When should I plan my move as a student?

It is best for students to plan their end-of-semester move at least three to four weeks in advance, as many people move at the same time around the start and end of semester. If you book early, you secure better dates and often lower prices. Short-notice enquiries are possible, but the choice of time slots is then usually much more limited.

Is a small move with professional help worthwhile?

A small move with professionals is particularly worthwhile with narrow stairwells, bulky furniture or little time alongside your studies. Even if friends want to help with carrying, a professional team is liable under the HGB in the event of damage. Especially with valuable belongings, this security is often worth more than the supposed saving.

What is a part load and when does it make sense?

With a part load , your belongings travel in one vehicle with other jobs, which saves costs when you have few household goods. Delivery is a time window, because several destinations are served. For the handover the important thing is: collection takes place before the date, so that the room is empty in time.

How do I register my new address after the move?

Within two weeks of moving in, at the registration authority (§ 17 BMG). You must bring your ID card or passport and the landlord confirmation (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung) from your landlord (§ 19 BMG); you do not need the tenancy agreement for this. If you miss the deadline, you risk a fine (§ 54 BMG).

What happens to the deposit when I move out of a shared-flat room?

The landlord settles the deposit after the handover. There is no fixed statutory deadline; a checking period of three to six months is regarded as customary, and for a service charge statement that is still outstanding, a reasonable portion may be withheld for longer. A joint report with photos protects both sides. Rawlplug holes to a normal extent usually count as normal wear and tear.

Which moving boxes are best for students?

Sturdy medium-sized moving boxes are best, as they do not get too heavy even with books. Free boxes from supermarkets are perfectly adequate on a small budget. What matters is clear labelling by room and contents, so that unpacking at the new address goes quickly and clearly.

How does a long-distance move to another university city work?

For a long-distance move to another city we take care of planning, transport and often no-parking zones from a single source. With our long-distance moving services , the entire route can be calculated transparently and at a fixed price. That way changing your place of study can still be organised stress-free despite the greater distance.

Are my possessions insured during the move?

For damage during transport we are liable under the German Commercial Code (HGB) with up to €620 per cubic metre of belongings (§ 451e HGB). For expensive individual items, additional insurance is available on request. Important documents such as the handover report, tenancy agreement and valuables are better transported yourself.

Can I book my move more cheaply during the semester break?

Outside the peak times around the start and end of semester, dates are often more flexible and sometimes available more cheaply. If you plan your student move a little outside the main periods, you have a better chance of getting your preferred date. An early look at the calendar is therefore worthwhile in terms of price too.

What should I bear in mind at the handover of my new room?

At the handover of the new room, the condition should be documented directly together with the landlord, ideally with photos and a written report. That way existing defects can be clearly distinguished from later damage. This documentation protects students from unjustified deductions from the deposit when they later move out.

How do I find the right moving company for my student move?

Look for a fixed price after a survey, verifiable reviews and clear information on liability under the HGB. Ask whether furniture dismantling and a no-parking zone are included in the quote. We are based in Berlin (Stromstraße 21), are rated 5.0 from 119 reviews on Google and also carry out moves to other cities – see the locations overview .

HANDOVER AND DEPOSIT

Handing over your shared-flat room: report rawlplug holes and deposit

The last step before the new room: how to hand over your old shared-flat room, what belongs in the report and when the deposit comes back.

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Customer service01625978461

Google · 119 reviews

(5,0/5)

Monday – Friday09:00 – 17:00 Uhr

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FROM BERLIN-MOABIT

When moving out

The handover decides the deposit

Money back

Unsere Firma Handing over a shared-flat room: handover report with photos, cosmetic repairs, rawlplug holes, keys, meter readings and repayment of the rental deposit.

For many students, the deposit is the largest sum of money they get back when moving – and at the same time the point where disputes arise most often. The landlord may demand at most three months' rent excluding service charges, payable in three instalments (§ 551 BGB). How much of it comes back is decided at the handover. We schedule the transport for your student move so that there is still time for cleaning and small repairs between clearing out and the handover.

Arrange the handover date early and go through the room yourself beforehand with the move-in report. On the day itself, record the condition, keys and meter readings in writing and take photos. After that, the landlord may check whether any claims are still outstanding. We are based in Berlin (Stromstraße 21) and handle the transport at a fixed price after a survey – more under Student move.

Sofa wrapped in stretch film, cushions and stacked moving boxes in an empty flat

50,-DISCOUNT

PLAN YOUR DATE

PERSONAL ADVICE

Planning the move before the handover date

Clear out, clean, hand over

Tell us your handover date – we schedule the move before it, so that the room is empty in time. Call us on 01625978461: we carry out a survey, then quote a fixed price and dismantle furniture so that no marks are left on walls and floors.

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

Two movers in red T-shirts lift a film-wrapped piece of furniture into a lorry

MOVING OUT WITHOUT A TRACE

How we avoid damage when you move out

Empty room, no scratches

A new scratch in the parquet or a dent in the door frame can cost money at the handover. That is why we carry with blankets and straps, dismantle furniture before transport and watch out for corners and door frames in narrow shared-flat hallways. Once the room is empty, you have time for cleaning and the handover. For damage we cause during transport we are liable under the German Commercial Code (HGB) (§ 451e: €620 per m³). On Google we are rated 5.0 from 119 reviews.

