Frequently asked questions

General questions

I would be interested in temporarily renting out my furnished apartment. When does this make sense?

Do you have a nice furnished apartment that you are interested in renting out, either temporarily or long term? Even if away from home for only six months, it is worth renting out your furnished apartment. VillaroHome living rents out furnished business apartments, luxury apartments and other kinds of apartments on a temporary basis, to private individuals, business clients and companies the world over.
Because of our carefully chosen clients, we can assure you that your furnished apartment will be well tended to, to name just one advantage of renting out your apartment. In addition, apartments that are rented out temporarily bring a higher profit when compared to the traditional way of renting. It is worth noting that a higher quality of furnishings also leads to an increase in property value.

What are the advantages of renting out furnished apartments with VillaroHome living?

VillaroHome living stands out from other housing agencies in Berlin, as we provide many special services that other agencies do not. These include:
Professional, high-end photographs taken by our in-house photographer to show your apartment in the best possible light

• A perfectly worded exposé of your apartment, along with a 3D floor plan
• A personal consultation on the furnishings in the apartment, with specific attention to how the furnishings can best optimize your ability to rent out your apartment
• Access to our large network of highly skilled craftsmen for any renovation needs
• Marketing of your furnished apartment on our professional online platform

As we work through listing your apartment on our online platform and all other services, our philosophy of excellent customer service is always at the forefront.
You will benefit from the expertise and experience of our team in every area of renting furnished apartments. Additionally, our expansive network of potential tenants should allow for a quick and smooth placement of your property. (Translator’s note: missing a sentence here that would explain the below list, like: “Here are the advantages of working with VillaroHome living:”.)

• Identity and credit assessment of the potential tenant
• Organisation and execution of all visits (even if you choose not to be present)
• We create a legal, bilingual lease and take care of any contract negotiations that may be required
• We provide all rental-relevant forms
• Since our commission is only due after a successful placement, there is no financial risk to you whatsoever; there are no costs to you beforehand
• We have an optional check-in and check-out service for the beginning and the end of the rental period of your furnished apartment
• A reliable cleaning service can be booked for regular cleaning and/or final cleaning
• There is no exclusivity obligation with our team, nor any fixed contract duration
• For our international customers, we speak English fluently

What is the minimum amount of time that my apartment must be available in order to work with VillaroHome living?

The apartments in our portfolio must be rented for at least three months. However, as tenants often require an extension option, each apartment should be available for at least six months.

Who are the potential tenants that VillaroHome living has in its roster?

Because of our many years of experience, we have a strong network of potential tenants. Our tenants include embassy staff (diplomats), staff of film productions, employees of large companies, and of course private individuals. We will only introduce you to interested parties.

Do I have to have special insurance as a landlord?

In the rental agreement, each tenant commits to obtaining a private liability insurance, which also covers damages to rented items. However, the tenant cannot insure the contents of your furnished apartment, as it is not his or her property. If you wish to do this, we advise you to take out a homeowner’s insurance that will cover you, for example, in case of burglary or water damage. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Can I post my apartment on other venues and offer it to other housing agencies?

You do not have to offer your furnished apartment exclusively to VillaroHome living.
If you wish to offer your property to our housing agency in addition to others, do note that you are obligated to offer your apartment to all agents under the same terms and conditions.

Which districts in Berlin are easiest to rent out?

Most potential tenants are in Berlin for only a limited period of time and therefore would like to live in the city center. Mainly, we list flats located within the Berlin S-Bahn ring. If your house or apartment is located on the outskirts or the suburbs, don’t worry; this is not a reason for exclusion. These can also be well suited as a furnished rental, however this needs to be assessed individually, on a case-by-case basis.

What is an energy certificate (Energieausweis) and do I need it?

The energy certificate is a document that evaluates the energy efficiency of the building in which your apartment is located. Berlin law stipulates that the energy certificate must be available for inspection when an apartment is rented. You can get the energy certificate from your property management or you will need to order it from a service provider.

Rent and Costs

What rent can I get for my furnished apartment and how is it determined?

The rental price for a temporary rental always depends on the location, kind of apartment, number of rooms, and furnishings. To ensure regular occupancy and in order to determine the best possible rental price, in our experience, it is best to sit down and discuss the ideal price together.
As a rule, furnished apartments are always offered with flat rate rents. This means that the cost of electricity, water, gas, Internet and other utilities are already included in the rent.
Of course, you can offer the tenant other optional services, such as a weekly cleaning or use of a parking garage. These additional services can also be included in the rental contract for the tenant.

Is the tenant required to pay a deposit?

Yes. This serves as security for you and is usually the equivalent of two months rent. If the tenant moves out and the apartment is in perfect condition, the deposit should be returned as soon as possible.

