social housing is lower than that for housing on the open market. People on low incomes renting accommodation on the open market can apply for housing benefit (Wohngeld) as a rent subsidy paid by the State. The amount of housing benefit is calculated on the basis of the number of household members, the rent and the household's annual income. You can obtain full information on housing benefit from the housing benefit authority in your place of residence.

How do I find accommodation?

If you are looking for a flat or a room, you have the following options:

• Type ‘flat (Wohnung) + name of your town’ or ‘shared flat (WG) + name of your town’ into the search engine. You're sure to quickly find the most popular platforms..
• On online platforms, you can write directly to the providers and give them some initial information about yourself to increase your chances of visiting a flat. Online platforms are generally free of charge, but you usually have the option of paying a subscription fee. In return, you will see certain advertisements first and benefit from additional services such as an application pack or a chance assessment test.
• You should also ask your employer: there are often exchange platforms between colleagues where information about accommodation is also shared. Sometimes employers will help you find accommodation or even act as guarantors.
• Newspapers can also contain valuable property advertisements that are not published online. The best thing to do is to consult a daily newspaper in your area. Most advertisements are published at weekends.
• You can also ask an estate agent to look for a property for you. However, you have to pay for this service: most of the time, the commission amounts to around two or three months' rent. However, you only have to pay estate agents once you have found a suitable home. This is set out in writing in a brokerage contract between you. Stay alert for fraudulent service providers and scams!
• You can also find flats to rent with housing companies and cooperatives that only rent their flats to their members. To do this, you usually have to go in person and, if necessary, you will be put on a waiting list. You can find the addresses of local housing associations and customer centres on the Internet.

Have you found a property that suits you? Then contact the owner by e-mail or telephone. If you are shortlisted for the property, the owner will then invite you to visit the flat.

Apartment visit

If you are invited to visit a flat, you should check its condition. Do the rent, size and number of rooms match the advertisement? Also look out for any mould, connections or defects, such as windows and doors. Discuss any renovation needs with the landlord and ask if there are any alterations that need to be made.

When you visit a flat, ask to see the energy certificate (Energieausweis) so that you can estimate the building's energy consumption. An energy certificate is a document certifying the energy efficiency of a property. When you visit a property, the owners are legally obliged to show you the energy certificate.

After visiting the property, the landlord then selects the future tenant.

What documents do I need to rent a flat?

In general, landlords need your most recent payslip and your passport or residence permit (no originals, just copies). Many landlords also want proof that you have no debts. In Germany, a Schufa report (Schufa-Auskunft) is often requested. This records all debts and income, i.e. solvency. However, it is only possible to have a Schufa registration if you have lived in Germany for a long time and have a German bank account. Further information on the report can be found here Schufa. If you are coming directly from abroad, there are the following optional alternatives: in some cases, a reference from your home country bank will suffice. If you have a relative in Germany, they may be able to act as your guarantor.

If you do not yet have pay slips, some landlords will ask you for a copy of your employment contract so that they can assess whether you can pay the rent regularly. Here again, an informal letter from your employer reconfirming your employment with the company may be useful.

In addition, many landlords require you to complete a tenant information sheet (Mieterselbstauskunft) containing personal information such as family situation, children or occupation. However, there are also questions that are not permitted and that you are not obliged to answer truthfully.

The best thing to do is to ask before you visit the flat what documents are required.

Rental fees

The rental price of a property depends on the living area, residential location, year of construction and condition, as well as the facilities in the building (e.g. with lift, concierge service or parking space). Rents are particularly high in large cities such as Munich, Frankfurt and Berlin. You can look up the official rent index (Mietspiegel) and the name of your city on the Internet to find out about current rental prices.

When reading a specific real estate ad, make sure to check whether the price includes the additional costs or not ("warm" = with charges, "kalt" = without charges). For more information, read the section "Rental Contract."

Note

In Germany, it is not customary to pay the rent or security deposit in advance. By law, you should only pay the rent and deposit after signing the rental contract and conducting the property inspection, or after receiving the keys. There are also no bills for apartment viewings! If you're pressured to pay money upfront, it is likely a scam attempt. Sometimes, ads are published for properties that do not exist or have already been rented. Be cautious!

Rental contract

In Germany, rental contracts must be concluded in writing. Most of the time, the landlord will present the rental contract to you. Always read this important document carefully!

