Renting in Germany: How to Find an Apartment and Sign the Lease

Renting a home in Germany usually requires more preparation than simply replying to a listing. You need to react quickly, gather documents, understand the difference between Kaltmiete and Warmmiete, review the contract, and make sure you can complete your Anmeldung at that address.

This guide is intended for people looking for an apartment in Germany for the first time: expats, students, families, and people moving between cities. It helps you get from finding a listing to the first tasks after receiving the keys.

Rent or buy

Germany remains one of the EU countries where renting is especially common. According to Eurostat, in 2024 more people in Germany lived in rented housing than in owner-occupied housing, whereas owner occupation was more common across the EU overall.

For a newcomer, renting is usually more practical than buying: it is easier to change cities, test a neighborhood, understand the market, and avoid taking on mortgage and renovation risks immediately after moving. Buying is better considered separately once your income, long-term plan, and financing conditions are clear. For more details, see buying a house or apartment in Germany.

Where to look for an apartment

For long-term unfurnished rentals, people most often use the major portals:

For a room in a WG (shared flat), these are useful:

WG-Gesucht;
WG-Suche.

For temporary furnished housing, people often look at HousingAnywhere, Wunderflats, Spotahome, and similar platforms. Before booking, it is especially important to check whether address registration is allowed: the description should include wording such as Anmeldung möglich, registration possible, or Wohnungsgeberbestätigung.

11 best websites for finding rental housing in Germany

Why Anmeldung matters

After moving into a German apartment, you need to register your address with the Meldebehörde. Under Section 17 of the Bundesmeldegesetz, registration is required within two weeks of moving in. For this, you usually need a Wohnungsgeberbestätigung, which is confirmation from the landlord or property management company.

Without Anmeldung, you may run into problems with your tax ID, bank account, mobile contract, official letters, and your future rental history. So do not start a long-term move with housing where registration is explicitly forbidden or vaguely promised to be “sorted out later.”

Address registration in Germany

Which documents to prepare

Landlords do not have one uniform federal list of documents, but in a competitive market, a ready Bewerbungsmappe can help. It usually includes:

A copy of your passport or ID.
Proof of income: payslips, an employment contract, an employer letter, account statements, or freelancer documents.
A SCHUFA-Auskunft or an alternative explanation if you have recently arrived and do not have a credit history yet.
A Mietschuldenfreiheitsbescheinigung, meaning confirmation from the previous landlord that you have no rent debt, if it is available.
A Mietbürgschaft, or guarantor declaration, if your income is not sufficient or you are a student.
A short cover letter.
Proof of Haftpflichtversicherung, if you have it.

How to get SCHUFA in Germany?

If you have just arrived from abroad, explain that directly: include your employment contract, an employer letter, proof of savings, a reference from your previous landlord, and a tidy introductory letter about yourself. Not having SCHUFA during the first few months is normal, but you need to offset that with transparency.

How to respond to listings

In big cities, good apartments receive dozens or hundreds of inquiries. What works is not a long letter, but a fast and clear response.

In your first message, state:

who will live in the apartment;
what you do and what your income is;
when you are ready to move in;
whether you have pets;
whether you are ready to provide documents;
possible time slots for a viewing.

Write politely and specifically. If the listing includes a phone number, calling sometimes helps you get a Besichtigung, or viewing appointment, faster. But do not send unnecessary documents with sensitive data to an unknown person before doing a basic check of the listing.

What to check in a listing

Before replying, check:

Kaltmiete, meaning the cold rent without Nebenkosten;
Nebenkosten, meaning utility and operating costs;
Warmmiete, meaning the approximate total amount paid to the landlord;
whether heating, water, internet, and cable TV are included;
whether you need to sign a separate electricity contract;
whether there is an Einbauküche (EBK), a fitted kitchen;
whether Anmeldung is possible;
the rental term and whether there is a Mindestmietdauer, or minimum rental period;
whether pets are allowed;
who published the listing: Vermieter, Hausverwaltung, Makler, Vormieter, or the current tenant for Untervermietung.

