Finding Your Own Housing in Germany

Students wanting to arrange their own housing should be aware that rents might be far higher than what they’d be paying in a dorm. While dorms vary between 350 – 480 Euros a month with all utilities included, there’s no upper limit for rents charged by private landlords.

If you choose to arrange your own housing, you should be prepared to pay from one to three months’ rent in cash as down payment upon signing your contract. In order to maximize both linguistic and cultural immersion, no one is permitted to share accommodations with another English speaker.

While the School in Germany is not in a position to respond to individual requests for help in obtaining housing outside of the dorms before your arrival on site, we will be happy to accompany you to the first appointment at a prospective place and help you understand the rental contract.

Pay special attention to:

  • rental period
  • amount of rent and what is included
  • conditions of getting back your downpayment
  • conditions for cancellation of the contract

General advice:

  • do not sign a contract before you’ve seen a place with your own eyes
  • do not move into a place before the contract has been signed by both parties
  • do not move into a place if the landlord objects to provide you with a contract or
    objects to your using the address for registration purposes. Both cases indicate
    that the landlord is trying to rent that place to you illegally.
  • if you wish to cancel a contract, you must do so in writing and within the
    specified period of time.

Websites to use:

http://www.wg-gesucht.de

http://www.studenten-wg.de

http://www.wgcompany.de

http://www.easywg.de

http://www.die-wg-boerse.de

http://biete-wg.de

http://www.immobilienscout24.de

http://www.immowelt.de

Please understand that the staff of the School in Germany can neither engage in negotiations with your future landlord, nor provide legal counsel. If you wish to receive information on legal questions, we’d recommend joining a local ‘Mieterverein’ in your city:

http://www.mietervereine-in-berlin.de

http://www.mieterschutzverein-mainz.de

http://www.mieterladen-mainz.de

http://www.iv-mieterschutz.de/kontakt/mainz

https://www.mieterverein-potsdam.de/

Membership fees vary between 2,50€ to 7€ per year. Membership entitles you to consult a lawyer at a much lower rate.

 

If you wish to get counsel without becoming a member in a Mieterverein, you may consult the Verbraucherzentralen in your city:

https://www.verbraucherzentrale-berlin.de/home

http://www.verbraucherzentrale-rlp.de/Mainz

http://www.verbraucherzentrale-brandenburg.de/potsdam

Individual appointments may cost between 18€ and 20€.
If you wish to be accompanied by a team member, make sure to coordinate the appointment so that one of us will be available.

Please keep the director advised of your current address, no matter how temporary. She also must have a permanent address as soon as you are settled.