Whether brokerage commissions, renovations or bail – a move is always associated with immense costs. We have put together some tips from finding a flat to moving in.
Choice of place of residence
Not always a move takes place within a municipality. When deciding in favor of a foreign city, additional questions arise.
Rising rents in big cities
Depending on where you want to go professionally or privately, the new apartment costs more than the old, you do not want to give up the previous standard. Above all, large cities such as Munich, Stuttgart, Frankfurt and Hamburg have been experiencing a veritable rush for some years – which is also reflected in the rental prices.
Thus, more than 40% of the apartments are already in a price range over 600 euros, whereas apartments under 300 euros are in short supply. Singles, who want to live here cheaply, usually stay only in shared rooms.
The rent also consumes a percentage of the cost of living in the popular and therefore expensive cities, and the trend is rising. Anyone renting a new apartment here pays about 3,000 euros more on average in many cities for an apartment of 80-120 m² than six years ago.
In Berlin and Munich, the jump is particularly large: Since the rents in Berlin have almost doubled since then, the growth in Munich with almost 6,000 euros is about one third.
So it’s up to you to decide whether you want to tackle the fight on the housing market – queues at mass visits in the staircase, numerous cancellations and high rental rates included – or maybe even a cheaper alternative is eligible. Even in the bacon belt of the metropolises, the situation can relax significantly.
Broker or search on your own?
If you are very nervous and want to save money, you can consider whether a broker really makes sense. Since a change in the law in 2015, the ordering principle applies: whoever commissions the broker, who will pay for its costs.
The amount of the costs is almost unchanged with a maximum of two months’ cold rent plus VAT, but the costs are no longer necessarily borne by a potential tenant, but possibly by the landlord himself.
Anyone who is busy with their job and does not want to constantly search for the new place of residence can hire a broker himself, who goes in search of a suitable object.
However, one should pay attention to a good reputation and a large portfolio.
Own car or public transport?
Once the decision has been made in favor of a situation, the next question is: how good is the transport connection? Driving several bus lines right outside the front door and annoying the search for a parking lot every working day anyway, you can perhaps do without your own car in the city and so save several hundred euros annually. If a car is needed, there are now car-sharing options in every major city.
If the decision falls in favor of an idyllic country house, the question of giving up your own car is probably less – and certainly not if the children are still small and need one or the other driving service.
Deposit or guarantee?
A guarantee usually comes into question if there are not enough reserves available to transfer the deposit as a monetary amount. The transfer earlier had the advantage that the landlord has created the money and you saved over the rental period interest.
Currently, however, interest rates tend to zero, the money is thus broke. A disadvantage of the transfer is the availability during a move. So it often happens that the one deposit has not been refunded, but the next is to be paid. The financial burden is thus considerable.
An alternative is the guarantee – a confirmation from the bank that it will act in the event of a claim by the landlord for the deposit. The tenant does not need any reserves, but pays a certain amount each month, which depends on the amount of the deposit, to the bank.
In a few years, the payment made exceeds the amount of the actual deposit – with the difference that the amount is gone. An advantage of the guarantee: The landlord can not keep the money at will, but must actively approach the bank with a justification. Rental disputes about the deposit payment are thus rarer.
Tips on location:
- waive brokers, negotiate at least brokerage fees
- possibly move to outlying areas that are (still) cheaper than the center
- possibly the public transport can replace the car.
- with deposit deposit instead of guarantee monthly cost savings
operating cost
In addition to the net cold rent additional additional costs are added until one can speak of the so-called warm rent. Here are the prices, which can be added per m² on the rent, in East Germany for heating and water, slightly above the average in West Germany. Generally, cheaper rents should quickly offset this aspect.
Demand utility bill
Part of the ancillary and operating costs you pay as a tenant directly together with the rent to the landlord, who in turn creates a service charge bill annually. This letter usually triggers either great joy or pure horror – if it ever arrives.
Many a landlord takes it with the billing is not so accurate – and thus forfeits the right to a request: If the tenant does not receive the settlement by the end of the following year, in which the costs are incurred, a recovery can no longer be asserted ,
Conversely, the claim for a refund does not expire, so that you can still apply for it as a tenant years later. So if you are heating economically and are careful with water consumption, you have a good chance of regaining part of the money in the following year.
Overall, the rental price should ultimately be covered:
- heating costs
- Property tax and insurance for the house
- possibly house connection of satellite system or cable
- Caretaker, garden maintenance, snow removal service
- refuse disposal
- (Water)
Compare electricity providers
In some cities, such as Hamburg, registration at the waterworks takes place separately, ie these costs are just as little included as the electricity in the rental price.
In contrast to the electricity provider, which is best determined via an independent comparison portal, since the local public utilities do not have to be the cheapest alternative, the water provider can not usually be chosen freely.
Telephone, Internet & Co.
With the move to a new apartment is worth a price comparison of telephone and Internet service providers. For some, if you move to another city, you have a special right to terminate your current contract.
Since the service packages and associated costs change frequently, you may be able to come to a cheaper provider, especially since in some large cities local suppliers make the top dogs competition.
Tips on ancillary and operating costs:
- Compare electricity providers
- If there is a suspicion of a refund on the utility bill
- Compare Internet and telephone providers and change if necessary
The move of the furniture
On the move itself, a large part of the costs for transport, helper and Co. are incurred. However, this also has great savings potential.
The choice of relocation helper
Basically, the question arises whether you prefer to drag the boxes and furniture yourself or commissioned others. At a young age, the former is already clear for financial reasons alone. Friends are hired, a Sprinter rented, the belongings packed together.
