A little knowledge.
A better start.

EXCERPT 001 · THE BUDGET

Cold rent is only the beginning.

Ask for the warm rent, its exact inclusions and any bills paid separately.

Compare homes using the same total monthly figure. Ask for a breakdown rather than assuming that the advertised warm rent covers everything.

Further reading: Berlin Welcome Centre: tenancy agreements (in German).

EXCERPT 002 · THE COSTS

A low advance is not a low bill.

Ask whether service charges are advances or a fixed sum, and how they are settled.

If charges are advances, ask to see a recent annual settlement where available. A small monthly advance can leave a larger balance to pay later.

Further reading: BGB §556: operating costs and advances (in German).

EXCERPT 003 · THE HEATING

Ask who heats the water.

Check how heating and hot water are supplied, and which energy bills you must arrange.

Ask specifically about an electric water heater or a separate gas boiler. Include the relevant supply costs in your budget; do not rely on the rent figure alone.

EXCERPT 004 · THE BUDGET

Budget for the keys, too.

List the deposit, moving costs, overlapping rent and any furniture before committing.

Keep this one-off budget separate from your monthly ceiling. A home can be affordable each month yet require more cash at the start than expected.

EXCERPT 005 · THE BRIEF

Three essentials. The rest is negotiable.

Separate what you genuinely need from what would merely be lovely.

Write down three essentials and a short list of preferences. Use the same list at every viewing so that an attractive photograph does not quietly rewrite your brief.

EXCERPT 006 · THE NEIGHBOURHOOD

Visit the street twice.

Try a weekday morning and an evening. Listen as well as look.

Walk the immediate surroundings at times that matter to your routine. Notice deliveries, traffic and nearby venues; a district name alone cannot tell you how a particular street feels.

EXCERPT 007 · THE LOCATION

Test the journey from the door.

Check the actual route to work or school, including walks and changes.

Use the exact address and your usual departure time. Count the walk to the station, connections and the final walk; proximity to a station is only part of the journey.

EXCERPT 008 · THE BRIEF

One move need not do everything.

Decide whether you need a temporary furnished base or a longer-term home.

Set the intended length of stay and furnishing needs before comparing offers. If you use a temporary base, check its end date and allow for the cost of another move.

EXCERPT 009 · THE APPLICATION

Prepare the folder. Share it selectively.

Keep income and identity documents ready; send only what is needed at the appropriate stage.

Readiness does not mean sending a complete personal dossier with every enquiry. Berlin’s data protection authority distinguishes a viewing request, an application and the checks just before a contract.

Further reading: Berlin data protection authority: tenant applications (in German).

EXCERPT 010 · THE APPLICATION

No German credit history? Explain it.

Ask which alternative evidence is accepted, such as an employer letter or proof of income.

Explain that you are newly arriving rather than leaving an unexplained gap. Agree suitable evidence with the agent or landlord; alternatives are not accepted automatically.

EXCERPT 011 · THE APPLICATION

Freelance income needs a timeline.

Show recent earnings alongside tax records and confirmed ongoing work, where relevant.

Prepare a concise account of income over time, not just one unusually good month. Ask what evidence is required and avoid sending unrelated client or account information.

EXCERPT 012 · THE APPLICATION

Make the introduction easy to answer.

State who is moving, when, and why this particular home suits you.

Keep the first enquiry brief and specific. Include the listing reference and a clear way to contact you, then provide further information when it is relevant.

EXCERPT 013 · HOME FINDING

The portals are one route, not the whole journey.

We also work through our network of agents and landlords, direct enquiries and introductions.

Share a clear brief with the people helping you. At Smooth Relocator Berlin, published listings sit alongside our contacts and direct enquiries; no single route can promise a particular home.

EXCERPT 014 · HOME FINDING

Let alerts do the repetitive part.

Set useful portal alerts, then review the brief as real homes appear.

Alerts are one supporting tool alongside direct enquiries and contacts. Try a nearby area or an alternative room count where your brief allows, rather than repeatedly running an identical search.

EXCERPT 015 · THE CHECKS

A viewing should not need a deposit.

Do not pay to receive a viewing key. Verify the offer and the provider before sending money.

Requests for advance payment to unlock a viewing are a recognised scam pattern. A real tenancy deposit has a different purpose and is not a fee for access to a viewing.

Further reading: Verbraucherzentrale: false property listings (in German).

EXCERPT 016 · THE CHECKS

Check the photograph’s other addresses.

Use a reverse image search if a listing looks suspicious, and verify the advertised address.

