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Red Tape Translation

Category Archive: Life in Germany

Understanding German rental leases

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Are you signing a German rental lease?

You want to understand all aspects of the German rental contract before you agree to it formally. But the clock is also ticking to seal the deal quickly. Given the short period of time you have to sign the tenancy contract, often a day or less, it can be challenging to figure out which parts of the rental lease are important, especially if you don’t understand German. Red Tape Translation can help.

We’ll give you a two-page summary in English of your German rental contract, prepared within six hours, for €169. Our legal translators work swiftly and precisely to extract the main points for you. Don’t let the stress of a tight deadline stop you from making an informed decision. Reach out to us today, and we will have your lease summary ready in 6 working hours or less. Sign and move in with confidence!

What exactly is included in a rental lease summary?

We’ll give you the landlord and agent contact information, the lease term, a breakdown of costs and extra fees, details of furnishings and extra spaces (e.g. carpark or basement), the legal purpose (residential or commercial), renewal and termination terms, repairs, defects, liabilities, renovation obligations, what happens when you vacate, remittance details, key payment conditions, payment frequency, deposit, apartment and key handover conditions and rules on keeping pets.

What if I need the German rental contract summarised sooner?

Sooner than 6 working hours from now? If you are feeling pressure to sign the lease on the same day and there are fewer than 6 hours remaining, please call us at 030 2089 6634 and we will tell you what’s possible.

Can you really get a German lease summarised within 6 working hours? 

Yes. Experience has shown us it’s actually necessary to offer this sort of flexibility to renters in the current German market! Our working hours are between 9am and 5pm. If you’ve sent us your German tenancy lease and payment by 9am on a working day, we will have the English rental contract summary ready for you by 3pm. This allows you to read it, sign it, and send it back before the close of that work day. If you send it outside of those hours, we will begin working on it the following work day.

Will the fee be different for longer or shorter German rental leases? 

Sometimes, leases are two pages long and sometimes they are 30 pages long. But the cost will be the same, 169 EUR including VAT, no matter the length of the tenancy agreement. We do offer a 15% discount for students and those receiving unemployment benefits or welfare. If this is you, give us a call first.

Can I send you photos of the tenancy agreement from my cellphone? 

Yes, but please ensure that the images are clear and legible and that you haven’t cut off any text.

Can you determine if the rental contract is legally valid? 

No, only a lawyer can make that evaluation.

Will you alert me if something seems off or if there is a mistake? 

If we notice a mistake or anything that is concerning while we are translating, we would be happy to draw your attention to it so that you can get an opinion from a legal professional if you want, before you sign.

Will the lease summary be done by a professional legal translator? 

Yes, our translators are professionals and skilled in German-English legal translation, in particular, rental agreements. We will work diligently and efficiently to provide you with a comprehensive summary of the lease in English.

How to sauna like a pro in Germany

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A true sign of cultural assimilation is the ability to do the sauna like a pro – at least for this US American in Germany.

One of the first “warnings” I received as I arrived to Germany with a group of 30 other musicians, mostly North Americans, was about the sauna. “If you don’t take off your clothes, people will stare at you”. The idea of being naked in front of strangers was terrifying. So it would be a few years later before I gave it a fair chance.

Fast forward 8 years.

I just spent FIVE HOURS in the sauna ALL BY MYSELF

I’m going to break it down for you like I did to my American self – you need to chill, sauna is good for your mental and physical health, get over it and just go.

Sauna like a pro 101"Kneippen"or "Wechselduschen" Warm shower with a cold ending. Boost immune system. Fight infections. Activate metabolism. Stabilize circulation,.

  1. Prep your bag (*usually available to rent)
    • Robe* (thin is best, fluffy is too warm)
    • Bath shoes*
    • Large towel for sauna*
    • Towel for showering*
    • Bathing suit – if they have a swimming/thermo pool
    • Book/journal
  2. Prep your body
    • Drink lots of water before, during and after
    • Eat light before going. Too little and you can feel faint, too much and you feel sick (wait 2 hours after a large meal)
  3. So many choices! Is there a right way/order?
    1. Take a cool shower before entering sauna
    2. ROUND 1 – dry heat 10-15 min
    3. Cool down for 15-30 minutes – start with a cold rinse (+ optional plunge), then relax with your book
    4. ROUND 2 – heat + steam 20 min
      • You can exfoliate now if a salt scrub is provided
    5. Cool down for at least 15-30 min – cold rinse or plunge, then lie down
    6. Most people go 2-3 rounds (hot-cold-cooldown), experienced sauna pros may go 4-6 rounds per sauna session

4. Afterwards

    • Shower and let your body cool completely before getting dressed (or you’re gonna sweat)
    • Drink LOTS of water
    • Eat, you’ll likely be hungry

Put the plan into action!

Listen to your body. Temperatures are listed on every sauna. Always lay down your towel on the wood before you sit or lay down, and make sure your feet go on your towel – with the exception of the *Dampfbad or steam room. These rooms have stone seats that you rinse off with water – no towels allowed. Don’t forget to rinse after every room. If you feel a sort of buzz or tingly sensation during your cooldown time, that’s your body working its magic!

To nude or not to nude?

Why no clothes? A swim suit or even a towel get in the way of your body/skin properly sweating out impurities. Textiles can bring in bacteria that will grow a in hot sauna. You don't have to be naked the whole time! most of the time, you're lounging in a robe. Simply remove your robe/towel before entering the sauna room. If the room has wooden benches, sit or lay on a towel (feet too!) In a steam room or [Dampfbad], use the hose provided to rinse off a spot on the bench - no towels!
click to enlarge
If you’re going in, it will most likely be nude – many saunas ban swimwear altogether. From staff experiences at the Red Tape office, it takes about 10 minutes from time of entry to forget that everyone, including yourself, is naked. Bodies of all shapes, sizes and ages drift by without a second glance. Children and adults alike. If you spot a colleague or business partner across the room, leave them to it or give a short, friendly wave if it can’t be helped, and they’ll do the same for you.

You could take a sauna buddy for moral support. On the other hand, I freaking LOVED my solo sauna time and can’t believe that 5 hours flew by (okay, 90 min was a massage that HURT SO GOOD). After a very physically and mentally stressful month of work, this was exactly what I needed.

Ready to try the sauna? Check out Liquidrom where I was or another from this list.
Questions? Leave them in the comments!

NYE traditions in Germany

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NYE traditions in Germany aren’t exactly what I was used to in the States, aside from fireworks and fizzy wine. So since I’m home for the holidays for the first time since 2013, I decided to bring a bit of Germany back to Pennsylvania. I packed my suitcase with various holiday baked goods (Lebkuchen, Stollen, Marzipan Kartoffeln), as well a festively green bottle of cucumber liqueur from Spreewald (not bad!) and some Bleigießen Kits for New Year’s Eve.

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Client Spotlight: Alex Maxwell

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Introducing our first star…

Alex Maxwell is up in our new Client Spotlight Series. This series was inspired by the many amazing people our team has had the privilege of working with over the years – it is my absolute pleasure to have Dr. Alex Maxwell as the first!

Wow, where do I even start sharing this amazing human with you? Though her accent will fool you into thinking she’s from the U.S. (yes, I am a U.S. native and saying this with absolutely no pause), Alex is from Russia. After doing some cultural exchange programs in the states, Alex decided at around 20 that she wanted to emigrate.

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