Renting and renting out a furnished apartment safely

How safe is it to rent or rent out a furnished apartment on a temporary basis?

We have all heard the horror stories about fake apartments with stolen pictures and details that are offered on the internet for an incredibly low rent. You quickly reach an agreement by e-mail or text messages, transfer the money, and then show up to the handover to find out there is no apartment and the money is gone. On the flip side there are those infamous rent nomads who make themselves comfortable in the apartment but unfortunately do not pay rent.

If you keep a few important points in mind, renting or leasing a furnished apartment on a temporary basis is a pretty safe bet. Especially if you rent through an agency, all security issues are already clarified in advance.

In short, cheaters or scammers are detected in advance and sorted out before they can get a foot in the door.

If you also make sure that all formalities are properly completed, experience shows that no problems are to be expected. We have a few tips for you:

Why is going through an agency safer?

In contrast to the advertisements uploaded by individuals on the usual portals, we check everything in advance. As soon as we receive a registration with all the contact data and details, the work really starts. We personally contact all customers, no matter if they are looking for an apartment or offering one. We check the apartment offers to make sure that everything is correct.
Our house photographer takes photographs of all new apartments, sometimes also creating a 360° tour (depending on the service package).
Once all of the data and photos are available, our team writes up the apartment description. This way the apartments are presented objectively. We also structure our descriptions in a consistent way so that customers can compare the apartments on offer quickly and easily. This is an important point, for example, when it comes to rent prices. We always advertise the all-in rent, including utilities. If there is an exception here, we make a note of it.
City-Wohnen has been active on the Hamburg market since 1987. In the course of these many years, we have built up a very large base of returning clientele. This is not only true for the lessors we work with, but also for the corporate clients and relocation agencies who reach out to us again and again. We are proud of these long-lasting cooperations, mutual trust, and the great security it affords to everyone.
We pay attention to the price/performance ratio and do not accept apartments that are obviously offered at too high a price.

Are furnished rentals or subletting even allowed?

There are rules about when you are allowed to rent out or sublet an apartment. There is a housing shortage in Hamburg, so the city has created rules surrounding rentals and whether certain requirements must be met. We get assurances from our lessors that all laws and regulations will be adhered to. This avoids unpleasant surprises in the rental relationship. An unauthorized sublet, for example, can result in the lease being invalid. Sublets generally have to be approved by the property management.

City-Wohnen brokers apartments for a minimum rental period of three months. Some information about the rental period can be found here: Rental period temporary housing →

Why is a secure lease agreement important?

Rental law also applies when renting out furnished apartments on a temporary basis so that both contracting parties can enter into a secure legal relationship. A simple usage agreement, such as those typical for vacation homes, would not be sufficient here and would not provide legal security. Even if they are well-intentioned, rental agreements drafted by oneself are usually (partly) invalid.

We draw up a customized, legally-secure lease agreement for interim housing. If necessary, the lease is provided in a bilingual German-English version so that international clients understand what they are signing. The lease includes an internet agreement and instructions on how to avoid mold and odors. For the service packages plietsch or kommood (or BASIC and KOMFORT) we prepare a housing provider confirmation for the official registration.

In the case of rental contracts with commercial lessors, if no personal inspection of the apartment has taken place, there is a legally prescribed withdrawal period of two weeks. In this case we offer the information about the right of withdrawal together with the rental contract.

Read more about the rental agreement for temporary housing →

Credit check via SCHUFA or Crefo

City-Wohnen Hamburg would like to offer the highest possible security and find solvent renters. As soon as the decision for a renter has been made, we obtain SCHUFA or Crefo information upon request. For a SCHUFA report we need written consent, but we take care of that.

A self-disclosure is sometimes useful

If the furnished apartment is to be rented for a longer period of time, it is perhaps of interest that the lessees fill out a self-disclosure form. If desired, we will take care of obtaining securities such as the self-disclosure, proof of income and the like. We offer this service in the packages plietsch and kommood (or BASIC and KOMFORT).

Why is a security deposit a safeguard?

The deposit provides security in the event that lessees do not fulfill their obligation to pay the rent. Our lease agreements run for a longer period of time - at least three months - so this security is important for lessors. A security deposit is also relevant for possible claims settlement. After all, the apartments are rented out fully furnished, and the odd mishap can happen.

Here you can find more information on the subject: Deposit →

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