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‘Know your rights’: The advice you need about renting in Germany

Getting a place to stay in Germany is no easy task due to high costs, bureaucracy and picky landlords. We asked internationals for advice on finding a flat.

Published: 18 April 2019 10:08 CEST
Updated: 24 April 2019 18:16 CEST
'Know your rights': The advice you need about renting in Germany
Apartments in Frankfurt. Photo: DPA

Anyone who's tried to rent a flat or house will be familiar with the long and drawn-out process. Whether it's attending a viewing with 30 other people, having to print, prepare and photocopy a pile of documents – or simply dealing with landlords and the property management, finding a flat is tough. 

Unfortunately there's no quick fix – and it's causing huge stress for internationals living here.

We asked our readers to share some of advice on finding a place.

SEE ALSO: High costs, long queues and discrimination: What it's like to rent in Germany

Stay on top of 'convenient' flat-finding websites

Respondents praised the websites that people in Germany can use to search for a flat, such as WG-Gesucht, ImmobilienScout24 and eBay Kleinanzeigen, calling them “convenient and practical”.

Pranshul, 21, an Indian resident from Dubai, who is studying in Jülich, North Rhine-Westphalia, said: “The ability to directly message a landlord or ad owner is highly convenient.

“This is perhaps the best way of looking for a new place to move into, compared to less affordable options (especially for students) such as a property agent.”

Don't forget about Facebook groups. Often people will post about available rooms with pictures on the site. However, be prepared to face lots of competition. Rooms can be snapped up very quickly.

Many websites also give you the option to create a profile of yourself, adding a photo and filling in criteria of what you're looking for – be it the ideal size of the flat or the location you're after. It also allows landlords to get a sense of you when you apply for the flat online.

“Be quick to respond to any advertisement and try to mail in the German language,” added another respondent.

Don't just keep it digital

When it comes to looking for a new apartment or house to rent, readers also advise being proactive and speaking to people. This could be asking colleagues at work, fellow students or talking about it in your community.

Even some posters on notice boards in universities might be a good way to advertise the fact you're looking for an apartment.

SEE ALSO: Renting in Germany – What you need to know

Know your rights – or join a union

As we reported, finding a place to live causes significant anxiety for internationals living in Germany. Our readers told us that Munich in particular is too expensive, there's not enough availability in Berlin and that discrimination was rife during the flat-finding process across the country. 

Rachel, 25, from New York who lives in Berlin said: “The process not only allows but encourages landlords to act on their worst instincts and develop stereotypes based on attributes like gender and country of origin.”

“The result hurts everyone: those who are not selected for arbitrary reasons are often forced to pay more for short-term options like Airbnb that drives up costs for everyone.”

Although tenants don't have power in every situation, being part of a Mietverein, which acts as a kind of union to support tenants, can help.

Photo: DPA

The Deutscher Mieterbund (DMB) is the umbrella organization for 320 local tenants associations, or Mietervereine (renters' associations), in cities all across Germany, which employs about 1,300 full-time employees and 2,500 volunteers across its network.

The DMB's website offers sample tenancy contracts, up-to-date information on the average heating, water, and cooling costs, and explanations about tenancy laws.

One reader said: “I found it helpful to know I could contact the Mietverein if I needed to, especially because my German isn't that good.”

But you can make sure you also take your own steps. One respondent to our survey said: “Read your contract three to four times.”

Meanwhile, David in Berlin simply said “don’t trust agents”, while another reader advised not getting your own apartment but instead opting for a shared flat to avoid bureaucracy.

SEE ALSO: Rent for student housing across Germany has sky-rocketed, survey shows

Watch for scams

Adarsh, who lives in Munich, warned people to watch out for scammers on websites such as WG Gesucht or other sites, and never transfer money if you have any suspicions.

From the age-old 'deposit the money and I'll send the key' scam, to newer forms of fraud which may lead to identity theft, it pays to remain suspicious. 

Don't be shy to ask further questions – and remember that if it seems too good to be true, then it probably is. 

Preparation, preparation, preparation

This is a good tip to stick to in Germany where the process is often very bureaucratic. Landlords and property management companies typically require lots of documents and photocopies. 

From evidence of your earnings to a credit check (Schufa), never forget that Germans love paperwork. 

SEE ALSO: Schufa – How this one piece of paper holds the key to your future in Germany

“Get your documents sorted in advance,” one reader said. “Be open and honest about who you are, and your journey.  But be sure to give reassurance (if you can) about your circumstances with visas or how long you intend to stay.”

Shaik in Stuttgart, said you should discuss all the hidden costs and work hard in advance, while some readers said you should ask for help from friends and colleagues who will know more about the German system.

SEE ALSO: How to stand out from the flat-finding crowd

Be 'memorable' at the viewing

No one wants to think of a flat or a house viewing as an audition, but sadly when there's lots of competition, you do have to show off your best self.

When looking for an apartment or house, Carolyn said you should try to be as “human and memorable” when applying or meeting potential new housemates.

Make sure you make a good impression by arriving on time (a bit early in case there's a queue) and preparing the kinds of things you want to say.

Stay in the game

Don't feel disheartened if you keep getting knocked back. Our readers reported lots of difficulties in finding a place to stay.

“I have been searching for a house in the south of Munich for the past 4 months,” said Ajith. “It's even hard to get a viewing. When we get a viewing opportunity there will be 25 people standing in a queue.”

Silviu, from Romania who lives in Munich said people searching for somewhere to stay should be flexible.  It helps to have a high salary to afford to live in a major city, he said. Or be prepared to live outside the city which may leave you with a longer commute.