A price that is far too low, a request to transfer money before a viewing, refusal to show the apartment, and pressure to “pay today” are typical signs of fraud.

How much rent costs

There is almost no single “average price for Germany” that is useful for making a decision: Munich, Berlin, Hamburg, Leipzig, and small towns all operate in different markets. For orientation, it is better to look at:

the Mietspiegel for the specific city;
recent listings in the neighborhood;
Warmmiete rather than only Kaltmiete;
extra costs such as electricity, internet, Rundfunkbeitrag, furniture, the deposit, and moving.

If the apartment is in a Mietpreisbremse area, the initial rent under Section 556d BGB generally should not exceed the local Vergleichsmiete by more than 10%, but there are exceptions. In practice, this is best checked against the local Mietspiegel or through a Mieterverein.

Cost of living in Germany

Important features of German apartments

The kitchen may not come with the apartment

In unfurnished apartments, there is often no built-in kitchen. In listings, look for EBK, Einbauküche, or mit Küche. If there is no kitchen, the options are:

buy the kitchen from the previous tenant;
look for an apartment with a kitchen already installed;
rent furnished housing;
buy and install a kitchen yourself.

Buying a kitchen from the Vormieter can be convenient, but the price should be reasonable. Do not agree to an obviously inflated Abstand payment just because otherwise “you will not get the apartment.”

The typical bathroom in a German apartment may be compact, and the shower area is often combined with the bathtub.

Appliances are not always included

A washing machine, dryer, refrigerator, and dishwasher may be missing. In older buildings, there is sometimes a shared laundry room or a place for a washing machine in the basement. Before signing the contract, check the dimensions, hookups, and house rules.

Warmmiete is not always the final amount

Warmmiete usually includes Kaltmiete and Nebenkosten, but electricity, internet, Rundfunkbeitrag, and sometimes heating may be charged separately. Ask to see what exactly is included in the Nebenkosten and keep in mind the risk of an extra charge after the annual utility statement.

Rooms are counted differently

The kitchen, bathroom, hallway, and storage room usually do not count as Zimmer. If you need a bedroom and a living room, you are looking for a 2-Zimmer-Wohnung.

Floors are named in German

Erdgeschoss is the ground floor. 1. Etage or 1. Obergeschoss is the floor above it. Dachgeschoss is the top floor under the roof, and Keller is the basement.

Deposit: Kaution

Under Section 551 BGB, the deposit for residential rent may not exceed three months of Kaltmiete without operating costs. If the deposit is paid in cash, the tenant has the right to pay it in three equal monthly installments; the first installment is due at the start of the tenancy.

The landlord must keep the cash deposit separate from their own funds. After you move out, the landlord does not have to return the Kaution on the same day: they are entitled to a reasonable period to check the apartment’s condition and possible Nebenkosten claims. But they cannot withhold the deposit without an explanation and accounting.

Makler and the Bestellerprinzip

If a listing is handled by a Makler, that does not always mean a commission for the tenant. For residential rentals, the Bestellerprinzip applies: the intermediary normally has to be paid by the person who hired them. If the landlord hired the Makler to rent out the apartment, that commission cannot be passed on to you.

You pay a Maklerprovision only when you personally signed a housing search agreement with the intermediary and they found the apartment specifically on your order. Before signing any documents, check carefully whether someone is trying to structure the commission in a roundabout way.

What to check in the Mietvertrag

Before signing the lease, review not only the amount but also the legal details:

who exactly the landlord is and who the tenant is;
the exact address and description of the apartment;
the rental start date;
any Befristung, if the lease is fixed term;
any Mindestmietdauer or Kündigungsverzicht;
Kaltmiete, Nebenkosten, and Warmmiete;
how Nebenkostenabrechnung is handled;
the amount of the Kaution and how it must be paid;
the rules on pets;
the condition of furniture and appliances;
the number of keys;
the Hausordnung, or house rules;
how rent increases are handled: Staffelmiete, Indexmiete, or a regular increase up to the ortsübliche Vergleichsmiete;
who is responsible for Kleinreparaturen and Schönheitsreparaturen.

