Renting an Apartment in Germany — Mietvertrag, Kaltmiete, Nebenkosten, Deposit and SCHUFA

Where can you look for an apartment in Germany?

In larger cities, apartments are often advertised on property portals, classified-ad websites, and social media.

However, especially in smaller towns and rural areas, you should not limit your search to the major online property platforms.

It is also worth checking:

• local newspapers and their classified sections;
• regional online classifieds;
• Facebook and other local groups;
• property management companies;
• friends and acquaintances;
• recommendations from colleagues at work.

It is a good reminder that not every private landlord lists their property on one of the major real-estate portals.

What documents should you prepare before applying for an apartment?

If several people are interested in the same apartment, it can help to have the necessary documents ready in advance.

Depending on the landlord, you may be asked for:

• a passport or identity card;
• proof of income;
• recent payslips;
• an employment contract;
• SCHUFA information;
• a Mieterselbstauskunft;
• information about the people who will live in the apartment;
• in some cases, other documents proving your ability to pay the rent.

Not every landlord will ask for everything on this list.

If you do not have a particular document, it is usually better to explain your situation rather than automatically giving up on the application.

What is SCHUFA?

SCHUFA is one of the terms many newcomers first encounter when looking for an apartment in Germany.

A landlord may want information that helps them assess a prospective tenant's financial reliability and ability to pay the rent.

If you have only recently moved to Germany, this can be more complicated because you may not yet have a long financial history in the country.

DMS has a separate detailed guide explaining SCHUFA.

Mieterselbstauskunft — information about the prospective tenant

A Mieterselbstauskunft is information that a prospective tenant provides to a landlord about themselves and their situation.

It may include information about:

• the people who will live in the apartment;
• employment;
• income;
• previous residence;
• other matters relevant to the tenancy.

Children and household size

A landlord will usually want to know how many people will actually be living in the apartment.

For this reason, an application may need to state whether the apartment will be occupied by one person, a couple, or, for example, a family with children.

In practice, families with young children may sometimes encounter situations where a landlord prefers a quieter household. One reason may be concern about noise, such as children crying, running, or playing loudly.

You may also come across advertisements where a landlord is looking, for example, for an older couple or another quiet household.

In practical terms, it is normally enough to state clearly how many people will live in the apartment.

For example:

Have a pet? Clarify this before signing the Mietvertrag

If you have a dog, cat, or another pet, check what the Mietvertrag says about Tierhaltung — keeping pets, and clarify the matter with the landlord before signing the rental agreement.

Especially with dogs or cats, you should not automatically assume that keeping the animal is allowed without any form of approval.

If the landlord's consent is required and permission is granted, it is safer to have it confirmed in writing.

For example, you can ask:

The rules can vary depending on the animal, the rental agreement, and the specific circumstances.

How should you contact a landlord?

Your first message to a landlord does not need to be a long autobiography.

Briefly explain:

• who you are;
• how many people will live in the apartment;
• what you do for work;
• when you would like to move in;
• that you would like to view the apartment.

If your German is still limited, a simple and understandable message is better than a complicated letter full of phrases whose meaning you do not fully understand yourself.

Kaltmiete, Warmmiete and Nebenkosten — the most important rental terms

These are some of the most important terms you will see both in apartment advertisements and in a Mietvertrag.

Kaltmiete

Kaltmiete, sometimes also called Nettokaltmiete or Grundmiete, is the basic rent for the apartment itself.

Put simply, it is what you pay for the use of the living space, excluding separately calculated building operating costs.

Nebenkosten / Betriebskosten

Nebenkosten, also known as Betriebskosten, are additional operating costs and are one of the most important things to check before signing a Mietvertrag.

Depending on the building and the rental agreement, Betriebskosten may include, for example:

• water supply;
• wastewater;
• heating;
• hot-water preparation;
• waste collection;
• street or property cleaning;
• cleaning of communal areas;
• lighting of communal areas;
• garden and grounds maintenance;
• certain caretaker or Hausmeister services;
• lift operating costs;
• chimney-sweeping services;
• certain building insurance costs;
• Grundsteuer — property tax;
• other permitted recurring operating costs.

The exact composition of Nebenkosten is not the same in every building.

A service that is included in the Betriebskosten in one building may be organised differently in another.

Cleaning the stairwell — sometimes the tenants do it themselves

A good example is stairwell cleaning.

In one building, a professional cleaning company may do the work, with the cost included in the Betriebskosten.

In another building, the tenants clean the stairwell themselves.

That is why it is worth reading the Hausordnung — house rules before signing the rental agreement.