However, with increasing age and a growing number of moves, usually accompanied by an accumulation of more or less belongings, people tend to be comfortable.
If you can afford it, you may be hired by a freight forwarder, who will take care of everything from packing the dishes to setting up the vases at the new place of residence.
If you are looking for a middle ground that is financially sustainable and yet spares you, you can try to organize helpers via student job boards or other media who help you carry for little money.
In the best case, these are available at the old and the new place of residence (at a distance of two different helper teams), so that your job is limited to the transport journey. If the costs for a forwarding company are fast at 1,500 euros and more, this model – depending on the price of the rental car – from about 200 euros to have.
Helping friends to move, this is considered as a favor, in which a so-called liability relief applies, which excludes them from liability in case of damage. If something goes wrong, their liability insurance may spring in.
Organize used cartons
Moving boxes are expensive. Especially if you need a whole bunch right away. Often friends of own moves still have stacks of boxes in the basement, which they like to lend. Alternatively, look at a classified ad portal – there are new boxes for little money.
Rent a van
If you plan your move in time, you can make some bargains on hiring the transporter. Also important here is a comparison of different providers – especially when it comes to a one-way trip, ie, the van should be rented at the old location and delivered to the new.
Not all rental companies offer this service, and in most cases this is more expensive than the classic rental, but it can be worthwhile both in terms of time and financially, if you do not have to travel twice. It makes sense to pay attention to a sufficient mileage allowance and to choose a low excess in the event of damage.
If someone else is to control the van, an additional driver may be required for insurance reasons.
Tips for relocation transport:
- Friends are free, but damages are not insured.
- For convenience, the complete solution is a good but expensive alternative. In any case, compare different providers.
- If you do not want to spend a lot of money, but also do not want to wear yourself, seek helpers at a job exchange (hourly rates negotiable, from 15 euros).
- Organize used moving boxes
- Calculate transporter capacity generously
Interior of the apartment
Arrived in the new apartment, it goes to the device. In addition to the classic beauty repairs, the move usually involves the purchase of new furnishings. The first move from the family home, the complete furniture must be purchased new, as long as you can not take a lot.
Later, it is usually only items that are new or replace old ones.
Of course, the choice of furniture depends primarily on personal taste – but also on the budget. One option may be classified ad portals. Especially in big cities, you can find here an oversupply of cheap and free furniture. A second option is: DIY. Creativity is in demand for self-made furniture.
Renovate the apartment
Cosmetic repairs are either in the old, the new or the same two apartments. Unlike in the past, many apartments are now unrenovated , that is, when moving out only need to close holes and leave the walls bright.
In the best case, nothing is to be done here, possibly this can be negotiated by an agreement with the tenant additionally.
Borrow tools
In the new apartment, however, usually at least one or the other little thing must be done. Not infrequently, the first problem arises with the tool: Who wants to lend a hand, not infrequently fails the missing equipment – the cordless screwdriver has almost everyone, in the drill for attaching the curtain rails it is already difficult.
If you do not want to buy the necessary equipment directly, you can visit the local hardware store. There are all electrical appliances around the crafts for low daily rates for borrowing.
The painting of the apartment
The classic: The cheap wall paint is on offer and should serve to paint the apartment. Optimistically, you buy the amount that is calculated from the m² figures on the back – and annoys quickly that the color does not cover properly and after the second coat is not enough.
If you want to have as little trouble as possible with the stroking, directly to the more expensive color and does not wear this too close. Then usually a coat is enough. In the end, you can get away with much less color and a much lower amount of time.
The rule is: painting should be easy and not a show of strength. Anyone who presses the paint as thin as possible on the wall will also be dissatisfied.
Tips for renovating the apartment:
- Tools can be borrowed at the hardware store.
- The cheap painter’s paint creates more trouble than really saving.
- Furniture is often cheap or free on classified ad portals.
Special features of the occupation-related move
Regardless of whether it is a job change within a company, a new job or the first start of a job: The removal costs are deductible as income tax expenses. Even if the journey to work per route is shortened by at least 30 minutes, the move is considered to be relevant to your job. Chargeable are:
- Transportation of the moving goods
- Housing search, also sightseeing
- Mietentschädigung
- Flat-rate agreements, for example for removal expenses
- brokerage costs
- Traveling expenses
- Newspaper ads for finding a flat
- Payments to relocation helper
- Cost of a cooker up to 230 euros and ovens up to 164 euros
- Repair of transport damage
A relocation allowance can be used to claim numerous other costs. If the costs are higher than the lump sum, the actual effort can be verified by single documents:
- Dismantling and connection costs of stoves, ovens and heaters
- Tips to moving helpers
- Changes or extensions of installations and electrical and gas appliances
- Adaptation of antenna and TV connections
- Transfer fees, including license plate number
- curtains
- Beauty repairs in the old apartment, also in own contribution
- carpet cleaning
By the way, a move for private reasons can be claimed as a household-related service with 20% of the labor costs, up to a maximum of 4,000 euros.
If the move takes place within a large company, then there are some agreements that the removal costs are taken over by the company or there are at least framework contracts with service providers. Also, there are usually one or two days special leave to do the necessary authority. However, this is not a legal obligation, but a goodwill decision by the company.
Conclusion
A move can save a lot if you are willing to lend a hand and invest some time in price comparisons. It is also worthwhile in the case of a professional move to contact a tax consultant, the company should not bear all the costs on its own.
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