Finding accommodation is a priority when moving to a new city. Historically rental prices in Berlin have been very affordable compared to other German and European cities. This has been a key selling point for many expats relocating to the city to live and work. However, as Berlin's start-up and tech scene has rapidly grown, demand for housing has increased dramatically. The influx of expats moving to Berlin has led to a shortage of affordable housing in some hot spots in the city such as Kreuzberg and Mitte where rents have risen significantly.
Berlin is divided up into twelve distinct neighbourhoods with rental prices fluctuating between each neighbourhood. There are still some areas within the city that offer affordable rental prices and with Berlin’s interconnected and reliable public transport network, it is possible to live in a more affordable area without facing a daunting commute to work every day. The average rental prices (in euros) for a two-bedroom apartment of 70m squared can be seen in the image below. These rates do not include heating and utility costs.
There has been action taken by Berlin’s Senate to combat the soaring rental costs. The Senator for Urban Development and Housing in Berlin announced that the Senate approved a five-year rent freeze for the city as of June 2019. This rent freeze is set to take effect in January 2020 and will apply retroactively from June of 2019.
Securing an Apartment
It is important to note that the housing market is incredibly competitive in Berlin, so it is important to maximise your chances of securing an apartment. Prepare and bring all your paperwork to a viewing;
- Proof of your last three months’ salary OR a copy of your employment contract if you don’t have any payslips yet.
- Copy of your passport.
- A Mietschuldenfreiheitsbescheinigung - a letter from your old landlord confirming you are up to date on your rent.
- A SCHUFA certificate: This is a certificate that is usually issued by banks (or post offices in some cases) and it will prove that you do not have any debt from previous tenancies.
Deposit
A security deposit must be paid to the landlord prior to moving in. The deposit will usually equal 2 or 3 months cold rent (rent minus heating & utility costs) and by law will never be more than 3 times the rent. Should there be any damage caused to the apartment, the cost of repair will be deducted from the deposit. If there is no damage, the deposit will be returned to the tenant once they vacate the property.
Residence Registration (Anmeldebestätigung)
Once you have found an apartment, you must apply for a Anmeldebestätigung. This is a piece of paper you receive from the Berlin local authorities to say that you have an official address in the city. You get it from one of the many ‘Bezirksamt’ offices, or local authority offices.
The documentation you’ll need:
- Passport
- A copy of your rental contract (Mietvertrag) to prove you have an official address
- A completed copy of the Anmeldung form which can be downloaded at http://www.berlin.de/formularserver/formular.php?52009
Once you have all of the above and filled in your form, you must take it along to your nearest Bezirksamt or local authority office. A list of them can be found here: https://service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/120686/ It is advised to book an appointment online to avoid the queues.
Where to Look:
These are the 4 main websites to search for and find available apartments:
- https://www.immobilienscout24.de
- https://www.immowelt.de/
- https://www.immonet.de/
- https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/stadt/berlin/
There is also a number of popular Facebook groups where users post available apartments or rooms to rent:
- WG-Zimmer & Wohnungen Berlin - 140,000+ members
- WG, Zimmer und Wohnung in Berlin - 55,000+ members
- Berlin Apartments - 21,000+ members
- Apartments/roommates in Berlin - 17,000+ members
For more information on websites and housing services, please visit: https://allaboutberlin.com/guides/find-a-flat-inberlin#where-to-look-for-apartments
Posted by Adam Dunne on 21 June 2019