Search for Accommodation in Germany

The best way to find suitable accommodation is to search the numerous commercial online rental portals. To do this, enter your city and the type of accommodation you are looking for in the search engine. Most offers are now advertised online.

However, you should also look at the accommodation advertisements in regional daily newspapers. Here you will find offers from private landlords. Alternatively, you can contact a real estate agent who will search for a flat for you. However, this will incur costs.

Property advertisements are usually in German and contain many abbreviations, from AB (Altbau) for old building to ZH (Zentralheizung) for central heating. If you know these abbreviations, you will be able to understand the advertisements better and more quickly. We have compiled the most important abbreviations for you here.

In German flat advertisements, the number of rooms refers to all rooms except the kitchen, bathroom and hallway. In Germany, a fitted kitchen (EBK) is not always included in the rent. In some cases, you will either have to buy and install the kitchen yourself or purchase it from the previous tenant (compensation payment).

Unfortunately, compensation payments are often unreasonably high, especially in popular housing markets. However, if you refuse to pay the compensation, you may not get the flat. You should therefore always consider whether and when such payments are worthwhile.

If you are invited to view a flat, it is important to check its condition thoroughly. First of all, you should check whether the size, rent and number of rooms match the details in the flat advertisement. It is advisable to check for any defects in the doors or windows.

To estimate the additional costs, it is best to ask to see the building's energy performance certificate. If a building is older and poorly insulated, for example, the heating costs are usually higher. 

Viewings often take place with several interested parties at the same time. Once all interested parties have viewed the flat, the landlord will promptly select the future tenant.

You must prove that you have sufficient funds to pay the rent on a long-term basis. Many landlords require proof of income for the past three months. If you do not yet have this because you have just started a new job in FRM, an employment contract or a guarantee will suffice. 

In addition, a Schufa credit report is often required. This provides information on the tenant's creditworthiness. However, you can obtain a Schufa credit report only after opening a bank account in Germany. In many cases, you can apply for something similar in your country of origin or, alternatively, use a guarantee.