In the rental agreement, you will find the following important points:

• Duration of the lease: leases are available for a fixed or indefinite period. However, fixed-term tenancy agreements are only permitted in the event of the owner's intended personal use (Eigenbedarf) or if major conversion work is to be carried out. The reason for the limited duration must be stated in the lease agreement. Some leases also contain a so-called ‘no-cancellation’ clause (Kündigungsausschluss). This is a minimum rental period of up to four years during which you cannot terminate the contract and, conversely, your landlord cannot give you notice to quit.
• Notice period: if you have an open-ended tenancy agreement, you must give your notice in writing three months before the planned date of your move. Your landlord must also respect the three-month notice period; this period is extended to six or nine months if you have been living in the property for a long time. Your landlord can only give you notice within the notice period if it is for personal use. However, termination without notice is possible if you fail to comply with the tenancy agreement (e.g. in the event of non-payment).
• Rent with and without service charges: a distinction is made between rent without service charges (Kaltmiete) and rent with service charges (Warmmiete). Rent without service charges includes the cost of using the premises per month. Rent with service charges therefore also includes charges such as water, heating, refuse collection and caretaker services. Each month, the rent including charges is paid to the landlord. Most of the time, you pay an advance or a lump sum for the charges, as it is not known exactly how much you will consume over the year. At the end of the year, you receive your exact consumption figures in a statement, and either you get some money back or you have to pay extra. So it's well worth paying attention to your consumption!
• Electricity and gas often have to be declared separately and are not usually included in the rent including charges. The basic supplier in your place of residence will also make electricity and gas available to you on a temporary basis before you sign the contract. However, you must contact the supplier and sign a contract. In some tenancy agreements, gas costs are included in the service charges. Ask your landlord about this. Otherwise, as with service charges, the supplier will estimate your consumption at the start of the year and send you an accurate statement of your consumption at the end of the year.
• Deposit: your landlord may also ask you to pay a deposit equivalent to three months' rent, excluding charges, as a guarantee when you sign the contract. Once you have moved out, this sum will be returned to you, unless you have damaged something in the flat, for example, or have not paid the rent.
• Staggered rent / index-linked rent: in addition to fixed-term and open-ended tenancy agreements, there are other special features in Germany. For example, tenancy agreements can already include a rent increase. In the case of staggered rents, it is determined precisely when the rent will be increased and by how much. It can be increased every twelve months. Rent indexation, on the other hand, is not fixed in advance. It is based on changes in the cost of living (electricity, gas, water, food, etc.). If the cost of living rises, the landlord can also increase the net rent without charges. The consumer price index applies, and a rent increase is also possible every twelve months, subject to written justification. But even in the case of tenancy agreements without indexation or staggering of the rent, the landlord can increase the rent after justifying the increase. There are, however, legal rules: the rent increase must not exceed the local reference rent and must not exceed 15-20% over a three-year period. After moving in, an increase can only be made after 15 months.
• Entry inventory of fixtures: an entry inventory of fixtures (Übergabeprotokoll) is not required by law, but it is strongly recommended. This can be included in the rental contract, and is signed by you and the landlord when you move in. The condition of the flat when you move in is recorded in the inventory of fixtures on arrival, and it is specified on this document whether there has already been any minor damage, for example. These damages cannot then be billed to you when you leave the flat. It is also a good idea to take photographs when you move in. You should also note down and photograph the meters (electricity, water, gas) when you move in. At the same time, you should not make any structural changes to the flat, such as changing the flooring, without your landlord's permission. Minor alterations and embellishments are often possible with permission.

Do you need advice? The regional tenancy associations or the tenants' protection association (Mieterschutzbund) provide advice on tenancy rights and obligations, such as the tenancy agreement, rent increases or even terminations, for example. After an initial free consultation, an inexpensive membership is required to receive more in-depth legal assistance from the tenancy association or tenant protection association. The non-profit consumer protection association (Verbraucherzentrale) can also advise you at a lower cost..

For more information, visit the the tenants' protection association (Mieterschutzbund) or of the consumer protection association (Verbraucherzentrale).

Co-ownership regulations and waste sorting

The co-ownership regulations may form part of the rental contract and are intended to govern cohabitation in a building comprising several units. Please respect the rules and obligations to avoid conflicts in the building and to avoid the risk of termination. For example, it may be forbidden to smoke in the building and therefore in your flat.

