Job Discussion Forums

[JessInRussia]

Hi everyone

I'm moving to Hamburg soon for the (very) long term and would like to get a heads up on accommodation costs. I've done some homework: searched this site and others for people's ideas and searched the web for information too.

I'm basically looking for a flat big enough for one, better two people. I like my space. Obviously I would like to know average costs, but also, when an advert says 2 rooms, does this mean 2 bedrooms or a living room and a bedroom? I'm leaving Russia and here it means 2 rooms in total (!). And even in my home country, South Africa, they don't use sqm2. Is there a way to work out each room's size, or is it just a rough indication?

For example, on one German website advertising flats, I saw a 55m2, 2 room flat for about EUR550. This seemed cheap. But what about water and electricity. Are they usually included? And must one pay a refundable deposit/down payment?

I hope I'm not rehashing a recent post, but I did check and found nothing. Thank you for you help, guys.

Thanks
Jess

[Sansibar]

Hi Jess,

In Germany, when an advert says 2 rooms, it means the apartment has 1 bedroom and 1 living room.
You mentioned 55m2 as the size of the apartment. This is enough for a single person and usually the rooms will be of decent size.
The price is based on sqm2 in Germany, which is why all ads mention them. In a city like Hamburg, a price of 10 Euros per sqm is not bad at all. This however is without water and electricity if it just says 550 Euros. If you want water and electricity to be included, you have to look for an ad that says for example "550 Euros warm".
It is normally required that you pay a refundable deposit of 2 or 3 months rent up front. Only very few owners will not ask for this.

I hope you will find this advice useful and don't hesitate to ask me for more information if needed.

Greetings from Sansi!

[Hod]

Go to Hamburg, and get whatever you can, before taking at least a couple of weeks to find a decent place. If you're staying long term, you really don't want to be moving in and out of places. As well as the hassle, e.g. having to find a Nachmieter (new tenant) if you finish a contract early, most places have to be repainted when you move out!

55 square metres is nowhere big enough for two. We�re talking 7 � x 7 � metres or 25 x 25 feet. I�m also gobsmacked that an apartment that size costs 550 Euros �Kalt� (no extras thrown in). Hamburg is not that good to justify that expense.

Apparently it�s not much of a comparison, but I live in a 130 square metre place (built 2001) in a very good area of (West) Berlin with managed gardens, underground garage, etc. I pay for the electricity I use, but water is included in the rent. The whole lot comes to 800 Euros.

Apart from that, ditto Sansibar. In my limited experience of Hamburg, which did include looking at some apartments, places there are in great demand, and negotiations over rent or deposits aren�t an option.

[JessInRussia]

Wow, thanks!

Repainted? Ok, this is a new ball game. What do Germans do in their flats? I'll keep it in mind.

Ok, so I need a bigger place, I suppose 100sqm2 will do. And water and electricity as usual to think about. Great about the deposit, that money always goes away and comes back without interest. What price range am I looking at then for a "warm" flat? EUR600 - 700?

In South Africa and Russia I could negotiate my rent - you say it's not possible? Or is it just "not done"?


Jess

[Hod]

Plenty of internet sites showing rented properties in Germany.

A few years ago, I looked at a couple of Hamburg apartments. One landlord had arranged a viewing time where everyone interested turned up at once. There must've been twenty people wandering about this boxy and pretty nondescript apartment. With that sort of demand, negotiation isn't going to happen.

If you don't have the funds for a deposit, you're looking at sharing (with Germans!) or going to another part of Germany with more sensible prices.