Living in a flatshare: how to make it work

In a flatshare (WG), everyone has their own room and you share the kitchen and bathroom. That makes living cheaper than living alone and gives you company, but it requires agreements. Before you move in, find out who is on the rental contract, because liability and notice depend on it. In everyday life, a flatshare works best when costs, cleaning and visitors are sorted out from the start.

What legally makes a shared flat a WG is explained in the article What is a flatshare?, and which types exist in the article Types of flatshares.

balancePros and cons

descriptionRental contract and liability

Who is responsible for what towards the landlord depends on the type of contract. Ask exactly which one applies to you before you move in.

More on rights and obligations when subletting is explained in the article Tenants, subtenants and landlords, and on notice periods in the article Regular termination.

savingsCosts and the flat kitty

What you pay for in a flatshare

Besides the rent and the advance payment for service charges, almost every flatshare also pays for electricity, internet and the TV and radio licence fee (Rundfunkbeitrag). The licence fee is charged only once per flat, no matter how many people live there. One person registers the flat, and the others chip in. Then there are shared expenses for cleaning products, toilet paper or a new pan.

Splitting costs fairly

The fairest way to split the rent is by room size. Other costs are usually split equally. For everyday supplies, a flat kitty works well: everyone pays in a fixed amount each month. Whoever does the shopping takes the money from it and adds the receipt. Alternatively, enter all expenses in an app that works out at the end of the month who owes whom how much.

A joint flatshare bank account is worth it for running costs such as electricity and internet. In that case, agree who has access and what happens to the balance when someone moves out.

Saving money

• Buy staple foods and household items together and in larger quantities.
• Compare electricity and gas tariffs once a year.
• Share streaming subscriptions, as far as the providers allow it.
• Buy appliances and furniture for the shared rooms second-hand.
• Agree on how you heat and air the flat. It lowers the service charge bill.

checklistHouse rules for living together

Most flatshare conflicts don't come from big issues but from little things that were never discussed. So decide right after moving in how you want to handle them.

Write down the most important points and put them up in the kitchen. A short flat meeting every few weeks helps you raise problems before they get big.

forumWhen there is a dispute

Raise problems early, while you are still calm, and describe what bothers you instead of blaming someone.

With money, an overview of all expenses and fixed payment dates help. Whoever regularly pays late will notice it themselves, and nobody has to keep score.

If you have different ideas about cleanliness, don't argue about standards. Agree on fixed responsibilities instead. How thoroughly someone cleans is then up to them, as long as it gets done.

With noise, clear quiet times and a heads-up when it will be later for once are usually enough.

If a conflict can't be resolved and someone wants to move out, the rental contract matters again. With a joint contract, you need an agreement with the landlord about the new tenant.

account_balanceFlatshares and social benefits

Legally, a flatshare is not a "community of need" (Bedarfsgemeinschaft). Everyone manages their own money, and your flatmates' income does not count when you apply for social benefits. It can be different if you pay for and buy everything together. The authorities may then assume a joint household (Haushaltsgemeinschaft). So keep your finances clearly separate from the others' and put the split of costs in writing.

keyBefore you move in

• Read the rental contract and find out which model applies.
• Make a handover report (Übergabeprotokoll) for your room, even if you are subletting.
• Get a receipt for the deposit. How the refund works in a flatshare is explained in the article Getting your deposit back.
• Register your address at the citizens' office (Bürgeramt) within two weeks. The landlord confirmation (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung) is issued by the landlord, or by the main tenant if you are subletting.
• Take out your own personal liability insurance (Privathaftpflichtversicherung) if you don't have one yet.

Still looking? Find current flatshare rooms here. How to apply so the flatshare invites you to meet them is explained in the article How to write a flatshare application.