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The Swabian Kehrwoche - a clean sweep |
The so-called Kehrwoche , a formal assignment of cleaning duties for jointly used areas in a residential building, such as stairwells and sidewalks, actually exists in every house community all over Germany wherever there is no paid cleaning staff. What is typically Swabian is the high importance placed on everyone doing their part to keep things neat and clean. If your building has a Kehrwoche , please take it very seriously to avoid conflicts with your neighbors. |
Mold Alert! German houses need a good airing out... |
German houses are almost airtight, so don’t underestimate the necessity of airing out properly, especially if you come from a warmer climate or if you are used to living in a wooden house that “breathes.” Once the weather turns cooler, there is a real danger of mold development – and your landlord is within his rights to charge you with the expense of renovations if mold is caused by improper airing out! The solid construction of German housing saves on heating costs, but can quickly lead to mold in your apartment, because moisture builds up during the day. How to air out a German building properly? Especially in the autumn and winter, you should open all doors and windows all the way (not just tipping the windows, but opening them completely) for 5 to 15 minutes at least twice a day (Stoßlüften). You want to create a draft that can carry out the used, moist air. If you see condensation on your windows, it is a clear sign that you need to air out. Once you are done, close things up again all the way. Don’t leave windows tipped after airing out, or you will be paying to heat the Great Outdoors. Remember: open wide twice a day, then close up tight! |
House rules (Hausordnung) |
The house rules help make sure that everyone gets along and should also be taken seriously. House rules generally cover topics such as:
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Public TV and radio fees (Rundfunkbeitrag) |
Just like in other European countries, the state charges a fee for using radios, television and computers in order to finance the public broadcasting institutions. This contribution is charged per household, regardless of how many people are living there and how many broadcasting devices they own. The fee of € 17,50 per month covers all offers by radio, television and computers in a household. You must register online via the information site www.rundfunkbeitrag.de (website in German only - see the English-language guides below) or via a form which can be obtained at the Central Municipal Offices (Bürgeramt). A number of step-by-step guides are available to help you with the online registration forms:
You can find more information about the broadcasting fee on the English flyer on the Rundfunkbeitrag homepage. Please note that registration for the broadcasting fee is obligatory. The Central Municipal Officesforward your data to the GEZ. If you do not register, you must retroactively pay the fees from the date of your address registration with the City of Tuebingen. When moving away, please don't forget to deregister. See above for instructions about how to cancel your GEZ registration. If you leave Germany without cancelling your registration with the GEZ and cancelling your address registration at the Central Municipal Offices , your GEZ fees will continue to accrue, and if you ever come back to Germany you may find yourself faced with back fees and substantial penalties. |
Utilities / auxiliary costs |
Besides your monthly rent you may be charged for diverse additional costs. In Germany, you differentiate between utilities costs and auxiliary costs. Even if you sign a rental contract with a rent including heating (Warmmiete) this does not necessarily mean that you will not have any other costs. Please have a close look at your rent contract and ask your landlord if you are in doubt. Please also check the section "Your Rent Contract" on this website. Utilities costs usually include :
The easiest way to bill these costs is by use, so there should be meters in your apartment or building. If utilities do not provide meters there are rules for how to legally calculate the use according to use and living space. Other auxiliary costs can be:
They are usually calculated by the number of people living in a household and/or by living area. If your landlord charges you for these, an auxiliary cost statement must be provided one year after any accounting period the latest. Then you can take twelve more months to lodge objections. The limitation period is three years. |
Mail / post |
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Used furniture |
Besides the well-known online platforms you can find used furniture at one place in Tuebingen named retour and another place in Rottenburg, called InTro Gebrauchtwarenkaufhaus. Both websites are in German only. Please note that the InTro website is currently under construction. Both are related to charitable sponsors. While retour is related to the Protestant church, InTro is organized independently. There are also several Facebook groups aimed at selling or giving away used things in the Tübingen area; search for terms such as "Free your stuff" or "Fleamarket" / "Flohmarkt" or "Gebrauchtmöbel" + Tübingen. |
Repairs and repairmen |
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