How high can the deposit on my first flat be?

By law, a maximum of three months' net basic rent is allowed as a deposit . The landlord must keep the money separate from their own assets, usually in a rental deposit account. Actively ask about paying in instalments, as this is provided for by law and noticeably eases the burden on first-time tenants with a limited budget when moving in.

When do I have to re-register after the move?

Under German law you must register at the residents' registration office (Einwohnermeldeamt) within two weeks of moving in. Bring your identity card and a landlord confirmation. If you miss the deadline, you risk a fine. It is best to re-register in the very first week so that further visits to the authorities can follow smoothly.

How do I best plan my first move?

Start planning at least six weeks beforehand and draw up a checklist for boxes, cancellations and re-registrations. A fixed-price quote from a professional removal company gives you budget certainty early on. Use comparison quotes to find the right private move service for your needs and budget.

How much does moving into a first flat cost on average?

The costs depend heavily on the moving volume and the distance. According to our price overview, a 1-room flat starts from €344 and two rooms from €609. We give you the fixed price after the survey – without surprises on moving day.

Do I need insurance for my first move?

The removal company is liable under the HGB for damage during transport, limited to €620 per cubic metre of cargo space. If you have new furniture or electrical appliances, you should check whether additional insurance makes sense. For the time afterwards, contents insurance protects your belongings in the flat.

How do I find out whether my first flat has defects?

At the handover, systematically check walls, floors, windows and all technical connections. Note every defect in writing in the handover report and have the landlord countersign it. This prevents you from being held responsible later for earlier damage.

Is a part load worth it for my first move?

With a smaller household, a part load is often the cheapest solution, as the transport space is shared with other customers. On a long-distance move in particular, first-time tenants can save considerable costs this way. Just ask about the current dates available for combined transports.

What documents do I need to re-register?

To register you need your identity card or passport and the landlord confirmation issued by the landlord, which they are legally obliged to provide (§ 19 BMG). The tenancy agreement does not replace it. For a first registration in Berlin, the office may also ask for a birth certificate.

How can I reduce moving costs as a first-time tenant?

Compare several quotes and, where possible, use a part load instead of a dedicated transport. Pack boxes yourself and dismantle furniture beforehand to save working time. A transparent fixed price also helps you calculate your moving budget realistically from the start.

What happens if I cannot pay the deposit straight away?

Talk to your landlord early, because by law the deposit can be paid in instalments – three equal monthly payments. This rule protects first-time tenants in particular, who are under heavy financial strain from moving costs and buying furniture. Ask for written confirmation of the agreed instalment payments.

How does a move with Beste Umzug Unternehmen work?

After a telephone consultation on 01625978461 and a free survey you receive a fixed-price quote . On moving day our team takes care of packing, transport and assembly; your goods are covered by liability under the HGB, and additional insurance is available on request. This leaves first-time tenants time for the Bürgeramt, the bank and contracts.

After Moving In: Registering at the Bürgeramt and Every Change of Address for First-Time Tenants

Q: What should I pay particular attention to at the flat handover?

Make sure the handover report is complete, with all meter readings and existing defects. Also photograph every room so that you can provide evidence in the event of a dispute. As a first-time tenant, take your time over the inspection and do not sign anything under time pressure. This protects you legally and avoids later discussions with the landlord about your deposit.

First-time tenants must register within 14 days. What to bring to the registration office (Bürgeramt) and who else needs your address.

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14 DAYS TO REGISTER

After moving in

Register first, then change your address

Step by step

Unsere Firma Registering at the Bürgeramt, the landlord confirmation and changing your address with your bank, health insurer and employer.

For first-time tenants, a deadline starts with the keys: within two weeks of moving in you must register with the registration authority (§ 17 BMG). At Beste Umzug Unternehmen we plan moving day so that you can book your Bürgeramt appointment in good time. We give you a fixed price for the transport after the survey. You can find all the services for your first private move under Private move.

To register you need your identity card or passport and the landlord's landlord confirmation (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung) – the tenancy agreement does not replace it. The landlord is obliged to issue it (§ 19 BMG). If you fail to register, you risk a fine of up to €1,000 (§ 54 BMG). While you deal with appointments, we take care of transport, furniture assembly and, on request, the parking restriction zone. Your goods are covered by liability under the HGB.

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PLANNING APPOINTMENTS

PERSONAL ADVICE

Set the moving date early

Then the Bürgeramt appointment fits too

If your moving day is fixed early, book your Bürgeramt appointment to match straight away – in Berlin via service.berlin.de or the public authority number 115. Call us on 01625978461: after the survey you will receive a fixed-price quote for your private move. Ask about the current terms for first-time tenants too.

Offers available individually, depending on effort, scheduling and the scope of services required.

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TIME FOR THE AUTHORITIES

What we take off your hands on moving day

More time for appointments

In the first two weeks after moving in, appointments pile up for first-time tenants: Bürgeramt, bank, health insurer, employer. We take on the part that costs energy and time – carrying, transport, furniture assembly. We give you the price after the survey as a fixed price; we are liable for your goods under the HGB (€620 per cubic metre), and additional insurance is available on request. We are based in Berlin, Stromstraße 21, and operate nationwide – for a long-distance move the registration deadline applies just as it does within your own city.

No-parking zone

In Berlin the district office (Bezirksamt) approves it, and the signs are put up at least 72 hours beforehand. We take care of the application and setting up on request – for your private move.

Furniture assembly

Bed and wardrobe are set up by the evening of moving-in day. That leaves the next morning free for your Bürgeramt appointment – thanks to furniture assembly by our team.

