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Many Germans reside in rented houses. Housing, especially at the less expensive end of the scale, is in great demand. The housing market in Germany has altered over the last few years. Housing has become scarce, especially in bigger cities. This also has an effect on prices and leas. Nevertheless the quantity of lease or the purchase price for a home depends basically on where (city/state) you live or where the apartment or condo is situated (location/district).

The currently most pricey German cities are Munich, Frankfurt am Main, Stuttgart, Freiburg im Breisgau, Ingolstadt, Hamburg, Mainz, Darmstadt and Berlin. In these cities, citizens typically pay over 30% of their income for lease.

An overview of the amount of rent in Germany - broken down by Federal state - can be discovered on the homepage "Rent level survey in Germany ". The lease level study corresponds to the typical lease without additional expenses (heating, electrical energy, water, and so on). The quantity of lease can be extremely various and depends on where you live.

An inexpensive apartment on the outskirts provides not only rate benefits but likewise the opportunity to live away from the big city in a green environment. The suburban areas are particularly ideal as a location to live for young households with kids. The city centre can typically be reached quickly for commuters thanks to the great transport connections in Germany.

There are no restrictions for immigrants when looking for or purchasing realty. You can rent an apartment or buy a residential or commercial property in Germany from your native land. In doing so, nevertheless, you need to observe the legal arrangements appropriate in Germany that apply to the purchase of residential or commercial property (for example a notarial contract).

For the first couple of weeks up until you have found a house to rent or buy in Germany, you have numerous options to find lodging.

2. Find housing

The most common way to discover an appropriate house - be it for lease or for sale - is by means of real estate ads on the Internet or in appropriate newspapers, which release home advertisements not just in their print variations however likewise by themselves sites. In addition, you will discover numerous Internet portals that you can use to look for residential or commercial properties nationwide and individually, or place an ad there yourself searching for a home. Sometimes, instead of the contact information of the landlord or the housing administration, there are also code numbers or code letters in the housing provides - so-called codes. You must reply in composing to an ad with a box number and send the letter to the newspaper. This will then be forwarded to the landlord from there. You also have the choice of working with a genuine estate agent for your apartment search. This can be a benefit specifically in cosmopolitan areas.

Please note: Please note that if the brokering is effective, the real estate representative can charge a brokerage fee or brokerage commission. But this applies only if you work with the broker. If, on the other hand, the landlord commissions the broker to find potential renters for his apartment or condo, he has to pay the commission. The agent's commission for you as an occupant may not go beyond 2 net cold leas plus VAT. When selling property, the quantity of commission in Germany can be freely agreed, there are no legal requirements. In practice, owners and property agents base their setting of the commission on the "customary" regulations in the particular Federal State.

If you have problems finding a home, you can contact the Housing Office in the city or town in which you are trying to find an apartment. Apartments are frequently brokered directly there. If this is not the case, the Housing Office staff can aid with useful addresses and information. In many cities and towns there is Social housing.

Please note: As a rule, social housing can only be leased to people with low earnings. To do so, you require a certificate of eligibility for social housing, which you can get from the local Housing Office.

Tip: Since it is not so simple to get an apartment in many areas in Germany, it is essential to be well prepared when obtaining a house.

3. Tenancy contract

A standard distinction is made between fixed-term and open-ended tenancy arrangements, however unlimited agreements are the guideline in Germany. Most tenancy arrangements for apartments are Model agreements, which differ in scope and do not always apply to the individual rental situation. You can find an example in German and English on the Tenant Protection Association website.

As a guideline, rental agreements are concluded in writing. However, there is no responsibility to do so. Even if the very same legal regulations apply to arrangements, a composed occupancy contract can be essential proof in case of a disagreement.

Tip: Make certain you have a written tenancy arrangement that consists of all the relevant information. Use the checklist for the occupancy contract.

Please note: Before concluding the tenancy arrangement, you should take a close appearance at each room with your proprietor, talk about any renovation work and also check the functionality of the heating, electrical devices, sockets, and so on. If flaws show up before moving in, these need to be kept in mind in a procedure (Moving-in protocol). Should you see any deficiencies quickly after moving in, please submit these to the property owner in writing as soon as possible. The exact same treatment ought to be carried out when vacating the home and the condition of the apartment recorded in a procedure (Moving-out procedure).

