h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

In Germany there is a law for everything. The problem is that most people do not have the time to attend a 5 year law course in university and specialising in 'right of abode' before renting an appartment or a house. The other problem is that most landlords have also not attended the 5 year law course...

If one took the time to look up the laws in Germany (which in some instances vary slightly from community to community) he would find out that renting - in theory - is quite simple. The squaremetre prices cannot exceed 10 or 20% of the average squaremetre prices of the vicinity. There is also a certain minimum of conditions a residence must fulfil before it can be put for rent (Hydraulics must work. Electrical installations must be conform to the standards and be fully operational). The tenant can obviously exercise his right of abdication (e.g. if he decides that the electrical installation is OK anyway), or try negotiate a lower price (which is pointless in communities where the demand exceeds the offer - like in Munich). There are many other laws that were - in the best of intetions - created, so that everyone is happy. Believe me EVERYTHING is regimented.

In Germany there are also an association of tenants called 'Mieterverein' for many communities. These guys know everything and help out with counseling. They know most of the laws and have connections to lawyers for difficult cases. Membership costs between 70 and 40 Euros per year.

Especially in appartment buildings there is also a thing called 'Hausordnung', which is the 'rules of the house'. Commonly it is a piece of paper on which you can read from what time to what time you are allowed to make noise, how many dogs you are allowed to have simultaneously and when you are supposed to open or close the windows in the lobby... Tenants shold look at this carefully (The biggest problems are concerning pets).

The 'deposit' or 'caution money' is also tightly regimented. - Some friends of mine moved to Germany some years ago and wondered about this, I thought it was a common thing anywhere in the world... apparently not - So: A 'deposit' of an amount corresponding to a three month's rent is a common thing in Germany.

It sounds more or less like Norway.
There is a lot of rules regarding what can be in the contract and how the deposit system is used. This, however, seems to have very little connection with reality. I have talked to many landlords through the years and only One actually insisted on using a legal deposit account. (I did not wish to live in his house, since there were eigth people sharing the kitchen, no place to dry cloths, no storage place and the room was so small it could only contain a bed and a suitcase). All the others use what they call "advance rent" which is illegal and you only have their word for it that they are going to pay you back.
They are also not allowed to insist that you keep the place for a certain amount of time. (Six months, a year...). You should be allowed to move out at any time as long as you have given the notice at the agreed time in advance. It is not your problem if the place stands empty for a while because the landlord cannot find anybody els who wants to rent it. They have no right to demand that you sign a contract of the other sort. The problem is that you want a place to live and if you do not sign you do not get the place. Once you have signed there is nothing you can do about it.