Renting in Germany: How to find and secure your accommodation

Learn all about subletting and renting in Germany and get a grasp of useful German rental terms!

Ellie

9 minute read

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Updated on 5 Aug 2024

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Renting

Finding a new home in a new country can take quite a bit of time and research. When renting in Germany, you might encounter some unique challenges. To help you in your German house hunt, we’ll help you learn all there is to know about renting in Germany.

In this article, you’ll learn about:

• The types of housing in Germany
• How to find a home in Germany
• Subletting in Germany
• What to do after you’ve found your new home
• German rental terms

Once you’ve found your home, you can tick one more thing off your moving checklist, so let’s get started!

First, let’s take a look at what you can expect when moving to Germany. Whether you’re going to Germany to study or kickstart your career, there are different types of accommodation in the German market for you to consider.

Student accommodation in Germany

Germany is quickly becoming one of the top educational destinations in Europe, with thousands of international students choosing to study there each year. Depending on which city you choose to study in, finding student accommodation in Germany can be challenging, so let’s take a look at what’s in store.

Rooms (Zimmer) and studios are the most popular among students, alongside sharing an apartment. This shared living (referred to as Wohngemeinschaft, or WG) often consists of roommates who don’t necessarily know each other. WG living id very popular amongst international students as it’s an affordable way to live while also making new friends.

Another thing to note is that subletting is also quite common. For example, so rents an apartment from a landlord only to sublet one or more rooms in the apartment to another tenant. So you might just end up living alongside your de-facto landlord.

These arrangements can be pretty informal, which makes them great for shorter-term stays. If you’re looking to stay for any length of time, though, make sure you get a written and signed rental contract. You should also have a good understanding of your tenant rights.

These Italian expats shared with us the highs and lows of househunting in Berlin. Check it out now:

Accommodation for professionals in Germany

With so many big companies having their headquarters in Germany, it’s no surprise that young professionals are flocking to work there. With such high competition for accommodation in cities like Berlin and Munich, it’s good to know what to expect when looking for housing in Germany.

For most young professionals, the most desirable living situation is to rent an entire apartment. This is a great way to set up a new home for yourself in Germany and have a space to host your new friends and colleagues. However, while the prices vary a lot from city to city (as you’ll see in our rent index), entire apartments are usually the most expensive rental option for young professionals.

On the other hand, a studio apartment might offer you the right balance between space and privacy. Studio apartments tend to be more affordable but can be harder to find. Particularly in cities like Stuttgart, where most people will share or rent an entire apartment.

The cheapest and most social option is obviously to share an apartment with some other expats or local Germans. Renting a room is typically the cheapest option and might be exactly what you need to kickstart your social circle in Germany.

Renting as a family in Germany

Whether you’ve been moving for years or recently decided to move yourself and your family abroad, renting as a family can be tricky. Finding a place that accommodates the needs of your entire family without breaking the bank can take time and focus. Be sure to spend a good amount of time preparing for your move, and try to have accommodation sorted before you arrive.

If you're renting with your family, you’ll want a place with a few rooms and some space. For most families, this rules out renting a studio or sharing a place with others. You’ll need something a little more spacious and permanent, so renting an apartment with a couple of bedrooms in Germany is probably the way to go for you. Depending on the length of your stay, you might want to make your place your own.

No worries there, as many of the apartments on the German market, are in an unfurnished state. So, you’re free to decorate your house to your own taste, down to the curtains and the kitchen appliances. That said, there’s also a wide variety of fully furnished options available if you just want a rental as a temporary stepping stone to your new life in Germany.

In terms of location, you might find it tricky to find rentals with multiple bedrooms in or around the city centre. Don’t forget to take a look at the listings outside of the city centre. You’ll typically find these neighbourhoods to be more family-friendly anyway!

Now that you know what to look for, you can start focusing on the fun part! Finding housing can be a great adventure. You just have to know where to look and the best way to search.

Choose your destination

Finding the right destination city might be a great place to start. Each German city has its own housing market and varies in terms of safety, cost of living and international scene. Want to know more? You’re welcome to read our article about the best places to live in Germany for expats.

Find a reliable housing platform

Now that you know where you want to live, you’ll want to sign up with a trusted housing platform. You have the option of using a real estate agency or expat housing service, but these can be very expensive, and the fees are often not listed upfront.

You might also feel like setting out on your own to look for an apartment. Social media platforms like Facebook do have many groups and communities where you can look for listings. However, remember that the housing markets in bigger cities are extremely competitive. Often, a listing can be rented out within hours, so you have to stay ahead of the game.

Keep in mind that because of the extremely competitive rental market, there are many scammers on Facebook.

At HousingAnywhere, we have scam detection technology built upon machine learning. This prevents scam listings from appearing on the website in the first place.

Furthermore, we keep your money safe until 48 hours after you've moved in. In case the place doesn’t match what was advertised (such as a single instead of a double bed), we'll give you your money back and help you find another place.

Facebook simply doesn't offer this level of security. In addition, HousingAnywhere makes your search easier by notifying you when a new suitable property is listed. So you can immediately talk directly to the property owner. You can book as soon as a listing becomes available, even if you’re not in the country.

In addition, you’ll have a German address and an invoice for your advance payment. This is perfect if you’re applying for a visa!

Paying your utilities

When considering a rental price, make sure to take into account whether the amount implies warm rent (warmmiete) or basic rent (kaltmiete). Warm rent includes service charges and utility costs on top of the basic rent.