Depending on the building, the Hausordnung may include rules about:

• the stairwell cleaning schedule;
• use of communal areas;
• Ruhezeiten — quiet hours;
• waste separation and use of rubbish bins;
• winter duties;
• other responsibilities of residents.

Just because you do not see a particular service listed separately under Nebenkosten does not necessarily mean that you will have no responsibility for it as a tenant.

What does Warmmiete mean?

In simplified terms:

For example:

However, Warmmiete does not necessarily mean your total monthly housing costs.

You may still have to pay separately for:

• Strom — electricity;
• Internet;
• Rundfunkbeitrag — the mandatory broadcasting contribution for a household;
• in some cases, gas or heating if the tenant has a separate contract with an energy supplier;
• other individually chosen services.

Waste collection in an apartment building, on the other hand, is often already included in the Betriebskosten.

So before signing a rental agreement, do not ask only:

Also ask:

One very important word in a Mietvertrag — Vorauszahlung

Vorauszahlung is a term that can easily be overlooked if your German is not yet good enough to understand a rental agreement confidently.

Your Mietvertrag may contain the terms:

Vorauszahlung means an advance payment.

This means that the monthly amount you pay for Nebenkosten is not necessarily the final amount of your actual annual costs.

You pay an estimated amount in advance each month, and the actual costs are calculated later.

Nebenkostenabrechnung — Guthaben or Nachzahlung

If the Betriebskosten are paid as a Vorauszahlung, there is an annual calculation called a Betriebskostenabrechnung, commonly also referred to as a Nebenkostenabrechnung.

In our building, for example, each apartment's consumption is recorded separately for:

• cold water;
• hot water;
• heating.

Once a year, the relevant readings are taken and the actual costs are calculated.

Guthaben — you paid too much

If your advance payments during the year were higher than the actual calculated costs, you have a Guthaben — a credit balance or overpayment.

For example:

Nachzahlung — you have to pay extra

The opposite situation is also possible.

If the actual costs are higher than the advance payments you made during the year, there is a Nachzahlung — an additional amount you have to pay.

For example:

So paying €250 per month in Nebenkosten does not necessarily mean that your actual annual costs will be exactly €3,000.

Water, hot water, and heating costs in particular may depend on actual consumption.

Does the landlord have to provide an annual Nebenkostenabrechnung?

If the Betriebskosten are agreed in the rental contract as a Vorauszahlung, the annual calculation is not simply a voluntary service provided by the landlord.

Under Section 556 of the German Civil Code (BGB), advance payments for Betriebskosten are subject to an annual accounting.

As a general rule, the tenant must receive the statement no later than 12 months after the end of the relevant accounting period.

The tenant does not automatically receive all of the landlord's accounting documents. However, the tenant generally has the right to inspect the supporting documents on which the specific Betriebskostenabrechnung is based.

This can be especially important if you do not yet understand German well.

Your monthly Vorauszahlung can change after the annual calculation

If the annual Betriebskostenabrechnung shows that your previous advance payments were too low or too high, the monthly amount can be adjusted to a reasonable level after the calculation.

This means that after a large Nachzahlung, your monthly Betriebskostenvorauszahlung may increase for the following period.

The calculation may also show that your previous advance payment was too high.

Practical tip — photograph the meter readings

When taking over an apartment, photograph all meter readings that are accessible to you.

Depending on the apartment, these may include:

• electricity meter;
• cold-water meter;
• hot-water meter;
• gas meter;
• heating consumption meters or other measuring devices.

The readings should ideally also be recorded in the Übergabeprotokoll — apartment handover report.

Wohnungsbesichtigung — what should you check when viewing an apartment?

If you are invited to a Wohnungsbesichtigung — apartment viewing, do not look only at whether you like the rooms and the kitchen.

Also pay attention to:

• windows;
• signs of damp or mould;
• heating;
• bathroom;
• water pressure;
• walls and floors;
• noise;
• basement storage;
• parking;
• exactly what will remain in the apartment;
• which costs will have to be paid in addition to the Warmmiete.

What is included with the apartment?

Clarify which items in the apartment belong to the landlord and are being rented together with the property.

For example:

• Einbauküche — fitted kitchen;
• cooker;
• oven;
• refrigerator;
• dishwasher;
• built-in cupboards;
• bathroom furniture;
• Kellerraum — basement storage;
• garage;
• parking space;
• other equipment.

The important thing is to document clearly what is being handed over with the apartment and who owns it.

This can be recorded in the Mietvertrag, an appendix, an inventory list, or the Übergabeprotokoll.

