The contract for short-term rental must specify all deadlines
In large cities such as Munich, Hamburg, or Berlin, finding an apartment is quite difficult, especially if you do not plan to rent it for more than six months. Prices for such housing are often significantly higher than for rentals of one year or more. If you want to rent cheap and comfortable housing, you need a special strategy.
Sublease Agreement
Among students and young professionals who plan to live in another city for a while, for example to do an internship, short-term rental (Zwischenmiete) is in demand. Its main principle is that you rent an apartment not from the landlord, but from the tenant, and the rental agreement is valid only for a specified period. Such housing is usually fully furnished, and prices are moderate because the apartments are only rented out while the tenant is on vacation, studying abroad on exchange, or working in another city.
If you do not want to overpay a broker, it is better to search for housing yourself. The most popular websites for finding short-term apartments: www.wg-gesucht.de and www.immobilienscout24.de. You can also use the Russian version of the site www.airbnb.ru. However, because the site originally assumes daily rentals and is more aimed at travelers, its prices are higher than the average monthly rent in Germany.
The Most Profitable Solution
The cheapest option is to rent a room in a student dormitory or a room in a student shared apartment (Wohngemeinschaft, or WG). Prices for such rooms range from 200 to 500 euros depending on the region and city. "You pay the least when you live in an apartment with several roommates. In recent years, interest in such rooms has grown significantly," says Annegret Mülbaier from the press office of WG-gesucht.de.
According to her, this type of housing used to be popular only among students. Today, more and more people working in different cities prefer to share an apartment. Renting such a room is not only good for its moderate price: tenants get the opportunity to meet new people, explore the city, and improve their German language skills.
As with regular rentals, the rent amount can be stated without utilities (Kaltmiete) or can include utility costs (Warmmiete) – payment for water, heating, cold and hot water, and sometimes garbage disposal, building cleaning, and garden care. The latter option is more common for short-term rentals. Internet and telephone must be paid separately, but when renting a room in a shared apartment, these services are cheaper because the cost is divided among all tenants. In state-run student dormitories, internet access is even free.
Safety Rules
Some landlords offer not to sign a short-term contract to avoid paperwork. This will slightly reduce the time spent searching for housing, but in such a case the tenant remains legally unprotected. Experts strongly recommend signing a rental agreement, even if you plan to stay in the apartment for no more than a month.
"Housing search platforms usually do not provide any legal assistance. Therefore, we advise you to contact your landlord in advance and clearly discuss all terms of the contract," says Annegret Mülbaier.
Termination of a rental agreement must always be in writing. It is important to ensure that the owner receives your notice, so it is better to send it by registered mail. As a rule, the notice period is three months before the end of the contract term. In the case of temporary rental, the period is usually reduced to a few weeks. It is important that the contract clearly states the term and conditions of termination.
An Important Factor – Neighbors
Before making a final decision on renting, it is important to find out who your neighbors are. It is best to rent housing with people who lead a similar lifestyle. If you need to work in peace and quiet, a lively student group next door is unlikely to help.
Even though you do not plan to stay in the apartment for long, to feel comfortable after moving in, it is better to immediately learn about the rules of cohabitation and follow them. It is important to be able to adapt to other tenants in the shared apartment and be willing to compromise. If a newcomer is not ready to adhere to the established order, the neighbors may ask them to move out.