A fixed-term residential lease in Germany requires a lawful reason. If an end date is written in without a clear justification, the contract deserves especially careful review.

Rent increases

In a regular tenancy, an increase up to the ortsübliche Vergleichsmiete is governed by Section 558 BGB. As a rule, the landlord must justify the increase, and the Kappungsgrenze limits growth over three years: usually to a maximum of 20%, and in some tight housing markets to 15% if the state has set that rule.

Staffelmiete and Indexmiete follow different rules. That is why it is important to understand what exactly is in the contract: fixed step increases, index-linked increases, or a standard increase.

Kündigungsfrist

For an open-ended residential lease, you can usually terminate the tenancy with notice so that it ends at the close of the second month after the current one, if the Kündigung letter reaches the landlord on time at the beginning of the month. In practice, this is often called a three-month notice period for the tenant. For the landlord, the notice period may be longer after 5 and 8 years of residence.

Exceptions are possible for temporary housing, a furnished room in the landlord’s home, subletting, a fixed-term lease, and special contractual conditions. If your situation is unusual, check the contract and the law separately.

Übergabe: handing over the apartment

When you receive the keys, make an Übergabeprotokoll. It records:

the handover date;
meter readings;
the number of keys;
the condition of the walls, floor, windows, plumbing, and appliances;
defects and damage;
furniture, if the apartment is furnished.

Take photos and videos before moving your things in. This helps you get your Kaution back and avoid disputes over damage.

What to do after moving in

Complete your Anmeldung within two weeks.
Make sure your surname is on the mailbox and doorbell.
Set up electricity if it is not included in the contract.
Order internet early: activation can take weeks.
Keep the Übergabeprotokoll, photos, and contract.
Arrange or review your Haftpflichtversicherung and Hausratversicherung if you need them.
Watch for a letter from Beitragsservice about the Rundfunkbeitrag.

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If the housing is for family reunification

For a family reunification visa, the authorities check whether there is enough living space and sufficient means for the family. The specific space standards can depend on the federal state, the authority, and the family composition, so you should not rely on a universal number from a listing or a blog. Before submitting documents, check the requirements of your Ausländerbehörde or consulate.

German rental vocabulary

Term	Meaning
Anmeldung	address registration
Wohnungsgeberbestätigung	landlord confirmation for registration
Kaltmiete	rent without utility costs
Nebenkosten	utility and operating costs
Warmmiete	Kaltmiete plus Nebenkosten
Kaution	deposit
Mietvertrag	rental contract
Vermieter	landlord
Mieter	tenant
Hausverwaltung	property management company
Makler	real estate agent
Einbauküche / EBK	fitted kitchen
WG	shared flat
Untervermietung	sublet
Mietspiegel	local comparative rent benchmark
Übergabeprotokoll	apartment handover report
Kündigung	lease termination
Rundfunkbeitrag	public broadcasting contribution

FAQ

Can you rent an apartment from abroad?

Yes, but it is harder: landlords often want an in-person viewing and a full document package. For the first period, it can be more practical to take furnished housing with Anmeldung and then look for a permanent apartment from within Germany.

Do you need to pay the deposit before signing the contract?

Do not transfer the Kaution before checking the contract, the landlord, and the apartment. Under the law, a cash deposit can be paid in three installments, with the first one due at the start of the tenancy.

Which matters more: Kaltmiete or Warmmiete?

For your budget, Warmmiete matters more, plus the costs outside the contract: electricity, internet, Rundfunkbeitrag, insurance, and transport. Kaltmiete is useful for comparing rent levels and calculating the Kaution.

Can you keep a dog or a cat?

Check the contract and agree it with the landlord. A blanket ban on all pets can be questionable, but larger animals usually require permission.

What should you do if the contract is unclear?

Do not sign in a rush. Ask for time to review it, and contact a Mieterverein, Verbraucherzentrale, a lawyer specializing in tenancy law, or a relocation specialist without a conflict of interest.