One respondent said: “Keep sending applications and pray for the best. Here, it’s all about luck.”

“Be patient and wait for the right place. You will find it eventually,” another reader said.

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READER INSIGHTS

How foreign residents in Germany are winning rent reductions

Rent is often the biggest expense for foreign residents in Germany. Even though there are rent controls in some cities, tenants can still be charged too much. Readers shared how they managed to get a rent reduction.

Published: 2 May 2024 14:57 CEST
How foreign residents in Germany are winning rent reductions

The Local asked readers whether they have tried to reduce their rents in Germany, and to what end. 

Of the readers who responded, nearly half said they had never tried to reduce their rent. Among the other half of respondents, many said they either wanted to reduce their rent or were currently in the process of trying to have it reduced. 

About 18 percent of respondents to our survey said they had successfully reduced their rents in Germany before.

Why do residents want rent reductions?

Germany notoriously has the lowest rate of home ownership in Europe, which has long been attributed to being a country with high real estate prices and relatively low rents.

But this means that a large number of German residents are directly affected by rising rents. Low-income individuals living in urban hubs where rents have been rising rapidly in recent years are particularly vulnerable.

According to Germany’s statistical office (Destatis), 11.8 percent of the population was overburdened by housing costs as of 2022 – meaning these households spent more than 40 percent of their income on housing.

Unsurprisingly, a number of readers cited inflation and cost-of-living increases as the primary reason they wanted to try for a rent reduction.

READ ALSO: How to grow your savings in Germany during high inflation

A couple of readers noted that their current rent prices are making their living costs too high.

Rothe, 29, who lives in Aachen, says she can’t bear her current rent but is stuck in a contract.

Similarly, Lucas, 35, who lives in Horb am Neckar said he wants to reduce his rent to balance his expenses following the recent cost-of-living hikes. He says he’s tried to negotiate with his landlord, who doesn’t care to do so.

While landlords are unlikely to grant a rent reduction based on inflation or cost-of-living increases, there are a few reasons you can legitimately demand a rent reduction in Germany.

Make sure your rent isn’t exceeding the price brake limit

The rent price brake (Mietpreisbremse) isn’t perfect, but it’s arguably Germany’s strongest protection for tenants against rising rents. 

It’s designed to prevent landlords from raising rents to ‘unreasonable’ levels, but with no central agency for enforcement, the burden falls on tenants to demand legal rents.

READ ALSO: German rent brake to be extended until 2029: What you need to know

Andrew, 62, successfully reduced the rent he pays for his flat in Berlin’s Gesundbrunnen area with the rent brake rule. After he realised the “rent was high for the location”,  he contacted his tenant’s association.

He thought that his landlord responded in a reasonable manner: “They thought the condition of the flat justified the higher rent and paid a friendly visit to point out the features,” Andrew said.

“We countered that the features were all quite old and that the previous tenants had been on a lower rate.”

Mieten runter "rents down"

The words “Rents down” are graffitied on the wall of a rental building. About 75% of Berlin rents are set illegally high, a legal expert told The Local. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Monika Skolimowska

The rent brake prohibits landlords from setting rents more than 10 percent above a local average value, which is recorded in a local rent price index. You can find your local rent price index by searching for the German term “Mietspiegel”, along with the name of your city or region.

Here is one for Berlin, which allows you to calculate your rent index based on your current address and a few factors such as the area of your flat and how old the building is etc.

Andrew recommends joining a tenants’ union and using an online calculator to check if your rent is reasonable. He also says you should be prepared to negotiate and to compromise where necessary.

Gerson, 50, who lives in North Rhine-Westphalia, also found that his current rent was too high for his location. He says he is currently looking for a company that can assist him with the process to demand a rent reduction.

David, 57, in Berlin said he believes his rent is “illegally high” compared to other and he has hired a lawyer to go through the process of trying to get a rent reduction. 

There are also legal service providers that can help with renters’ issues in Germany, and some that even specialise in winning rent reductions with the rent price brake. You can find some of them through an online search. You may want to look for one that will initiate the process at no cost to you. Some will even complete the service with no cost to tenants, applying their fees instead to the landlords at fault in the event that they win a rent reduction.

READ ALSO: Why are Berlin rents soaring by 20 percent when there’s a rent brake?

It’s also worth noting that the rent price brake only applies to rental markets that are considered highly competitive. So it applies to most of Germany’s big cities, but may not apply in suburban or rural regions.

Overcharged by faulty measurements

Rents prices in Germany are usually calculated according to a price per metre of living space. Therefore, in some cases, it may be worth double checking that your living space has been calculated accurately.

One reader, who didn’t wish to be named, told The Local that he had previously reduced his rent for an apartment in Düsseldorf in this way.

“We had a small attic apartment with slanted walls,” the reader said. “The total square metres of the apartment were based on measurement from wall to wall. However, walls had to be straight to a height of at least 1.2 metres before the slanted side can begin [or else] the total square metres start from the point where the vertical height of 1.2 metres is available.”

After he learned about this requirement he measured the apartment, and found that his own rent had been based on a measurement of the floor plan, not the legally defined living space. Then he contacted his tenants’ association, which sent an architect to confirm the measurements.

Initially sceptical, his landlord sent another architect to check the measurements. But when it was confirmed, his rent was lowered accordingly. “Turned out that we had to pay for about 10 square metres less all in all,” the reader said.

This incident was 15 years ago, and these types of regulations can vary from region to region.

His advice to readers is to check up on the local regulations that may apply to your situation. 

In other cases, some renters have been able to negotiate rent reductions for other inconveniences – such as excessive noise, for example.

READ ALSO: How to get a rent reduction for problems in your German flat

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