If your landlord charges you for any of these costs, they must also provide you with a cost breakdown at the end of the year.

Yes, __subletting is legal in Germany. That means you could always get a roommate and save some money by splitting the rent at the same time!

However, to sublet your apartment, you need to first obtain a permit from your landlord or property manager.

Can the landlord refuse my request to sublet?

Your landlord is obliged to agree to the sublet if you have a legitimate interest in subletting. That can be of personal or economic cause such as:

• change in your income situation so you’re not able to pay full rent (e.g. losing a job or getting divorced)
• your current roommate is moving out
• your siblings need housing
• you need a subtenant for a child or medical care

As an expat, you might need to travel abroad for a while. In that case, you can rent out your entire apartment to avoid paying rent when you aren’t at home. The landlord, therefore, is obliged to give their permission if you aren’t giving up on your apartment completely (e.g. keeping your furniture and keys).

However, your request to sublet can be refused if:

• The potential subtenant might cause a disturbance or damage to the apartment
• It causes overcrowding in the apartment
• The landlord had problems with the potential subtenant in the past
• You want to sublet the apartment for tourist purposes

Do I need a subletting contract?

Even though you’re not legally obliged to sign a contract with the subtenant, we advise you to put your subletting agreement in writing.

The same goes for if you’re the tenant of a sublet room. Make sure you sign a contract clearly stating the period of the lease, the rental cost and any additional charges, house rules, shared spaces and the required deposit amount. That way, you can avoid any potential misunderstandings.

When renting an apartment in Germany, there are several documents that you need to have at the ready. Not all landlords will require every document, but making sure you’re prepared will save you much time and headspace.

The most common documents landlords will require are:

• Copies of a valid Passport or ID card
• A copy of your residence permit (if you require one).
• Proof of income (Einkommensnachweis), which could be bank statements and payslips showing your salary, your German employment contract, proof of scholarship or any other document that proves you can afford your tenancy.
• A document provided by your previous landlord (Mietschuldenfreiheitsbescheinigung), indicating you have no outstanding rental payments. ;
• A valid SCHUFA (credit check) report

The SCHUFA report

When trying to rent through conventional channels, expats can get stuck in a vicious cycle due to the SCHUFA report. You need a SCHUFA report to open a bank, or sign a lease in most situations. But to get the SCHUFA report you need to have a German address. But you need the SCHUFA report to get your address… and the cycle continues. Thankfully, landlords on HousingAnywhere understand this problem, and will accept an alternative proof of financial health, or proof of income. This way you can hit the ground running by booking before you arrive in Germany, and not have to get caught in the vicious cycle of the SCHUFA report.

To make your house hunting most efficient, it’s best to have a digital and physical copy of all of your documents. It’s good to stay prepared when it comes to your rental journey in Germany.

Before you sign a contract, make sure you familiarise yourself with German tenant rights. Spending some time to wrap your head around the German rental lingo, and understanding your rights as a tenant is vital before you sign any documents. This might save you a headache down the line!

Once you’ve found your place and signed your contract, it’s time to move in! One of the first responsibilities you’ll have is to register your new interest with your local municipality within 2 weeks of moving in. Each city will have their own Bürgeramt (registration office), and the registration process might vary a little from city to city. However, this step is essential for everyone planning to stay in Germany longer than 3 months.

When going to the registration office, you’ll need to have:

• A filled registration form (Meldeschein or Anmeldung) which you can download from the registration office’s website
• A valid form of identification
• Your signed rental contract

Of course there’re some more responsibilities once you move in, such as setting up your internet. If you’re new to Germany, you’ll need to set up your bank account so you can easily pay rent and receive your income, you’ll also need to arrange your insurance, and set up some other requirements. Having a moving checklist is handy to ensure you don’t miss any essentials.

It’s a good idea to get to know some of the German words you might hear during your house hunt. To help, we’ve collected the most common German rental terms you’ll hear:

• Who is the Mieter? – Tenant, this would be you!
• Who is the Vermieter? – Landlord, the person who is renting out this space.
• What is a Makler? – A real estate agent
• What does Wohnfläche mean? – The size of a place in square metres. This includes all the rooms and ¼ of a balcony. Make sure you know what the minimum apartment size for you and/or your family should be.
• What is Kaltmiete? – Basic rent, the monthly rental price excluding any extra costs.
• What is Warmmiete?- Full rent, including additional costs, such as electricity, heating and internet.
• What does Untervermietet mean? – Sublet. This means the place is being sublet, so you’re not renting directly from the actual landlord.
• What does Kaution mean? – Deposit, which can range between 1x-3x the Kaltmiete (excluding bills). The deposit is always specified in the rental contract.
• What is an Einkommensnachweis? – Proof of income, such as your employment contract and/or bank statements which prove you will be able to afford to rent a place.
• Mietschuldenfreiheitsbescheinigung- A document, usually provided by your previous landlord, that states that you didn’t skip out and have any open rental payments.
• Mietvertrag -The rental agreement.
• Schlafzimmer – Bedroom. When mentioned in a listing, these are included in the number of rooms.
• Badezimmer – Bathroom. Unless there is more than one, these are not counted in the number of rooms in a listing.
• EBK (Einbauküche) – Fitted kitchen. Often found in a place that's been recently renovated.
• Renoviert – Renovated. As you might guess, these apartments have recently been given a makeover, which often implies a brand-new kitchen or bathroom.

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