Pay particular attention to the Einbauküche.

The kitchen may belong to the landlord and be included with the apartment.

However, it may also belong to the previous tenant, who wants to sell it to the next tenant.

Mietvertrag — what should you check before signing?

Do not rush to sign a Mietvertrag simply because you have finally found an apartment after a long search.

Check at least:

• Kaltmiete;
• Nebenkosten;
• Warmmiete;
• whether the Betriebskosten are a Vorauszahlung or Pauschale;
• Mietkaution;
• the start date of the tenancy;
• the duration of the rental agreement;
• what is included with the apartment;
• rules regarding Tierhaltung — pets;
• Hausordnung;
• parking, basement storage, and other additional spaces;
• other payments and obligations specified in the contract.

Pay particular attention to the difference between:

Mietkaution — the rental deposit

Mietkaution is a security deposit that a landlord may require when a rental agreement is concluded.

For residential property, a cash deposit may not exceed three months' rent excluding Betriebskosten shown as a Pauschale or Vorauszahlung.

A simplified example:

If the deposit is paid in cash, the tenant has the right to pay it in three equal monthly instalments.

The first instalment is due at the beginning of the tenancy.

Beware of rental scams

Housing shortages and high demand also create favourable conditions for scammers.

Be especially careful if:

• the rent seems unbelievably cheap;
• the supposed landlord is abroad and cannot show you the apartment;
• an apartment viewing is not possible;
• money is requested before you have viewed the property;
• you are asked to transfer the Kaution immediately;
• you are put under strong pressure to act quickly;
• the advertisement, documents, and landlord's story do not match.

Wohnungsübergabe — taking over the apartment

When you receive the keys, it is advisable to prepare an Übergabeprotokoll — handover report.

This records the condition of the apartment at the time it is handed over.

Write down and photograph:

• scratches;
• cracks;
• other damage;
• signs of damp or mould;
• damaged furniture or appliances;
• meter readings;
• the number of keys received.

If a fitted kitchen, bathroom furniture, or other equipment belonging to the landlord remains in the apartment, check its condition as well.

For example, if the oven door is already damaged or the kitchen worktop has a defect, it is better to document this on the day you move in.

Wohnungsgeberbestätigung — an important document after moving in

After moving in, you will need a Wohnungsgeberbestätigung — confirmation from the housing provider that you have actually moved into the property.

This is an important document for Anmeldung — registering your address.

Anmeldung after moving in

After moving, your new address in Germany generally has to be registered within two weeks.

Finding an apartment is therefore often only the beginning of a chain of practical steps:

DMS has a separate detailed guide to Anmeldung in Germany.

Can you rent an apartment without a permanent employment contract?

Yes, it is possible, although it may be more difficult.

The landlord wants to understand whether a prospective tenant will be able to pay the rent regularly.

If you do not have a standard permanent employment contract, depending on your situation, the following may help:

• other proof of income;
• savings;
• a guarantor;
• other evidence of your ability to pay.

Requirements can vary considerably from one landlord to another.

Your first apartment in Germany may be the hardest to find

Someone who has lived in Germany for only a few weeks or months can easily find themselves in a difficult cycle.

A landlord may want German documents, proof of income, and financial history, while some formalities are much easier to arrange once you already have a permanent address.

On top of that, a Mietvertrag may be full of terms you have never seen before.

That is why the most important thing is not to know all of German tenancy law by heart.

Common mistakes when renting an apartment in Germany

Looking only at the Kaltmiete

Your actual monthly housing costs will be higher than the basic rent.

Assuming Warmmiete includes absolutely everything

Electricity, internet, and other services may still have to be paid separately.

Overlooking the word Vorauszahlung

It may mean that a Betriebskostenabrechnung will follow later, resulting in either a Guthaben or a Nachzahlung.

Not reading the Hausordnung

It may contain practical rules about quiet hours, communal areas, cleaning, and other responsibilities.

Not mentioning a pet before signing the contract

If you have a dog, cat, or another pet, clarify the rules in advance.

Not knowing what belongs to the landlord

This is particularly important for fitted kitchens, bathroom furniture, and other equipment.

Failing to document existing damage when moving in

Photos and an Übergabeprotokoll can be very important later.

Photographing the apartment but forgetting the meters

Record the meter readings as well.

Searching only on major online property portals

Especially in smaller towns, you may also find an apartment through a local newspaper, acquaintances, or colleagues.

Transferring money too quickly

Do not transfer large amounts to an unverified person simply because you are afraid of losing the apartment.

Frequently Asked Questions About Renting an Apartment in Germany

What is the difference between Kaltmiete and Warmmiete?

