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I am looking at spending some extended time (up to 6 months) in Germany while continuing to work remotely for a UK company.

I am seeking short-term rentals that are reasonably priced (max €800/month). Airbnb long stays are far too expensive.

I have found a few sites offering short lets (such as here), but am wondering if this something that is commonly done in Germany? Will working in UK and trying to rent for short period only make it difficult for me to get accepted as a tenant by landlords?

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  • Are you looking in Berlin, as your immowelt link suggests?
    – Bernhard Döbler
    Commented Apr 18, 2022 at 11:48
  • Not in Berlin as it's too expensive for my budget, but in the suburbs around Berlin (up to 45 mins away).
    – fortunia88
    Commented Apr 18, 2022 at 21:23
  • Don’t know the specifics in Germany, but in most places there are different markets from short lets (usually furnished, or even serviced, but that would be more expensive) and for long-term (usually unfurnished) lets, with quite different requirements in terms of paperwork/guarantees/payment terms. But everything else being equal, short lets are usually more expensive, that’s the price of the extra flexibility.
    – jcaron
    Commented Apr 19, 2022 at 16:23

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  • Sometimes people who live in a shared flat sublet their room (likely furnished) e.g. for a semester abroad. Some years ago, I'd have looked at wg-gesucht.
    Not sure how well that works right now, though.
  • Another search term is Monteurszimmer. (Rooms rented to people e.g. working on a construction site for a couple of weeks or months.)
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I moved back to Germany from East Asia mid-pandemic into a city I hadn't been in before. I was obviously unable to find a proper flat from far away (landlords want you to be there, inspecting it; but also Covid).

My advantage was obviously being proficient at German. I had two solutions I was pursuing:

  • short-term rentals explicitly marketed as such; and
  • holiday apartments ('Ferienwohnung').

I would advise you to search for the latter. Typically, they will have list prices based on customers coming in for a week or two at most, spending their holiday and then moving on. But, if you contact them directly, they will often be happy to let you rent the place for longer at a lower cost than advertised. In my case, the furnished room cost €600 a month which was cheaper than the short-term rentals (but I am not near Berlin and this city is relatively small).

Note that you may not have all amenities available. In my case, there was no washing machine so I had to use pulic laundromats.

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  • This is so helpful, thank you very much. I will check this out as an option. Thanks!
    – fortunia88
    Commented Apr 24, 2022 at 9:50
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Check the local paper (online and hard-copy). Ask your colleagues. Ask the HR department if they have a list. Put up a written notice in the local corner shop. Maybe one of your colleagues will let you an empty bedroom.

Many people have this problem - I did too, a long time ago. You will find something eventually. Germans prefer to let unfurnished. You'll have to pay more for furnished.

Be honest about your situation. Say where you come from. If you can't speak German, say so. Be willing to undertake babysitting or dog-walking duties.

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    Given that the OP wants to work remotely for a UK company while in Germany, I'd say it's highly unlikely that he has any local colleagues to ask for help, or for a bedroom. And why would the HR of a UK company have lists of accommodation in Germany?
    – Peter M
    Commented Apr 22, 2022 at 21:11

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