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.
When I first found myself in a notary’s office, it was a shock. He was in full garb – robes, a gold and scarlet waistcoat, a traditional baroque wig with a ponytail. We were ushered silently into an enormous conference room with a chandelier – I felt a bit like I had landed on stage at the opera house and I’d forgotten my costume.
Translators get to see a lot of rental aparment contracts. Big ones, small ones, fat ones, skinny ones, vague ones, long ones and horribly restrictive ones. From preposterous airing regulations to antiquated quiet time stipulations, from cold rent to hot water, here’s what to expect when you’re presented with a tenancy contract for a flat in Germany. We’re also happy to help in more detail if you really want to know what you’re getting into before you sign on the dotted line.
Buying an apartment in Germany is an experience all in itself. Once the contract is signed, there’s an extra special perk: membership in the German home owner’s association for your particular building. You might know it as the “body corporate”, “condominium corporation”, “strata council” or “commonhold” in other countries. Once you’ve bought an apartment in Germany, you’ll come to know it fondly as the “WEG”, that is, the “Wohnungseigentümergemeinschaft”. So… what exactly will you be getting yourself into? How does it work? And will you ever get out alive?
Hello friends and supporters, welcome to the new year in Germany. Enjoy the occasional thick and fluffy snow and when things get a bit slippery and scary on the icy streets, grab yourselves a pair of Yaktrax traction cleats – you won’t regret it. I spent some time abroad in the southern hemisphere facilitating valuable synergies (ie. visiting the fam in Australia). There, I received my yearly fix of Vitamin D, which is important for getting through February in Berlin.
Other cities have regional public offices scattered all over the place, but expat residents within the Munich city limits get most of their bureaucratic matters sorted in the one place. The KVR (Kreisverwaltungsreferat) is a big and imposing building on Rupperstr. 11, right near the Poccistraße U-Bahn. This is where you, a fresh new Munich resident, can go to register your new Munich apartment address (Anmeldung) and apply for a work and residency permit (Aufenthaltsgenehmigung, Aufenthaltstitel), among other things.
