Foreign tenants looking for German apartments are quite surprised when they come across an apartment without a kitchen. In fact, many apartments in Germany don’t have a furnished kitchen……..no appliances, no sink, no countertops. It would seem obvious that it doesn’t make much sense to rent out an apartment without a kitchen, but in Germany tenants and landlords think differently about that. From the landlord’s perspective, not having a kitchen is simply cheaper. If the landlord provides a kitchen equipped with appliances and one of them breaks, the landlord must ensure repair or replacement. Many apartment owners just don’t want to face the financial risk. Because the majority of the population in Germany lives in rental properties, tenants typically move the kitchen with them. They already have the appliances they prefer, the countertops they like, and the sink and garbage disposal that fits their needs and tastes. So, why worry about what you’ll find in a furnished kitchen? Most tenants live in their apartments for many years, even decades, so having your own kitchen makes sense. For the Germans, apartments minus a kitchen is a win-win.