Look for the same images offered with different addresses or contact details. A match is a reason to investigate, not automatic proof of fraud; photographs alone do not establish who can let the home.

Further reading: Verbraucherzentrale: false property listings (in German).

EXCERPT 017 · THE VIEWING

Photographs or video? Ask first.

Get permission before filming or taking photographs, especially in an occupied home.

Ask the person showing you round and obtain the current occupant’s consent where relevant. Avoid including people or personal belongings unnecessarily; permission to view is not blanket permission to record.

Further reading: Berlin data protection authority: viewings and photographs (in German).

EXCERPT 018 · THE VIEWING

Bring the questions that change your decision.

Ask about unresolved costs, lease terms and anything in the home that needs explaining.

Write the essential questions before the appointment. Be courteous, but do not confuse being agreeable with leaving important uncertainties unresolved.

EXCERPT 019 · THE BUILDING

Look up. Look down. Ask why.

Notice damp marks or damage in the home and stairwell; ask about repairs rather than guessing.

Make a note of what you see and ask whether a problem has been investigated or repaired. A stain or an untidy entrance is an observation, not a diagnosis of the building.

EXCERPT 020 · THE EXTRAS

A cellar is useful. A promised cellar less so.

Confirm which storage, parking or garden rights are included, and have them recorded.

Check the description in the tenancy documents against what you were shown. Clarify whether a space is allocated to you or shared, and whether it costs extra.

EXCERPT 021 · THE CONTRACT

Read next year’s rent as well.

For a stepped rent, check every scheduled increase and date before judging affordability.

A Staffelmiete sets agreed amounts for later periods. Put the schedule into your budget rather than evaluating only the first advertised payment.

Further reading: BGB §557a: stepped rent (in German).

EXCERPT 022 · THE CONTRACT

An index is part of the price.

If rent follows an index, understand the clause and allow for possible changes.

An Indexmiete links the rent to Germany’s consumer price index. It is not simply a fixed annual percentage; ask for an explanation or independent advice if the clause is unclear.

Further reading: BGB §557b: index-linked rent (in German).

EXCERPT 023 · THE CONTRACT

Check when you can leave.

Read the notice terms, any minimum commitment and any fixed end date before signing.

An indefinite contract and a fixed-term contract are different arrangements. Check for a restriction on ordinary termination as well; get unclear terms reviewed before making plans around an assumed exit date.

Further reading: Berlin Welcome Centre: tenancy agreements (in German).

EXCERPT 024 · THE CONTRACT

Understand the attachments, too.

Read the contract, additions and house rules; arrange a translation or qualified review if needed.

Check the names, start date, rent and agreed extras against your understanding. Do not rely on a quick summary when a clause could affect your costs or length of stay.

EXCERPT 025 · THE DEPOSIT

A cash deposit can be paid in instalments.

For residential tenancies, the law allows three equal monthly instalments; the first is due at the start.

Under §551 BGB, the deposit is capped at three months’ rent excluding stated operating costs. The statutory instalment right applies to a cash deposit. Check the amount and payment arrangements.

Further reading: BGB §551: tenancy deposits (in German).

EXCERPT 026 · THE KITCHEN

Ask whose kitchen it is.

Is it included, rented separately, or being sold by the outgoing tenant? Get the answer in writing.

If you are buying equipment, list the items, condition and agreed price separately. Clarify who owns it and who will deal with repairs; an attractive kitchen does not answer those questions.

EXCERPT 027 · THE INVENTORY

Furnished needs an inventory.

Check the included furniture and appliances, their condition and any existing faults.

Match the inventory to what is actually present at handover. Test items where practical and record discrepancies before acknowledging the condition of the home.

EXCERPT 028 · THE HANDOVER

The scratch belongs in the record.

Inspect room by room and record existing damage in the handover report, with photographs.

Include floors and fixtures, not just obvious defects. Ask both sides to sign the record and keep your copy; if a description is disputed, record that rather than signing an inaccurate account.

Further reading: Berlin Welcome Centre: handover record (in German).

EXCERPT 029 · THE HANDOVER

Give the meters their close-up.

Record the meter numbers, readings and date when you receive the keys.

Photograph the identifying number as well as the reading, where accessible. Keep copies and send the readings to the relevant supplier or property manager so your starting point is clear.

EXCERPT 030 · AFTER ARRIVAL

Report a new fault while it is still new.

Photograph it and notify the landlord or manager promptly in writing. Keep the correspondence.

Give the location, a clear description and the date you noticed it. There is no universal seven-day grace period that makes later reporting unnecessary; report urgent damage without delay.

Further reading: BGB §536c: reporting defects (in German).