Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, a large number of Ukrainians have taken refuge in Germany. However, due to the large flow of migrants, this country is experiencing an acute housing shortage. Find out more about the pitfalls of renting an apartment and the most popular platforms for finding accommodation in Germany

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Germany is currently experiencing an acute housing shortage, so rental prices are reaching record highs. Finding a free apartment with good conditions is a real challenge.

Most Germans live in rented apartments for years without even planning to buy their own home. That's why finding an apartment can be a real quest for Ukrainians.

Here are the pitfalls of renting an apartment in Germany and popular housing search platforms.

You can find out more about which German states are accepting Ukrainian refugees in June 2024 here.

Peculiarities of renting an apartment in Germany

In Germany, the legislation is more focused on protecting the rights of tenants, so landlords are very careful about whom they rent their property to. Short-term leases for one month are almost impossible - long-term leases are definitely preferred. The rental price consists of two parts: a monthly rent (Kaltmiete) and a prepaid utility bill (Nebenkosten).

Most landlords require a deposit equal to three months' rent to be kept in a special account. This deposit serves as an "insurance" against possible damage to the property. Tenants must also give three months' notice of their decision to move out. Failure to do so will result in continuing to pay rent and utilities for that period, even if the apartment is already empty.

Housing in Germany is divided into apartments (Wohnung) and houses (Haus). When looking through rental ads, you can find different types of housing, such as Maisonette-Wohnung (two-story apartment), Souterrain-Wohnung (basement apartment), Penthouse-Wohnung (top floor apartment with a private terrace), Loft-Wohnung (large apartments), Appartement (regular apartments), and Altbauwohnung (apartment in an old house). 

In the previous article, we told you how much housing costs in different European countries and how many years you need to save for it.

How can Ukrainians rent an apartment in Germany on their own?

To rent an apartment in Germany, you need to provide a salary calculation for the last 3-6 months. It is important that it is official employment in Germany. The amount of rent cannot exceed one third of your total income. If your salary is not enough to pay the rent, you can hire a guarantor who will act as a so-called guarantor when signing the lease. 

If you receive social assistance from the state, unemployment benefits, or other benefits, you should obtain a Wohnberechtigungsschein or Wohngeld, or confirmation of receipt of a subsidy from the state, in advance. In this case, state institutions (Jobcenter, Sozialamt, Wohnungsamt, etc.) will act as a guarantor.

To rent a house in Germany, Ukrainians need the following documents:

1. A valid passport with information on the status of stay in Germany;

2. Registration at the place of residence (Meldebescheinigung);

3. Certificate from the credit reporting agency Schufa (Schufa-Auskunft);

4. A document that allows you to get social housing (Wohnberechtigungsschein);

5. Certificate of no rent arrears (Mietschuldenfreiheitsbescheinigung);

6. Proof of income in Germany (salary calculation or confirmation of receipt of payments from the Jobcenter/Sozialamt, etc;)

7. Confirmation from the Jobcenter/Sozialamt of payment for housing (will need to be provided at the stage of negotiating a lease agreement with the landlord).

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Popular platforms for renting a house in Germany

We have created for you a useful selection of sites for finding housing in Germany:

1. Wohnungsboerse.net. On this platform, you can create your own profile with a description of the desired accommodation. The profile should also indicate the presence of children, animals, marital status, special conditions, etc; 

2. Immobilienscout24.de. A popular website for finding apartments. You can also create your own profile, and landlords will offer you options on their own. You can set filters by price, area, or number of rooms, which will make your search even more convenient;

3. Immowelt.de. Popular platform for finding apartments or houses in small towns in Germany without realtor fees;

4. Immonet.de. On this site, you can calculate the estimated cost of housing in a special calculator, as well as watch video tours of houses and study reviews of previous tenants;

5. Wg-gesucht.de. One of the largest services for finding housing in Germany. You can find an apartment and write a housing search request with all the necessary characteristics;

6. Tempoflat.de. This platform is convenient for searching for housing in major German cities due to the availability of an interactive map to find offers nearby;

7. Unterkunft-ukraine.de. Designed to find temporary free housing for Ukrainian refugees;

8. Wunderflats. A service for finding temporary housing for immigrants from Ukraine, both free and paid offers are presented;

9. Nena-apartments.de. This platform is designed to rent hostel accommodation with its own kitchenette, free internet, towels and bed linen;

10. Help.tasso. A very convenient platform for tenants with pets. On the site, you can fill out a questionnaire about yourself and your pets, and then landlords will contact you. 

Earlier, we reported that Germany is introducing a simplified migration scheme to attract non-EU workers.

Federal program to find housing for Ukrainian refugees in Germany

The German government has announced the launch of an online platform where refugees from Ukraine will be able to choose housing options and submit their applications. The website has 2 language versions, Ukrainian and Russian.

On this digital platform, Ukrainians who were forced to flee the war can apply on the project page helfendewaende.de. On the site, they can search for accommodation and leave applications, track the status of all applications, exchange contacts and agree on details before moving in. You can even find options for free accommodation.

We remind you! Rental prices are rising across Europe. This is due to the shortage of available real estate, significant flows of labor migration and the influx of refugees from Ukraine. Read more about which European cities have the most expensive rental housing in 2024.

Want to know more? Read the latest news and useful materials about Ukraine and the world in the News section.

Ihor Usyk is the Head of Legal Department at Visit Ukraine

On the Visit Ukraine portal, you can get legal advice on migration law. Our lawyers will answer all your questions and, if necessary, help you collect, submit and receive the documents you need. You can order a specialist consultation or full legal support by following this link.