“I felt like instead of being just a renter while I am living here, this is my home,” said the 39-year-old musician.
A key difference is that tenants cannot be forced out for no reason in the German capital. The numbers are also stark: Burch was paying about 30% less in rent for 50% more space in Berlin compared with London.
It is no surprise then that Germans typically stay 11 years in rented homes on average, compared with 2.5 years in the UK, according to one study. The average German renter is aged closer to 50, while in the UK the bulk of tenants are younger. More than half of German households rent privately, compared with 20% in England and Wales and 15% in Scotland.
Millions of German renters belong to tenant organisations, affording them greater influence over landlords, and there have been limits on in-tenancy rent rises. Yet Germany is not a renting paradise. The stability of tenancies means acquiring one can be arduous. In cities such as Berlin, rents have more than doubled in some areas since 2015. Nevertheless, it is one of many EU nations where renting is cheaper and more stable than the UK.
This story is from the December 01, 2023 edition of The Guardian Weekly.
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This story is from the December 01, 2023 edition of The Guardian Weekly.
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