Housing rentals in Germany

What is a housing rental?

A housing rental or rental property is a home that you rent instead of buying. It can be an apartment, a house, a room or a townhouse. It is a flexible solution that allows you to live in a specific area without having to commit to buying a home.

When you rent a home, you pay a monthly rent depending on size, location and other factors. It is important to read the lease agreement carefully so that you know what is included in the rent and what obligations you have as a tenant.

There are many advantages to renting a home. First, it can be cheaper than other types of housing. This means you can save money and spend it on other things. Secondly, it can be easier to move when renting a home, as you do not have to sell your home before moving. Thirdly, in many rental properties you get help from the landlord or real estate company if there are problems with the lease, such as water pipes bursting, stopped drains, etc.

All in all, renting a home is a good solution for those who want flexibility and don't want to tie themselves to one place. A home for rent can be a cheaper solution than other types of housing, and it is easy and flexible to move again when you rent a home, as you do not have to find a buyer, but simply have to terminate the lease and move to a new home when the rental period expires.

Housing rentals in Germany

Germany has all types of housing rentals, accommodation, and housing properties for rent. You can use these links to search the different categories of housing for rent in Germany: Apartments for rent in Germany, houses for rent in Germany or rooms for rent in Germany. You can find 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom and 3-bedroom housing rentals in Germany. You can find furnished housing rentals and unfurnished housing rentals in Germany. There are many different neighborhoods, locations, and easy transportation in Germany.

Guide: How to find a housing rental in Germany

Do you need help finding a housing rental in Germany? Then you have come to the right place! In this guide, we will review some of the things you should be aware of when you are looking for a housing rental in Germany. Follow the steps in the guide and you will be well on your way finding the perfect housing rental in Germany!

1. Consider your needs for a housing rental

First, you must consider what type of housing rental in Germany you need. How many m2 must the housing rental be? Should it be a room, an apartment, a student residence, or a house? Do you need your own parking? How long should the rental period be? Where in Germany should the rental be located  - should the housing rental be on the outskirts of the Germany or in the inner Germany? How much are you willing to pay in rent? Should the housing rental be a penthouse, have a fridge and dishwasher, be renovated, have a terrace, balcony, have a bath, etc.? What floor should the apartment be on? Does the housing rental have to be in urban or in the countryside? Should the housing rental be a 1-bedroom, 2 -bedroom og 3-bedroom? Should it be furnished? How should the neighborhood be?

The questions are many. Once you have defined your needs, you can begin your search for a housing rental that meets your requirements.

2. Search the internet for housing rental in Germany

There are many good websites with available housing properties for rent, where you can search for your new rental in Germany. You can search directly for all types of housing rental properties on Housingtarget.com, which is one of the largest portals for housing rentals in the world. We provide an overview of the entire housing rental market.

3. Contact the landlord

When you have found a housing rental in Germany that you are interested in, you must contact the landlord. You must be prepared to write an application to the landlord, in which you tell a little about yourself and why you want to rent the housing rental. You can also ask for a showing of the housing rental, so you can see it with your own eyes.

4. Have the lease checked by a lawyer

When you have found your new housing rental in Germany, you must sign a rental contract. It is important that you get advice from a lawyer so that you make sure that everything is in order. A contract must include information about the rent, deposit, heat consumption, condition upon moving in, etc. You must, among other things, pay close attention to whether the rental is taken over repaired or unrepaired, as this can have a major impact on the costs you will be charged when you move out later. Always have a lawyer or legal practitioner check the lease before you sign it.

5. Check out the landlord properly

If the landlord wants to rent out an apartment that he owns or rents, it is not certain that he can do this without further ado. Check the landlord's permission to rent out housing association's statutes. Here you will be able to see any reservations regarding the housing rental right.

6. Deposit

Once you have signed the lease, you must pay a deposit to the landlord. The deposit is a security for the landlord in case you cause damage to the housing rental or do not pay the rent. The deposit is typically one month's rent. When both you and the housing provider have signed the lease, you will typically have several days to transfer the deposit. You should only transfer the money here to a bank in your own country bank.