Kaltmiete is the basic rent for the apartment without separately calculated Betriebskosten.

Warmmiete generally consists of the Kaltmiete plus the Nebenkosten included in the rental agreement.

However, Warmmiete does not necessarily include electricity, internet, and every other household expense.

What does Vorauszahlung mean for Nebenkosten?

Vorauszahlung means an advance payment.

You pay an estimated amount towards the Betriebskosten each month, and the actual costs are calculated after the accounting period.

The result may be a Guthaben — money credited or returned to you because you overpaid — or a Nachzahlung, meaning you have to pay an additional amount.

Does the landlord have to provide a Nebenkostenabrechnung every year?

If the Betriebskosten are paid as a Vorauszahlung, an annual calculation is generally required.

That is why it is important to check whether your Mietvertrag says Vorauszahlung or Pauschale.

What is usually included in Nebenkosten?

Depending on the building and the rental agreement, Nebenkosten may include water, wastewater, heating, hot water, waste collection, lighting of communal areas, certain Hausmeister services, grounds maintenance, and other permitted operating costs.

Check your Mietvertrag and annual Betriebskostenabrechnung for the exact items.

Are electricity and internet included in Warmmiete?

Not necessarily.

In many apartments, the tenant signs separate contracts for electricity and internet and pays for them separately.

How high can the Mietkaution be?

For residential property, the Mietkaution may not exceed three months' rent excluding Betriebskosten shown as a Pauschale or Vorauszahlung.

If the Kaution is paid in cash, the tenant has the right to pay it in three equal monthly instalments.

Do I have to tell the landlord that children will live in the apartment?

The landlord needs to know how many people are expected to live in the apartment, so the household size is normally stated in the application.

At the same time, discrimination involving families and children in the housing market is legally more complex, so it should not automatically be assumed that every restriction relating to children is permissible.

Do I have to tell the landlord about a dog or cat?

If you have a pet, check the Tierhaltung provisions in your Mietvertrag and clarify the issue with the landlord before signing.

Especially with a dog or cat, you should not automatically assume that no approval is required.

Is a Mietvertrag enough for Anmeldung?

Not always.

For Anmeldung, you also generally need a Wohnungsgeberbestätigung, confirming that you have actually moved into the property.

What should I check when receiving the apartment keys?

Check the condition of the apartment, document existing damage, photograph the meter readings, and inspect any equipment belonging to the landlord.

Important details should ideally be recorded in the Übergabeprotokoll.

Important German Words for Renting an Apartment

• Wohnung mieten — to rent an apartment
• Vermieter — landlord
• Mieter — tenant
• Mietvertrag — rental agreement / tenancy agreement
• Kaltmiete / Nettokaltmiete — basic rent excluding separately calculated operating costs
• Warmmiete — rent including the Nebenkosten specified in the agreement
• Nebenkosten / Betriebskosten — additional operating costs
• Vorauszahlung — advance payment
• Nebenkostenvorauszahlung — advance payment towards Nebenkosten
• Pauschale — fixed lump-sum payment
• Betriebskostenabrechnung / Nebenkostenabrechnung — annual operating-cost statement
• Guthaben — credit balance / overpayment
• Nachzahlung — additional payment due
• Mietkaution — rental deposit / security deposit
• SCHUFA-Auskunft — information about creditworthiness and payment history
• Mieterselbstauskunft — information provided by a prospective tenant about themselves
• Wohnungsbesichtigung — apartment viewing
• Einbauküche — fitted kitchen
• Tierhaltung — keeping pets
• Hausordnung — house rules
• Ruhezeiten — quiet hours
• Wohnungsübergabe — apartment handover
• Übergabeprotokoll — handover report
• Wohnungsgeberbestätigung — confirmation of moving in provided by the housing provider
• Anmeldung — registration of your address

The Most Important Things to Remember

Renting an apartment in Germany is about much more than deciding whether the price in the advertisement fits your budget.

Before signing a Mietvertrag, make sure you understand:

If your German is still limited, these terms can be one of the most difficult parts of renting your first apartment.

We ourselves did not initially understand what Vorauszahlung meant in our Mietvertrag, and we were surprised when the actual costs were calculated after the first year and part of our advance payments was returned to us.

These are exactly the kind of practical details that matter when you are starting a new life in another country.

DMS combines German with practical everyday life in Germany, so that words such as Mietvertrag, Nebenkosten, Kaution, SCHUFA, Vorauszahlung, and Nebenkostenabrechnung are not just German vocabulary — they are terms you understand when you actually need them in real life.