4. Rental deposit

A rental deposit is normally concurred in the tenancy agreement. The amount of the deposit can be negotiated. The deposit might be a maximum of 3 net lease (omitting running costs and expenses for heating and hot water supply) (month-to-month rent without additional costs).

The rental deposit is transferred from the renter to the proprietor. The tenant may pay the deposit in 3 regular monthly instalments. The very first instalment is due at the start of the occupancy. The proprietor should separate the cash deposit from his or her other properties in an unique account (bank account). Other types of deposit are possible, however should be concurred in between the occupant and the property manager. For instance, a bank guarantee, the development of a joint savings book, a cost savings book with an obstructing notification are imaginable.

After completion of the lease the property manager has to repay the deposit with the interest accumulated in the meantime if she or he has no more claims versus the tenant.

5. Rent

The lease for a rented home includes the net lease (excluding running expenses and costs for heating and hot water supply) and the expenses for the supply of heating, warm water, possibly gas as well as the operating expenses for the residential complex (gross lease). The electrical energy expenses are generally billed independently on the basis of a contract that you have to conclude yourself with the electricity provider.

If your property owner wants to increase the rent gradually, she or he can only do so under certain conditions.

6. Defects in the home

If defects or faults occur in the apartment or condo throughout the rental duration, the tenant is bound to notify the property manager of the faulty condition of the house so that he or she can correct the defect.

Tip: If you report a flaw to the landlord, it is important to set a due date to fix the flaw.

Until the flaw has been treated, the rent might be decreased to a reasonable extent. However, get guidance before you minimize the lease, as there is a danger of termination by the property owner in case of an unjustified decrease.

In cases in which the landlord does not treat the flaw, you can either contact the regional housing assessment office or the building policies workplace. You can also make the most of the fee-based recommendations from the regional rental association or an attorney.

7. Termination of housing

Basically, the law compares the common and the extraordinary (immediate) termination of the lease. It is really difficult for landlords to end a tenancy. Tenancy law usually secures the tenant and therefore provides for high formal difficulties. Tenancy law obliges the landlord to offer factors for termination, where just certain reasons for termination are permitted. According to the law, different periods of notice use to renters and landlords if the tenancy is to be ended.

Notice period for renters:

Tenants can typically end an open-ended rental contract constantly with a notice duration of 3 months. The length of stay does not matter.

The notice of termination must be in writing. In order to terminate in due time, the property owner needs to be informed no behind on the 3rd working day of a month so that the present month still counts. Saturdays are considered working days.

There are cases in which the occupancy agreement for occupants consists of shorter notice durations than the routine 3 month notice period. If a 1-month or perhaps 2 week notification duration has actually been agreed in the agreement for the occupant, the tenant can end the contract with this brief notification. Conversely, this does not use: The proprietor should observe the statutory notification periods and must not shorten them in his or her favour.

Please note: If the tenancy contract says "waiver of termination" or "exemption of termination", this indicates that termination is omitted for a specific period of time. The right of termination may be excluded for an optimum of 4 years from the time the contract is concluded. If the termination exclusion runs longer according to the agreement, the stipulation is inadequate, so that the occupant can end at any time with a period of 3 months.

Notice periods for the proprietor:

- up to a rental duration of 5 years, property managers who have a factor for termination should notify of 3 months.
- If the renter has been living in the house for more than 5 years, the notice period is 6 months.
- If the tenant has been residing in the apartment or condo for more than 8 years, a notification period of 9 months applies.
If there are severe factors for an amazing (immediate) termination, the proprietor should present this in composing.

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8. Housing benefit

Housing benefit is a State benefit to offer financial backing to individuals on low incomes. You can get financial support from the State to cover your housing costs. There are two kinds of housing benefit:

- as lease assistance if you rent an apartment or a room or
- as mortgage and home maintenance assistance if you reside in a house or home that you own.
You will only get the grant if you are in fact in the Federal area and are entitled to flexibility of motion according to the law on the basic liberty of movement of Union citizens (FreizüG/ EU). You can just receive housing advantage if you submit an application to the local housing benefit workplace, the town, city, district or district administration. You will be given detailed advice there.