When will I receive the deposit?

With the signing of the lease, the deposit is due. At the very latest, before the tenant receives the keys to the apartment, the deposit must be in your account.

When does the tenant pay for the first rent?

The first month’s rent must be received in your account before handing over the apartment keys. Each additional monthly rent must be received in your account no later than the third working day of a month.

When renting out a furnished temporary apartment, is there an agency fee?

The services VillaroHome living offers you is free of charge until the signing of a rental agreement. Many of our services are free for you as a landlord, such as professional photos of your apartment to optimize its visuals, the marketing on our website and our advice from beginning to end of the process, all to ensure the best possible rental of your furnished apartment.
Once VillaroHome has brokered a successful contract for your furnished apartment, a commission is then payable. Since June 1, 2015, and the ratification of “Law on Tenancy” and “Customer Principle” laws, this must be paid by the client. The commission paid to VillaroHome is dependent on the rental price and length of contract. You can claim your paid commission as income-related expenses in your tax return. The exact amount and break down of the commission can be found in our brokerage contact. Please talk directly to one of our team members for specifics.

Who pays the utilities?

The monthly rent is a flat rate rent, in which all utilities are included. Therefore, the tenant pays all utilities within the lump sum of the rent. If your tenant exceeds the standard amount allotted for the utilities, you must submit the bills to your renter and the difference will be refunded.

Who pays for the cleaning of the apartment?

The tenant always pays for the final cleaning. For longer rentals, we recommend regular cleaning to ensure that the condition of your apartment remains good. The costs for this cleaning (which could be scheduled as infrequently as every three or six months) can be carried either by you as a landlord or you can include them in the rental agreement as an additional cost.
The cleaning costs of the windows are, as a rule, to be paid by the landlord. In order to show your apartment in the best possible light, we recommend having the windows professionally cleaned once a year. We will be happy to assist you in organizing this, as well as informing you when a window cleaning would be useful.

Who pays for the ARD ZDF Deutschlandradio public media fee?

The ARD ZDF Deutschlandradio public media fee (formerly GEZ) must be paid by the person who is officially registered to be living in the apartment, i.e. the tenant. For more information, please visit www.rundfunkbeitrag.de. Please inform our team if you already pay this fee. These costs can be passed on to the tenant as part of the rent as an additional cost. If this is the case, you must inform both the tenant and our team of the amount and your payment ID number.

Furnishing of the Apartment

How should my furnished apartment by equipped?

Our team is always looking for up to date, optimally equipped furnished apartments. At VillaroHome living, thanks to our extensive, wide-ranging portfolio, most everyone can find the perfectly furnished apartment for his or her needs in Berlin. Ideally your furnished apartment should meet the following points:

• • A well maintained condition
  • Kitchen should be fully equipped
  • Bed linens, towels, ironing board and iron should be available
  • TV and, if possible, Internet connection with Wi-Fi (called WLAN in Germany)
  • A washing machine in the apartment is absolutely necessary
  • One can charge more for an apartment with such things as a dishwasher, dryer, parking space, etc.

  If you are unsure as to whether your apartment is suitable as a furnished rental, please send us some pictures together with the key information of the apartment (size, address, etc.) by e-mail. A team member of VillaroHome living will then get back to you with an assessment.

  My apartment is not furnished. Can I also rent an unfurnished apartment through VillaroHome living?

  VillaroHome living specializes in renting temporary furnished apartments, so we unfortunately cannot offer your apartment unfurnished. However, we’d be happy to advise you on stylish furnishings for your apartment. A furnished rental apartment offers you as a landlord, not only a higher rent than an unfurnished apartment, but also has many other advantages. Please take advantage of our furnishing service. For more information look here.

  Can I have my apartment furnished by VillaroHome living?

  Thanks to the many years of experience of our team furnishing rentals, we know precisely the requirements needed for a temporary home. You are welcome to take advantage of our professional furnishing service. We will be happy to take care of the complete furnishing of your apartment. This includes the furnishings and decorations, all the way through to the towels, sheets and kitchen items. For more information click here or contact us by phone to arrange a consultation.
  Für weitere Informationen klicken Sie hier oder nehmen telefonisch Kontakt mit uns auf, um einen Beratungstermin zu vereinbaren.

  Do I have to have a telephone and Internet (DSL) in my furnished flat?

  An Internet connection significantly increases the leasing opportunities of your furnished apartment. Of course, equipping your apartment with Internet is not a “must”, however, most prospective tenants choose an apartment in which an Internet connection is available. If your furnished apartment does not have Internet, we will be happy to assist in providing you with a connection. In general, a telephone is not a requirement.

