How to rent an apartment in Germany

Guide and Tips

Finding an apartment at a reasonable price in big cities in Germany is quite difficult. The competition for renting in Germany is huge. It is especially difficult if you are a foreigner. In this article we are going to tell you how to rent an apartment in Germany: about the steps that help you find an affordable apartment in Germany and how to increase your chances of finding it quickly.

Our company, Nexus-Europe GmbH, assists foreigners with starting and developing their own business in Germany and moving to Germany through business. Over 20 years of operation we have helped more than 7000 customers.

In our previous articles about living costs in Berlin and living costs in other German cities​​​​​​​ we already told you about the types of accommodation in Germany, such as furnished apartments, unfurnished apartments and rooms in shared apartments. We also spoke about the costs of renting in Germany, what is included into the rent price and what is to be paid for additionally. In this article we are going to talk about the most important aspect: how to rent an apartment in Germany at an affordable price and increase your chances of actually getting it.

Renting a furnished apartment is much easier than other options. However it is also much more expensive. If you’d like to rent an apartment in Germany for long term, an unfurnished apartment would be an optimal option. To rent a regular (unfurnished) apartment you need to be patient and maximally prepared to make a good impression on the landlord and earn their trust. The landlord wants to be sure that you are financially reliable and will pay rent on time, that you are tidy, won’t create trouble and will respect the rules of the house and the country. Creating no trouble refers to your interaction with neighbors as well as to the apartment itself, meaning that you won’t cause any damage.

Here are the steps that can help you find and rent an affordable apartment in Germany:

1. You need to do your research on renting in Germany, choose the district you would like to live in and decide what price you find acceptable.

2. It makes sense to consider different sources for searching for an apartment:online portals, social media. Also you can contact a real estate agent. However please note that if you are the one to hire the agent, then you would have to pay the commission for their services.

3. You need to prepare the required documents in advance.This one is a very important aspect when talking about how to rent an apartment in Germany and it should not be underestimated. Usually there is a list of documents the landlord expects you to provide. Please pay attention to it and prepare all the documents that are listed. If you have other documents proving your credibility as a tenant, it is great to have them ready too. When you are invited to take a look at the apartment, you need to bring the full package of documents with you.

Here are the main documents that will be required for renting in Germany:

• A copy of your passport or ID
• Proof of funds. Basically, you need to prove your financial responsibility. Ideally is to provide a proof of your income in Germany of the last few months. If you don’t have it yet, you can provide proof of your income in another country of the last few months. You can also prepare a bank statement showing the current balance on your account. Actually, there can’t be too much proof in this case. If you have several documents confirming that you have enough funds, it’s best to provide them all.

Same goes for freelancers. If you don’t have a fixed income you can prove, you can get a bank statement about your income in the previous months and the current balance. If you have an option of getting a guaranty letter from a third party, it would be a great help for renting in Germany as well. The more reliability you show, the better, especially if you plan to rent an apartment in Germany for long term.

• A statement from your previous landlord confirming that you always paid rent on time. This one is not always required, however if you can get such a statement from your previous landlord, it is definitely suggested to get it and add it to your package of documents.
• Schufa record. This is basically your credit score. It is requested most of the times. Some landlords don’t even consider candidates without Schufa. You need to pay attention to this requirement when searching for an apartment in Germany. Even if it is not on the list of required documents, it’s still suggested to have it and bring it with you to the meeting with the landlord.

If you have only just arrived in Germany, you might not have the Schufa record yet. In this case it is even more important to prepare all other documents to prove your financial reliability for renting in Germany.

• Other documents might not be required however it would be your advantage if you have, for example, private liability insurance or prepare a cover letter to support your application.

4. You need to act quickly. If you see an apartment you like, you need to get in touch with the landlord as quickly as possible. Calling always gives you better chances of renting in Germany than writing an email. You also need to stay in touch and react quickly, for example, if you are invited to see the apartment. Because early bird gets the worm — and in this case the apartment.

5. We’d like to emphasize once again that it is very important to make a good impressionon the landlord, because it’s people who make decisions. That’s why you need to be polite, neatly dressed, come to your appointment on time, be friendly but not unceremonious. And don’t forget to bring all the required documents with you. Even you are not looking to rent an apartment in Germany for long term at first, following these rules will definitely come in useful.

6. To stay in touch and get contacted by landlords you need to have a local number. Many people forget about that when thinking about renting in Germany, however it might increase your chances. Many landlords won’t even consider contacting you or answering a call if you have a foreign contact number. So, as soon as you arrive in Germany, you should get a local SIM card. We explained what kind of SIM cards there are in Germany in our video about the living costs in Germany.

7. You should consider offers with no photos as well. Usually they would get fewer requests, so the chances are higher that you can rent such an apartment in Germany in case it turns out to be to your liking.

If you’d like to open a business in Germany or move to Germany through business immigration, please get in touch with us. We are always ready to help foreigners achieve their goals in Germany.