Munich is a lively and popular city with a lot to discover. When you are tired after a day of German classes and exploring the city, you need a place to retreat to - your own four walls. Looking for a place to live in Munich is a very special task that can take some time. To make your search a little easier, we have put together a few links where you can look for a flat or room online:
When renting a flat in Germany, it is usually empty. But there are landlords who offer flats or rooms that are fully furnished. The advantage is that you don't have to buy and transport furnishings in addition to the rent and deposit. If you move into a furnished flat, pay attention to existing damages in the flat and on the furniture and make sure to document/photograph them. Otherwise, the landlord may hold you responsible and you may have to pay for it. This would mean that the landlord would keep part of or all of your deposit.
It is also possible that the previous tenants cannot or do not want to take all their furniture with them and offer to leave some parts in the flat. In return, they will usually ask for a compensation (called "Abstand"), which you can negotiate with each other.
Wohngemeinschaft or WG means that two or more people share a flat - usually in the form of each having their own room and sharing the kitchen, bathroom and possibly further rooms. WGs can be rented for a long or short period of time, sometimes only for a limited period of time because of a semester abroad, for example - this would then be "Zwischenmiete" or "Untermiete". If you are looking for a new flatmate, be prepared for a casting - so everyone can get to know each other and see if living together can work out. It's almost like a job interview: the flat-sharers will ask you about your life and hobbies, your preferences and also your flat-sharing experiences. Think about what you'll say when they ask you about cleaning!
If you get accepted and are allowed to move into the flat-share as a new flatmate, find out whether you can officially register your residence in Munich with the tenancy agreement - and then start your preparations for moving in.
Of course, you can also rent your own flat for yourself (and your family). Because many people like to live on their own, single flats are the most popular. There are various ways to find a flat, but the search can take time. If you don't have a car - and in a big city like Munich you don't necessarily need one - you should make sure that the flat has good transport connections.
There are also a few things you should consider when looking for a flat, so that there are no unpleasant surprises when you sign the lease: in Germany, we distinguish between cold and warm rent. The cold rent is calculated from the square metres of the flat as well as the location and furnishings of the flat. The warm rent is calculated from the cold rent plus “Nebenkosten” (additional costs). These are the charges for water, electricity, gas, heating and so-called operating costs (cleaning, caretaker, etc.). It is important to note that the service charges are calculated on the basis of estimated consumption - i.e. in the same way as the previous tenant consumed. By the end of the next calendar year, you will receive a statement of your consumption - and you will either get money back if you have consumed less or you will have to pay something extra if you have consumed more. Your service charges can then be adjusted for the following period.
When you are looking for a flat, make sure that the ad includes the cold and warm rent.
Before you rent a flat or room, you usually have to send the landlord certain documents. We explain what these are here:
You will receive this certificate from your current landlord, which proves that you have always paid your rent on time. This way, the new landlord can assume that you will continue to do so in the future.
If you have never paid rent yourself because you have been living with your parents, you will not be able to get a certificate. In this case, the landlord will probably ask for a rent guarantee, which your parents could take on. This is to ensure that the landlord will continue to receive the rent for your room/flat if you are unable to pay it.
SCHUFA is the abbreviation for "Schutzgemeinschaft für allgemeine Sicherung"; data about your previous payment behaviour in Germany is collected there and SCHUFA certifies your creditworthiness. If you have always paid your bills on time and have not accumulated any debts, you will receive a positive SCHUFA report. This means that there are no entries. Since landlords don't want to be stuck with their costs, they prefer to give flats to people with a positive SCHUFA report.
If you move to Germany from abroad, there is no data collected about you, but perhaps there is a similar institution in your country where you can request a certificate?
You can request a SCHUFA report online, as landlords want to see it: www.meineschufa.de .
This is to prove to the landlord that you earn enough money each month to pay the rent. You can do this by submitting copies of your last three pay slips or by getting a certificate of income from your employer. If you are studying and do not earn much money, your parents can vouch for you or rent the flat for you themselves. In this case, they would have to submit all the required documents.
With a questionnaire, the landlord asks for important information about you and your family’s economic situation. Be sure to answer the questions honestly. But please note that some questions are not allowed to be asked by the landlord - e.g. hobbies (musical instruments!), illnesses, party affiliation, sexual orientation, religion, previous convictions, etc.
Once you have moved into a flat, you must register with the city within 14 days; you can do this at one of the seven citizens' offices in the city. It is best to make an appointment online beforehand.
You will need:
You can find more information about the registration here.