  My apartment has some signs of wear. Who can help me with renovations?

  VillaroHome living can absolutely also support you in this regard. Our team works together with reliable and talented craftsmen and, if you wish, we can coordinate and supervise any renovation and/or construction work you’d like done. It doesn’t matter if you only want to make a small facelift to your flat or if you’d like to order more extensive work. With us, you get everything from one, single source and can leave all the worrying to us.
  For more information click here, write us an email with a brief explanation of what you would like to do, or contact us by phone.

  Renting out an Apartment – Step by Step

  How can I offer my furnished apartment with VillaroHome living?

  If your furnished apartment fulfills the necessary criteria, please fill in the online form.
  The form includes all the important criteria we will need to create a professional exposé of your apartment.
  First, in order to assess whether your apartment suits our customers, we’ll need some pictures. These can either be uploaded as you enter the details of your place or sent by email to welcome@villarohome.com. These pictures do not have to be professional; they just have to give a realistic impression of your apartment.
  Once we have received the details of your apartment, an employee will contact you to arrange a personal viewing of your place. This appointment also includes some professional photos being taken so as to best represent and present your furnished apartment. For this reason, it is important that your apartment be clean and tidy and as nicely decorated as possible. Also at this appointment we can discuss the potential rent in detail. The creation of the exposé for your apartment can take a few days, because not only will the photos be processed professionally, but also our team will create an individual description of your apartment and its surroundings. This service is, of course, free of charge.
  After the preparation of the exposé, we ask you to look it over and officially approve it. After that, there is nothing to prevent the successful renting of your apartment.

  What is the procedure for renting my furnished apartment on a temporary basis?

  The basic procedure for you as a landlord is as follows:
  Fill in the information of your apartment on our homepage in the landlord area, upload photos of your furnished apartment or send us an email to: welcome@villarohome.com. You will receive timely feedback on whether we can offer your apartment or not.
  Arrange a professional photo session with our team.
  Prepare your apartment for the photo session; the apartment should be tidied up, cleaned and nicely decorated.
  Review the exposé and let us know of any change requests.
  So that we can show your apartment to potential tenants, we kindly ask you to give us a key to your apartment. You are also welcome to deposit the key with a contact person or be present during the showings.
  If a tenant has decided to rent your home, which you agree with, you only have to sign the lease that we negotiate and create for you.
  Check if the rent and the deposit have been credited to your account and let VillaroHome know.
  Now the keys and the apartment can be handed over to your tenant.

  Once VillaroHome living has found a potential tenant, what is the process?

  As soon as we receive a request from a potential tenant for your apartment, we check whether this tenant is suitable for your apartment. If so, our team will contact you and introduce you to the prospective tenant, so that you can decide if he or she feels compatible to your place.
  If the potential tenant wishes to view the apartment, this will be coordinated and carried out by our team. If you would like to be present at the visit, this is of course possible.
  If the interested party decides to rent your furnished apartment, we will immediately send you all contract-relevant data and advise you during the contract negotiations.
  Our team will draw up the official lease and send it to both the tenant and you, per email.
  Before your tenant can move into the apartment, the first rent and the deposit must already be in your account.
  As to the key and apartment handover, an appointment must be made with the tenant, which usually takes place on the first day of the leaase. Unless otherwise agreed, the VillaroHome living team can do this for you.
  It’s up to you whether you want to personally handover the keys or have this done by VillaroHome living. The necessary handover protocol, in which all meter readings, possible issues and the numbers of keys are recorded, etc, can also be done for you by us for a fee. Even while your apartment is rented out, the VillaroHome living team is always available to answer any questions you and/or your tenant may have.

  Who deals with the check-in and check-out of the apartment?

  When handing over the apartment, we recommend that you keep a handover protocol of all possible damage, meter readings and the number of keys handed out. Likewise, at this appointment, nametags with the name of your tenant must be attached to doors, doorbells and mailboxes. You can book this service with us for a fee. More information about this service can be found here.

  During the Rental Period

  Who is the contact person during the rental period?

  Even during the rental period, one of our team members at VillaroHome living is available as a contact person and can solve minor problems quickly and easily. Should a tenant contact us directly, we will of course inform you immediately.

  Are pets allowed in the apartments?

  It is up to you as the landlord to decide if you will allow pets in the apartment. It is also possible to limit permission to certain animals or breeds. If a prospective client wants to bring their animal, our team will contact you and will introduce the animal to you, usually by photo.

  Is smoking allowed in my apartment?

  All furnished apartments and business apartments offered in our portfolio are non-smoking apartments. Thus, smoking is not permitted in your furnished apartment.