You must never transfer the deposit under these conditions:

- Never transfer the deposit/rent for the housing rental to a bank outside your own country.

- Never transfer the deposit/rent for the housing rental to a person you have not met in person.

- Never transfer the deposit/rent for the housing rental until you have a contract signed by both parties.

- Never transfer the deposit/rent for the housing rental before you have checked whether the housing provider has the right to rent out the housing rental in question.

- Never transfer the deposit/rent for the housing rental before you have seen the housing rentals.

7. Make a clear agreement on moving in

Remember to make a clear agreement with the landlord about the transfer. When can you move in? When will you get the keys? etc. etc.

8. Relocation

When everything is in place, you can start moving into your new housing rental. Remember to report your move to your local municipality so they know you've moved.

Finding housing for rent in Germany

Germany has all types of housing rentals, accommodation, and housing opportunities. You can a find 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom and 3-bedroom housing rental in Germany. You can find a furnished housing rental and an unfurnished housing rental in Germany. There are many different neighborhoods, locations, and easy transportation in Germany.

Moving to Germany

If you're thinking about moving to Germany, congratulations! But before moving to Germany, there are a few things you should know. Before moving to and living in Germany you should investigate at least the following: Cost of living in Germany, healthcare in Germany, how to get a work permit or work visa in Germany, how community works in Germany, the climate in Germany, education in Germany, how to find housing in Germany, learning the language in Germany etc.

Living in Germany

Living in Germany and the lifestyle in Germany has many benefits. The food, the culture, the museums, the beautiful countryside and regions, the beautiful designs, the prices, the healthcare system in Germany and the cost of living in Germany is just some of the factors you should include. If you consider relocating to Germany you should start by finding out what type of rental housing you can find in the area you want to live and find a rental in.

Nice to know when you are searching for rental housing in Germany

Germany is greatly known as the country of beer, mountain scenery and tech businesses. It’s the second largest country in Europe after Russia at 83,190,556 inhabitants (2020). Germany has an important role in the EU as the largest economy and thereby also a big contributor to the union. Germany is divided into 16 states all with individual landscaping, traditions and look.

The largest state is called North Rhine-Westphalia and makes up about 15% of the population of Germany. North Rhine-Westphalia is located in the western part of Germany along with the states of Hesse, Rhineland - Palatinate and Saarland. Here you can experience some of the many cathedrals like the Kölner Dom in Cologne, or the Aachener Dom in Aachen, which is the burial place of Charlemagne and where more than 30 German kings have been crowned through the centuries. The landscape here is characterized by mostly rolling hills and fields and forests, but also mountains further south. There are many National parks in this area like Arnsberg Forest Nature Park, which is one of the largest wooded areas of Germany. The largest cities of these states are Düsseldorf, Cologne, Münster and Mainz.

The capital of Berlin is composed into its own small state, with a large number of citizens. It’s located in the Eastern part of Germany along the states of Saxony, Saxony - Anhalt, Brandenburg and Thuringia. The main attraction for tourists here would be Berlin. The city of glamour, grit, cutting-edge architecture, exclusive nightclubs and museums with some of the most influential stories of Europe's recent history. As the surrounding states were ruled by the Soviet Union government just 32 years ago, they’ve got many stories to tell, and historic sights to visit. The landscape in these states are characterized by Boasting forests, idyllic lakes and untamed rivers near Berlin, and rugged, rocky landscape further south.

In northern Germany lies the states of Lower Saxony, Bremen, Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein and Mecklenburg. Here you’ll enter a never ending hindsight of green fields full of cows and rolling hills. Here you’ll also find some of Germany’s only coastlines. This area is especially known in Germany as the holiday destination, and some of the islands have reached a status like the hamptons in the U.S.

If you venture south by the autobahn into the southern states of Baden - Württemberg and Bavaria, you’ll reach the rocky mountains, rolling hills and the beginning of the alps. Here you can taste the infamous traditional dish of Schweinshaxe (Pork Knuckle). Some of the biggest cities in this area are Munich, Frankfurt and Stuttgart. In total, the two states house around 40% of Germany’s population, and are also economically the strongest in Germany.