Tenant Glossary

Duties of the Tenant of a furnished Apartment

Why you should read the rental agreement carefully

There are a few essential things that tenants of temporary apartments should pay attention to. First of all, it is important to understand that renting an apartment is different to living in a hotel. The responsibilities are the same as with unlimited contracts.

Keeping the apartment clean and tidy

The tenant has to keep the apartment clean and tidy during the whole rental period. This means cleaning it regularly, and removing limescale in the kitchen and bathroom. Coarse dirt and limescale that has not been cleaned for e.g. a year, cannot be easily got rid of during final cleaning and will incur extra charges for removal.

Airing and ventilating of the apartment

The tenant has to air and vent the apartment every day to avoid humidity and mould.

Reporting damages

Whether or not the tenant is responsible for possible damages, he or she is required to report them to the owner (e.g. water stains on the wall). In most cases, the problem can be solved quickly and easily. It only becomes a major issue if it is not sufficiently taken care of. In the worst case, the tenant can be held responsible if he or she does not get in touch with the owner.

Energy use

Please be eco-friendly and don’t waste energy – gas, water, electricity. It's also important to consider that the cost of energy is very high in Berlin.

Access to the apartment

The tenant has to allow the owner to access the apartment for reading meters, repairs, or for showing the apartment to new prospective tenants. The owner has to contact the tenant in advance, of course, and for this reason you should make sure that the owner has your mobile and office number, or another means of contacting you.

What tenants are not allowed to do

Illegal up- and downloading

Tenants are not allowed to surf on illegal websites or to up- or download illegal data (eg. music or films). This is a criminal offence in Germany, and has already become big business as law firms have started writing warning letters to owners of internet connections, asking for large sums of money. At worst, the owner can ask the money from you directly.

Smoking

Smoking is not allowed inside any Crocodilian apartment. It is only possible to smoke on the balcony, or in the garden.

Assignment to a third party, subleasing

It is not possible to leave the apartment to a third party, e.g. friends, when you are away. It is also not possible to sublease the apartment.

Deposit

Similarly to unlimited rental agreeements, it is not possible to set the deposit off against the rent.