Login
You're viewing the social.servus.at public feed.
  • Jul 14, 2025, 11:29 AM

    I think it's finally my turn to #AskFedi, especially my German friends.

    There's a very high chance (it's almost certain at this point) that I'll have to move to Germany by the end of the year for work. The time has come for me to start looking for an accommodation, but I don't even know where to start.
    The job would be in the whereabouts of Düsseldorf, and I would like to find a medium-small apartment there, possibly not too far from the city center.

    Can you give me some pointers please? Any help is greatly appreciated.

    Boosts appreciated.

    💬 3🔄 16⭐ 0

Replies

  • Jul 14, 2025, 11:43 AM

    @miles What I used when looking for my place where :
    - immowelt.de
    - immobilienscout24.de/
    - kleinanzeigen.de/s-wohnung-mie

    One nonsense thing the German can be a pain with a their credit score (Schufa report). I have been able to get one (that stated that Schufa knew nothing about me for a reasonable fee, but it clearly is a pain, and in the end was probably not that useful).

    You probably want to get someone from around Düsseldorf to tell you about the good / bad neighbourhood.

    Another annoying thing to account for, is that as soon as you have moved in your house, you'll need to register with the local city office your address (and that has to be done in person if you come from abroad). (Anmeldung).

    They'll also ask for your religious affiliation (for tithe purposes, if you happen to be a member of one religion that gets the Church tax. There have been occurrences of people baptised in the Catholic church getting caught after the fact and having to pay up a lot of late church taxe)

    Once you have registered, this will trigger the process to get your tax number (Steueridentifikationsnummer)

    Last thing, is you will definitely need to register for a health insurance (Krankenkass), that part is Mandatory. (Unless you make a lot of money, you'll have to go with the normal system, Die Techniker is what I went with (good support in English))

    💬 0🔄 0⭐ 0
  • Jul 14, 2025, 2:34 PM

    @Sobex @miles As soon as you are registered you'll get mail from an institution called GEZ. You'll have to pay 55,08 € every three months for TV, radio, streaming. All citizens in Germany are obligated to pay that fee, unless you are long term unemployed.

    💬 1🔄 0⭐ 0
  • Jul 15, 2025, 9:35 AM

    @MargaXeyat @Sobex @miles This fee is not only for television and radio. It pays for news, weather forcasts, and internet streams. Part of that service is also traffic jam Information, notifications in case of emergency. German broadcasts in foreign countries. It‘s 18,36 per flat per month.

    It‘s independent and belongs to the people. Everyone has to pay it. But it‘s a guarantee against right wing propaganda. Most people don‘t know that. You are owner.

    💬 0🔄 0⭐ 0
  • 💬 0🔄 0⭐ 0
  • 💬 0🔄 0⭐ 0