Finding somewhere to live

Housing is the hardest part of arriving in Germany, and it blocks everything else — you cannot register your address, and therefore cannot open a bank account or complete your enrolment, until you have somewhere to live.

Start looking

Three months ahead

Deposit

Up to three months' rent

You will need

A landlord's confirmation

Hardest cities

Munich, Frankfurt, Hamburg

The document that matters most

When you move in, your landlord must give you a Wohnungsgeberbestätigung — a signed confirmation that you live there. Without it you cannot register your address, and without registration almost nothing else in Germany works.

Ask for it on the day you get the keys. A landlord is obliged to provide it, and one who hesitates is a warning sign.

Three kinds of home

Studentenwohnheim — student halls

Run by the local Studentenwerk. By far the cheapest option, and the waiting lists reflect that. Apply the moment you have an offer of a place, not when you arrive.

WG — a shared flat

The usual choice, and the most sociable. You take one room in a flat and share the kitchen and bathroom. Existing tenants pick their new flatmate, so expect something closer to an interview than an application. It is also the fastest way to improve your German.

Your own apartment

The most private and the most difficult. Landlords typically want proof of income, a credit report and references — hard to supply when you have just arrived and have no German credit history.

Understanding the rent

Two numbers appear in every advertisement, and the difference between them is substantial.

Compare listings on the Warmmiete. A low Kaltmiete with high Nebenkosten can cost more than it first appears. Note too that electricity is usually not in the Nebenkosten — you arrange that separately.

How to search

1. Begin three months before you move

   In the big cities, earlier. Halls in particular have waiting lists measured in semesters.

2. Prepare your documents as one file

   Passport, proof of enrolment or your job contract, proof of income or a guarantor, and a credit report if you have one. Rooms go to whoever replies first with everything attached.

3. Write a short, specific message

   Who you are, what you do, when you would move in, how long you intend to stay. Two paragraphs. In German if you can manage it — it visibly helps.

4. View before you commit

   In person, or by video call with someone you can see. Never transfer money for a place you have not viewed.

5. Get the confirmation on moving day

   The Wohnungsgeberbestätigung, signed. Then register your address within two weeks.

Avoiding the scam

Housing scams target new arrivals, and they follow a pattern worth knowing: an unusually cheap flat, an owner conveniently abroad, a story about keys being posted, and pressure to send a deposit today to secure it.

No genuine landlord in Germany needs money before you have seen the property and signed a contract. If you are asked to pay first, walk away — it is a scam every time.

If nothing comes through in time

Take temporary accommodation and keep searching from inside the country. A hostel, a sublet or a short-term rental for a few weeks is far better than accepting something unseen. Many people arrive on a temporary arrangement and find their real home within a month, once they can view places in person.