💡 In ads Kaltmiete is rent without extras, Warmmiete with heating and services, Nebenkosten additional charges, WG a shared flat.
💡 Wie hoch ist die Kaltmiete? and Was sind die Nebenkosten? are the main two questions; Warmmiete is what you pay each month.
💡 For an application the landlord often asks for a SCHUFA-Auskunft (credit report), Gehaltsnachweise (income proof) and a Mietschuldenfreiheitsbescheinigung (certificate of no rent arrears).
💡 In a WG (shared flat) young people use du; at the meeting (WG-Casting) they ask about your habits, and you ask what the Warmmiete (rent including running costs) covers.
💡 Under the Bestellerprinzip the agent's commission (Maklerprovision) is paid by whoever hired the agent, usually the landlord; the tenant pays only the deposit and the first rent.
💡 The Schufa-Auskunft shows whether you pay your bills reliably; newcomers do not have one, so show an employment contract, proof of income or a guarantee (Bürgschaft) instead.
💡 You arrive on time for a viewing and bring documents; often many people come at once, so it is best to have your Bewerbungsmappe (application folder) with you.
💡 Useful words: Heizung (heating), Einbauküche (fitted kitchen), Haustiere (pets), Keller (cellar), Stellplatz (parking space).
💡 After the viewing say you are interested and leave your documents; the landlord usually notifies you of the decision within a few days.
💡 In the lease look at Mietbeginn (start), befristet (fixed) or unbefristet, Kaltmiete, Nebenkosten, Kündigungsfrist; ask about anything you don't understand before signing.
💡 The tenant usually ends the lease with three months' written notice; it must be in the contract; oral notice is not accepted.
💡 Staffelmiete is rent that rises on a schedule in the contract; Indexmiete is tied to a price index; ask separately about such terms.
💡 Small animals are often allowed without separate permission; for a dog or cat ask the landlord and write the consent into the lease or a letter.
💡 When you move in a Übergabeprotokoll is drawn up: note all damage and the meter readings, take photos; both sides sign and you keep a copy until you move out.
💡 You may sublet a room (Untervermietung) only with the landlord's written permission; the subtenant must also register (Anmeldung) at that address.
💡 The deposit (Kaution) is usually paid into a separate account and returned after moving out if there are no claims; the law limits its size and it can be paid in instalments.
💡 Nebenkosten include heating (Heizung), water (Wasser), rubbish collection (Müllabfuhr), stair cleaning, caretaker (Hausmeister); electricity is usually arranged separately.
💡 The Nebenkostenabrechnung is the yearly statement; Nachzahlung is an additional payment if advances were too low, Guthaben a credit if they were too high.
💡 By law the deposit (Kaution) may be paid in three equal parts; better not in cash but by transfer to a separate account (Kautionskonto); it is returned after you move out, sometimes after a few months.
💡 In case of a breakdown first phone the property management or caretaker (Hausmeister), then follow up in writing (email). The emergency number is usually posted at the entrance.
💡 Report defects (Mängel) in writing with photos and a date; that makes it easier to show the problem was not your fault.
💡 Tradesmen often give a time window (zwischen acht und zwölf) rather than an exact hour; an adult must be at home.
💡 If water is leaking: stop it, put a bucket under it, switch off the power in the room, photograph the damage and tell the Hausverwaltung (property management); write down the date and time.
💡 A smoke detector (Rauchmelder) is compulsory in German flats; the landlord or Hausmeister usually looks after it; beeping often means a weak battery.
💡 Termination is submitted in writing three months in advance, preferably by registered mail (Einschreiben); in the letter put the date, address and signature.
💡 At handover a Übergabeprotokoll (handover record) is made with the condition of the flat and meter readings; hand in all keys and photograph the condition.
💡 Whether you have to paint the walls when you leave is written in the contract; not every clause is valid, so if in doubt ask the Mieterverein (tenants' association).
💡 You sign up for electricity with the supplier (Stadtwerke) for the address: you need the meter number (Zählernummer) and its reading (Zählerstand); you pay in advance every month (Abschlag).
💡 In an internet contract look at the Laufzeit (minimum term, often up to two years) and the Kündigungsfrist (notice period); the router is usually included.
💡 Once a year the water and heating meters are read by an employee or you report the readings yourself; write down your readings and take a photo to be safe.