Besides your own apartment with a full contract, there are also some alternative housing options availabe that might be interesting for a start.
Shared apartments: For those who are coming to Germany alone, WG's or Wohngemeinschaften (shared living arrangements) are often a good option as you can live cheaply and meet new people. WG's are most common among students and young professionals, but you can also find shared apartments among 50-60 year olds. Living in a WG obviously means sharing kitchen and bathroom. Be aware that WG-Zimmer are often not furnished.
Temporary accommodation: If you intend to stay in Germany for a limited time, you can consider temporary accommodation, which is also a solution as an interim solution before settling in more permanently. In Germany, tenants are often allowed to sublet their apartment for a limited time. Since many young Germans travel a lot, this is actually quite common. Sublets can generally be found under the terms Untermiete or Zwischenmiete. This means that the flats or rooms are sublet with a contract signed with the tenant, not the landlord.
A good way to find temporary accommodation is to contact the local Mitwohnzentrale if there is one in your town. These agencies concentrate on finding furnished rooms in Wohngemeinschaften and furnished apartments for limited periods of between one month and one year. They charge a fee for their services (approx. 15% of the monthly rent including heating and utility charges specified in the lease).
Mitwohnzentralen can be reached via the European Shared Accommodation Ring (Ring Europäischer Mitwohnzentralen e.V. - REM) using a nationwide number 19430 preceded by the relevant local dialling code (i.e. 030 19430 in Berlin or 0228 19430 in Bonn) or by going to the REM website at: www.mitwohnzentrale.de . Ask for an accommodation request form ( Vermittlungsauftrag) to be sent to you. It is worth following up your request with all the agencies at regular intervals. Do not pay any charges in advance, agencies are only allowed to charge commission once a legally binding rent agreement has been signed.
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