Apartment Viewing in German: What to Say and What to Ask
A Wohnungsbesichtigung usually lasts 10 to 15 minutes, often with several other applicants standing in the same hallway, and the landlord or agent remembers the people who were polite, prepared and easy to talk to. You don’t need perfect German for it. You need about 30 phrases, the six money words below, and the right papers in a folder.
The six money words you must understand
Most confusion at a viewing is about cost, because German rent is quoted in layers:
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| die Kaltmiete | Base rent, without utilities |
| die Nebenkosten (NK) | Running costs: water, heating, waste, building maintenance |
| die Warmmiete | Kaltmiete + Nebenkosten: what you actually pay each month |
| die Kaution | Deposit. By law, at most three months’ Kaltmiete, and you may pay it in three instalments |
| die Ablöse | A one-off payment to the previous tenant for furniture or a kitchen |
| die Provision | An agent’s fee |
A listing that says “600 € kalt” means 600 euros before utilities. Always ask for the Warmmiete, since that is the number your budget depends on.
What to bring
Landlords in popular cities often decide on the spot, so bring a folder:
- Personalausweis oder Reisepass (ID)
- Gehaltsnachweise of the last three months, or an Arbeitsvertrag
- Schufa-Auskunft (credit report). Many landlords ask for the paid BonitätsAuskunft rather than the free data copy
- Mietschuldenfreiheitsbescheinigung (confirmation from your previous landlord that you owe no rent)
- Selbstauskunft (a tenant information form, often supplied by the landlord: fill it in beforehand if you can)
Newcomers without a Schufa history can offer a Bürgschaft (guarantee), proof of savings or an employer letter instead.
Arriving and introducing yourself
Be on time, or five minutes early. Use Sie, shake hands if offered, and use the surname.
- Guten Tag, ich bin Maria Costa. Ich habe einen Termin um 15 Uhr. (Hello, I’m Maria Costa. I have an appointment at 3 pm.)
- Freut mich, Sie kennenzulernen. (Nice to meet you.)
- Vielen Dank, dass ich die Wohnung besichtigen darf. (Thank you for letting me view the flat.)
Then a short, ready introduction, because you will often be asked “Erzählen Sie kurz etwas über sich.”:
Ich bin Krankenschwester und arbeite seit zwei Jahren im Klinikum. Ich wohne alleine, ich rauche nicht und habe keine Haustiere. Ich suche eine ruhige Wohnung in der Nähe der Arbeit.
It’s short and it contains what landlords actually want to know: job, household, smoking, pets.
Questions to ask during the viewing
Asking questions shows you are serious. Choose five or six:
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Wie hoch sind die Nebenkosten? | How high are the running costs? |
| Sind Heizung und Warmwasser in den Nebenkosten enthalten? | Are heating and hot water included? |
| Wie hoch ist die Kaution? | How high is the deposit? |
| Ab wann ist die Wohnung frei? | When is it available? |
| Ist der Mietvertrag befristet oder unbefristet? | Is the contract fixed-term or open-ended? |
| Gibt es einen Keller oder Abstellraum? | Is there a cellar or storage room? |
| Ist die Küche im Preis inbegriffen? | Is the kitchen included in the price? |
| Sind Haustiere erlaubt? | Are pets allowed? |
| Wie ist die Anbindung an den öffentlichen Nahverkehr? | How are the public transport links? |
| Wie viele Bewerber haben Sie ungefähr? | Roughly how many applicants do you have? |
| Bis wann treffen Sie eine Entscheidung? | By when will you decide? |
What you’ll hear back
Landlords speak fast and use abbreviations. Common phrases and what they mean:
- “Die Wohnung ist unmöbliert.” Unfurnished. Many German flats come without lights and sometimes without a kitchen.
- “Die Einbauküche übernehmen Sie vom Vormieter.” You take over the fitted kitchen from the previous tenant (that’s when Ablöse appears).
- “Wir melden uns bis Freitag bei Ihnen.” We’ll contact you by Friday.
- “Schicken Sie mir bitte Ihre Unterlagen per E-Mail.” Please email me your documents.
- “Gibt es Schufa-Einträge?” Are there any entries on your credit record?
If you don’t catch something: “Könnten Sie das bitte wiederholen?“ or “Entschuldigung, ich habe das Wort nicht verstanden. Was bedeutet Nebenkosten?” Asking for a repeat is normal and reads as careful, not weak.
Speaking under real time pressure is a different skill from reading a phrase list. SipLingo has voice practice for apartment viewings among its 200+ everyday scenarios, and corrects your German in your own language as you talk. Try it free →
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Look at the flat, and say what you see
Comment on something concrete. It makes the conversation natural and shows interest:
- Die Wohnung ist sehr hell. (The flat is very bright.)
- Wie alt sind die Fenster? (How old are the windows?)
- Gibt es hier Probleme mit Schimmel? (Are there problems with mould?)
- Wann wurde das Bad renoviert? (When was the bathroom renovated?)
- Welche Heizung gibt es? (What kind of heating is there?)
After the viewing
Send a short email the same day. It sets you apart from applicants who don’t.
Betreff: Besichtigung Musterstraße 12, 3. OG
Sehr geehrter Herr Schneider,
vielen Dank für die Besichtigung heute. Die Wohnung gefällt mir sehr gut, und ich möchte mich gerne dafür bewerben. Im Anhang finden Sie meine Unterlagen (Gehaltsnachweise, Schufa-Auskunft, Selbstauskunft).
Ich freue mich auf Ihre Rückmeldung.
Mit freundlichen Grüßen
Maria Costa
Warning signs
Never transfer money before you have seen the flat and a contract. Be suspicious of landlords who are “abroad” and offer to send the keys, of very cheap listings, and of anyone who wants a deposit via a payment service before a viewing. A real deposit is paid after you sign the Mietvertrag, to a bank account in the landlord’s name.
The exact phrases to memorise first
If you have only an evening, learn these five:
- Guten Tag, ich habe einen Termin um … Uhr.
- Wie hoch ist die Warmmiete?
- Ab wann ist die Wohnung frei?
- Ich möchte mich gerne für die Wohnung bewerben.
- Könnten Sie das bitte wiederholen?
For the rest of your paperwork life in Germany, see what to bring to the Anmeldung, which you’ll need right after you sign.
Related guides: German payslip (Gehaltsabrechnung) explained · Nebenkostenabrechnung: your utility bill explained · what to say when you don’t speak German
Official sources
For the official details and the latest updates, see:
- Make it in Germany (Federal Government): Housing and address registration – Kaltmiete/Warmmiete, deposit, viewings, Anmeldung within two weeks
- Goethe-Institut: Mein Weg nach Deutschland – living in Germany guide – Goethe info on visas, housing, work and daily life in 29 languages, A1–B2 exercises
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Kaltmiete and Warmmiete?
Kaltmiete is the base rent without utilities. Warmmiete adds the Nebenkosten (heating, water, waste and so on) and is the real monthly cost.
How much deposit can a German landlord ask for?
At most three months’ Kaltmiete. You have the right to pay it in three equal monthly instalments.
Do I need a Schufa to rent a flat in Germany?
Most landlords in cities ask for one, but if you have just arrived you can offer alternatives: proof of income, an employer letter, savings or a guarantor.
Should I use du or Sie at the viewing?
Always Sie, unless the landlord offers du first.
What if I don’t understand the landlord?
Ask him to repeat and slow down: “Könnten Sie bitte etwas langsamer sprechen?” Clear questions count for more than perfect grammar.
Practise the viewing out loud before the real one. SipLingo corrects your German as you talk, in your own language, across 200+ real situations. A1 to B2.