In general, co-ownership regulations include the following points:

• Quiet hours: In Germany, silence is expected between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. You should avoid making loud noises during this time. If you plan to have late-night parties, it’s a good idea to inform your neighbors in advance to prepare them.
• Ventilation/Heating: Many condominium regulations specify how to properly ventilate and heat your apartment in order to prevent mold.
• Use of common areas: For shared spaces like laundromats, bicycle storage rooms, or garden areas, the landlord may impose certain restrictions. For example, it may be specified where laundry can be dried or which garden furniture can be placed.
• Pets: Keeping small animals (hamsters, rabbits, parrots, etc.) is generally always allowed and does not require special approval. However, for larger animals, including dogs and cats, you usually need the permission of your landlord. Check your rental agreement for this.
• Waste separation: proper waste separation is compulsory in Germany and helps to protect the environment. You must dispose of your rubbish in the appropriate bin. If you don't, your landlord may issue you with a warning or even give you notice to vacate. In fact, landlords have to pay higher charges for the collection of household waste if they fail to sort it properly. You can find out more about waste separation in Germany in the ‘Useful everyday information’ section.

Visits and family reunification

If a visitor is staying with you for more than six consecutive weeks, you must reach an agreement with your landlord. If you wish to sublet your home, you must always obtain your landlord's permission. Similarly, a permanent visitor may lead to an increase in rent and service charges.

If you are planning to bring your family to Germany, you should also discuss this with your landlord. If your household grows, the charges may be increased. The accommodation should not be considered overcrowded either. Each person should have around eight to ten square metres of living space, and six square metres for children under the age of six.

Moving in

• Notification to the Domicile Registration Office (Meldebehörde): everyone living in Germany must be registered. This declaration must be made no later than two weeks after you move in to the registration office in your place of residence. You will need a valid identity card. If you are living in rented accommodation, you must also submit a completed confirmation from the owner of the accommodation (Wohnungsgeberbescheinigung). This is a document in which the landlord confirms the date and place of your move-in. You can usually find the form and the address of the relevant registration office on the website of the town or city to which you are moving. Appointments often have to be made online.
• Taking out an energy and water supply contract: If electricity, hot water, or heating gas are not included in the service charges, you must find a provider yourself and sign a contract with them. But don’t worry: you won’t be left without utilities on your first day of moving in. In a new apartment, you automatically receive electricity, water, and gas from the local default provider under their standard terms. You can look for a different provider after you move in and use free comparison websites online for this purpose. The notice period for cancelling a contract with the default provider is two weeks. .
• Subscribing to a phone, internet, and cable TV service: There are several providers in Germany. It’s worth comparing them — online comparison portals can help. A tip: setting up your phone line, TV, and internet connection can take several weeks. If possible, it’s best to contact a suitable provider before moving in.
• Broadcasting fee: In Germany, you are required to pay a fee (around 18 euros per month) for radio, television, and internet to the public service organization responsible for collecting the broadcasting fee, called Beitragsservice ARD, ZDF und Deutschlandradio. This fee is often referred to as the GEZ fee (GEZ-Gebühr). All residents of a household must register individually, but the fee is charged per household — regardless of the number of people living there. If your roommate or partner is already paying the fee, you can provide their contribution number when registering and share the cost. You must pay the fee even if you do not use the services or do not have a TV. The fee is used to fund public broadcasting services. After you move in, you will receive a letter from the broadcasting fee service with a registration form.  here more information about the registration process. It is also possible to change the language at the bottom of the website. Blind or hearing-impaired persons can apply for a reduction. Certain groups of people with low incomes may apply for an exemption.  exempt from paying the fee.

Finding support

Finding housing is not always easy! If you need help, you can contact a migration counseling center for adults (Migrationsberatungsstelle für Erwachsene – MBE) near you, for example. They can also assist you with other issues such as learning German or health-related matters. There is also a…  application MBE …platform that offers online consultations as well.

Moreover, there are Welcome Centers in many German cities, some of which also offer advice on finding housing. The Goethe-Institut also has "welcome coaches" in certain locations in Germany. In cooperation with partner organizations, they organize  events events and consultations on topics such as housing, employment, and health.