Packing service

We pack the kitchen and fragile items, while you put your identity card, tenancy agreement and landlord confirmation in a separate folder – not in a box – with our packing service.

Long-distance move

The two-week deadline also applies when moving to another federal state. We drive nationwide from Berlin without you losing days – with a long-distance move.

ADDRESS CHECKLIST

Who needs your address

After registering at the Bürgeramt, inform these places. Much of it can be done online; the order is worth following because some places want to see a registration certificate. So keep it in a safe place.

Bürgeramt

Register within 14 days with your identity card and landlord confirmation, free of charge in Berlin. The address on your identity card is changed at the same time.

Bank and employer

New address for bank statements, cards and payslips. Your tax ID stays the same; moving does not give you a new number.

Health insurer and insurance

Your health insurer, liability insurance and contents insurance need the new address. Check at the same time whether you are still covered through your parents or need your own policies.

Broadcasting fee

If you move out of your parents' home, a fee becomes due for your own flat. You can register or change your details online with the Beitragsservice.

Mail forwarding

At Deutsche Post it forwards letters to your new address for the period you choose. Set it up in good time before the move.

Vehicle

If you already have a car, have the address on the registration certificate changed without delay. You may keep your existing number plate.

FEW BELONGINGS, SMALL PRICE

Part load: flexible delivery

Coordinate the delivery window with your appointments

With a part load, your goods travel together with other jobs. This lowers the costs, but the exact delivery day is more flexible than with your own van. So book your Bürgeramt appointment with a little margin – the two-week deadline only starts when you move in, not when your goods are collected.

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FIRST FLAT SERIES

Registering
your new address

Bürgeramt, bank and post

This part of our series is about the first two weeks after moving in: registering at the Bürgeramt, the landlord confirmation and all the places that need your new address. In Berlin you book the appointment via service.berlin.de or 115; adults with an online ID function and a BundID account can also register online. What the landlord has to fill in for this is explained in the article Landlord confirmation.

Registration within 14 days

The deadline starts when you move in, not with the start of the lease on paper. Whether a private move, senior move or student move: if you register too late, you risk a fine of up to €1,000 under § 54 BMG. So book the appointment early.

Documents for the Bürgeramt

Identity card or passport, the landlord confirmation and the registration form – that is usually all you need. Do not pack the folder in a box: with packing service, furniture transport or small transport, it is best kept with you.

Changing your address on contracts

Bank, employer, health insurer, insurance policies, broadcasting licence fee and online shops: the list of address changes follows registration. If you move with a part load or furniture taxi, also set up mail forwarding in good time.

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions about registration and change of address

Answers on the deadline, documents, deposit, flat handover, costs and what happens after moving into your first home.

Make sure the handover report is complete, with all meter readings and existing defects. Also photograph every room so that you can provide evidence in the event of a dispute. As a first-time tenant, take your time over the inspection and do not sign anything under time pressure. This protects you legally and avoids later discussions with the landlord about your deposit.

Before registering: handover, keys and landlord confirmation

The flat handover is the moment when you get what you need for registration. In the handover report, record the meter readings for electricity, gas and water, as well as existing defects such as scratches or faulty sockets, and photograph every room. Ask the landlord for the landlord confirmation on the same day: they must confirm the move-in in writing or electronically within two weeks (§ 19 BMG). Without it, the Bürgeramt will usually not accept the registration – the tenancy agreement alone is not enough.

The deposit is at most three months' net basic rent. You may pay it in three equal monthly instalments, the first at the start of the tenancy; the landlord must keep the money separate from their own assets (§ 551 BGB). Keep all proof of payment and have receipt confirmed. This avoids uncertainty later when the deposit is repaid at the end of the tenancy.

The first two weeks: Bürgeramt, identity card and changes of address

Register with the registration authority within two weeks of moving in (§ 17 BMG). In Berlin you can do this at any Bürgeramt with an appointment via service.berlin.de or 115; registration is free of charge. Bring: your identity card or passport and the landlord confirmation. The new address is entered directly on your identity card. If you miss the deadline, you risk a fine of up to €1,000 (§ 54 BMG).

Then come your bank, employer, health insurer, insurance policies and the broadcasting licence fee. Your tax ID stays the same. A Deutsche Post forwarding order redirects letters still sent to your old address. Use our private move service so that the furniture is in place while you deal with appointments. That way, after two weeks, not only is the flat furnished but your address is also correct everywhere.

What moving into your first flat costs

1-room flat: from €344
2-room flat: from €609
3-room flat: from €899
4-room flat: from €1,279
House/villa: individual quote
Long-distance moves: from €3.85/km

Arrange a free survey to find out the fixed price for your move.

Floor, lift, distance: the price factors

The price of your move depends mainly on the volume of your household and the distance between the two addresses – we calculate transparently from €3.85/km. The floor, whether there is a lift and whether a parking restriction zone is needed also affect the costs. Additional services such as furniture assembly or a part load can change the price individually.

Services that give you time

Whatever you hand over frees up time for the Bürgeramt and contracts.

House clearance	Old furniture and bulky waste disposed of properly.
Private move	Into your new flat without worries.
Part load	An affordable ride for your belongings.
Company relocation	Business moves without long downtime.
Furniture transport	Fast transport of individual pieces of furniture.

Move with assembly – including professional assembly and dismantling.

Registering after a move to another city

If you move to another city for your first flat, register with the registration authority there – the two-week deadline applies nationwide. We are based in Berlin (Stromstraße 21) and operate nationwide; more under Long-distance moves, destinations in the locations overview.

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September 23, 2026

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