income spent on rent utilities in Germany?

Question

Hi
as anyone lived in Germany Stuttgart, I am about to relocate there and need to know how it is to live there, how much is the rent, do they have utility pays like in the US, does the landlord pay the property tax or the renter does?

Answer 1

Here are some very good sites woth lots of info on Germany/stuttgart for expats:
http://www.expatica.com
http://www.german-way.com/gwlist.html
http://www.expatexchange.com/net.cfm?networkid=3
Looks for the froums, where you can contact expats that are in the Stuttgart area. Some, if not all of the sites offer extensive info on housing, and in some cases classified ads. This should give you an idea what to expect when you look for housing.

http://www.immowelt.de/Immobilien/ImmoSuche.aspx?EType=1&ESR=1

is a site where you can see current housing listings. (in German!)
Tentant typically pays for the utilities, landlord pays property taxes.

Answer 2

overlook the voters suggestion Bureau - you pick specialist housing help. Ring your close by council. they have a private Tennants Unit that may furnish you with help and help. For a commence, you could receive a criminal eviction be conscious - not merely a without delay written be conscious from the owner. He then has to take you to courtroom to get you out - which isn't gauranteed until eventually you're more beneficial than 2 months in the back of on the lease. Head right down to the council place of work and placed your self on the housing sign up - they received't re-abode you without delay yet putting your call on the record received't damage. the non-public Tennants Officer will both ask you to come back and be conscious him or would come out to you. in case you moved in after April 2007, has your deposit been placed into the authorities's certain Scheme? If he hasn't he has fewer rights and also you're in a more beneficial position. the very incontrovertible actuality that you're having complications because of a courting breakdown signifies that there's a superb probability that the council will rehouse you so that you'll not go away the belongings until eventually bailiffs arrive - get your stuff out and someone searching after it yet in case you go away the council will say you made your self deliberately homeless. Please ring the council day after today. they have the most up as a outcome far regulation and can want to help you through this. i'm particular that as a unmarried figure you'd be entitled to some benefit which may help.

Answer 3

I lived in Germany for 3 years in the late 1980s. Rents are high, especially in the major cities. Apartments are the norm in the cities. Single family homes are very expensive. On balance, mortgage rates are quite low.

Utilities are normally billed quarterly. The meters are read once a year and you settle up at the end of the year. Most landlords are willing to put the utilities in their name and add it to your rent. You then settle with the landlord at the end of the year. The rates are higher than in most of the US but if you're moving from NYC, they'll probably be a bit lower.

Property taxes are typically paid by the landlord but I've been told that this can vary regionally. The landlords in the Kaiserslautern area paid them, Stuttgart might be different.

Phone service will drive you totally nuts. The rates are all over the scope and are typically very high during the day. If you'll be calling the US frequently, get VOIP service before you leave and get broadband when you get there from the telco or the local TV cable company. You'll save a TON of money that way. Most VOIP terminal adaptors are auto-volt so you'll just need a cheap travel adaptor to plug it in. Dont' bring your cordless phone, though. European ones use different frequencies; the US ones are illegal and will be confiscated; the fine will take your breath away.

The cost of gasoline will make you sick -- about $6.00 a gallon. Diesel is much cheaper. Most Europeans drive diesel vehicles these days for this reason. You'll be pleasantly surprised at how much they've improved them in the past decade!

It's a totally different culture in Germany. Germans are scrupulously clean and tidy. You'll be expected to join your neighbors on Saturday mornings cleaing the stoop and sidewalk in front of your house. If you live in a small outlying town, you'll take turns cleaning the bus shelter down the street. Don't even think of dropping trash on the ground, not even a cigarette butt. You'll find trash bins ever few metres so there's no excuse for it anyway.

Excess noise is simply not tolerated. Anything that can be heard outside your apartment or house is considered excessive, so keep the stereo and TV turned way down.

Driving is a challenge. The autobahns are mostly free of speed limits but where speed limits exist they are strictly enforced. Photo radar is the rule of the day and the registered owner is legally responsible for any fines. Photo traps are common on traffic signals as well. If you get a citation in the mail, just pay it.

Do not even think of turning right on a red light! And don't even think of passing on the right!

When overtaking on the autobahn, get back to the right lane quickly. Vehicles approaching from behind you have the right of way and you may get rammed. Fines for "lane hogging" are very high.

When turning left, cars approaching from behind you have the right of way and WILL pass you if there is no oncoming traffic. If you turn in front of them you WILL get hit and you'll be responsible for the accident.

Running out of gas on the autobahn is illegal, the fine is about 100 Euros at last count.

Most traffic fines are assessed on the spot. It's illegal to not have at least 50 Euros on your posession when driving so don't say that you don't have the money as the fine will be increased. Just ask them to send it to your home; there's a 10% surcharge for that but it beats the 50% surfine for no cash on hand!

DUI laws are strictly enforced and the penalties are severe. If you are suspected of driving under the influence you do NOT have the right to refuse the test. They'll ask you just to be polite, but will focibly take a sample if you refuse.

Whew, that's a fair bit to get started but barely scratches the surface. I thoroughly loved my time in Germany and would go back in a heartbeat if the opportunity arose again.

P.S. If you drink light beer, you won't find much over there and you won't find any American brands at all. Germans take their beer VERY seriously and American light beer doesn't qualify as beer to them. You'll quickly come to wonder how you ever drank the stuff, though! Be forwarned though, European beer in general has a much higher alcohol content than the piss that passes as beer in the US. Remember the DUI laws over there!