Assembly service

We dismantle wall shelves and wardrobes properly; plugs and screws come along labelled, so that nothing tears out of the wall.

Careful carrying

Blankets, straps and two pairs of hands per piece of furniture protect door frames, stairwell and floors – important for a clean handover.

Fixed date

The move takes place before the handover date, with enough time for cleaning and small repairs such as rawlplug holes.

House clearance

Anything that is not coming along and may not stay in the room, we clear out on request – more under House clearance.

THE HANDOVER

Six steps to your full deposit

If you follow these six steps, you are in a good position when returning the shared-flat room – and you have evidence if a dispute about the deposit does arise.

Find the move-in report

Anything that was already broken when you moved in, you do not have to replace. The old report or old photos are your most important evidence.

Read the contract

Are cosmetic repairs (Schönheitsreparaturen) in the tenancy agreement? Many such clauses are invalid, for example if you took over the room unrenovated.

Fix small things

Rawlplug holes to a normal extent usually count as normal wear and tear; neatly filled, there is still less discussion.

Clean thoroughly

Swept clean is the minimum. You share the kitchen and bathroom in the shared flat – agree who cleans the communal areas.

Report with photos

Condition, keys, meter readings – in writing, dated, signed by both parties. Time-stamped photos make the report strong.

Give your bank details

Give the landlord your new address and bank details in writing. The repayment comes after a reasonable checking period, not on the handover day.

FOR A FEW ITEMS

Part load when the room has to be empty early

Collection before the handover

With a part load, your belongings are collected and travel with other jobs in the same direction. For the handover this means: collection should be a few days before the date, so that you can clean the empty room at your leisure. For a few pieces of furniture over a long distance, this is often the cheapest solution.

Open cargo space of a red lorry with wrapped furniture, panels and boxes

OVERVIEW

From
a full room to your deposit

Clearing out, report, repayment

A student move is only over when the deposit is back. This part covers the handover of the old shared-flat room: what belongs in the report, which repairs you really owe and how long the landlord may take. You will find a template in the article Handover report template, and help with disputes in the article Resolving disputes at the handover.

Preparing

Find the move-in report, read the contract, fix the handover date – that way a student move, private move or small removal ends without a dispute over the deposit.

Clearing out without a trace

With furniture assembly, careful furniture transport and a packing service, the room is emptied without new scratches on walls and floor.

Afterwards

Wait for the deposit, register your new address, take over the new room with a report of your own – also after a long-distance move, part load or furniture taxi.

Mover in red workwear pushing a sack truck with a box towards a stack of boxes

MoabitBased at Stromstraße 21

Google 5.0 (119 reviews)

Two movers in dungarees carry moving boxes through a bright flat

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about handover and deposit when leaving a shared flat

Answers on costs, planning, part load, registration, deposit, liability and the handover of the new room.

That depends on room size, route and floor. The overview ‘What a move costs’ above lists the starting prices by number of rooms; a single shared-flat room is usually at the lower end. We quote the binding fixed price after the survey. Also plan for a no-parking zone and cleaning for the handover – and for the deposit only coming back later.

Moving boxes and packing tips on a small budget

Students do not have to spend much money on moving boxes, as free boxes from supermarkets or drinks retailers are often perfectly adequate. It is important to pack books and heavy items into small boxes so that they do not tear when carried. Clothing can be stored in vacuum bags to save space, while fragile items such as glasses can be wrapped in towels or old T-shirts.

Clear labelling by room saves a lot of time and nerves when unpacking at the destination. If you are short of time, combine packing yourself with professional help for bulky pieces of furniture via our private move services. That way the move stays stress-free and well organised even on a small budget.

Handing over your shared-flat room and registering your new address

Before moving out of the old shared-flat room, arrange a handover date with the landlord or main tenant. Photos of the condition of the room protect against later disputes and should be taken before the keys are handed over. Whether you have to paint depends on the tenancy agreement – many clauses on cosmetic repairs are invalid, for example if the room was unrenovated when you moved in.

After moving into your new accommodation, you register with the registration authority within two weeks (§ 17 BMG) and make a move-in report of your own straight away. More on repayment in the article Rental deposit: amount and repayment.

What a move costs

from €375 for a 1-room flat
from €599 for a 2-room flat
from €879 for a 3-room flat
from €1,309 for a 4-room flat
individual quote for a house/villa
from €3.80/km for long-distance moves

The exact price is only determined after a free survey.

What the price is made up of

Pricing is based primarily on volume and distance (from €3.80/km). Further influencing factors are the floor, whether there is a lift and setting up a parking restriction zone. If required, furniture assembly or a part load complement the service.

Our offer around moving out

We offer you a comprehensive range of services for every type of move.

Furniture transport: reliable transport of your furniture. Furniture transport
Office move: moves for offices and businesses. Office move
Part load: save through shared transport routes. Part load
Private move: a personal service for your new home. Private move
House clearance: we create space where you need it. House clearance
Move with assembly: everything from a single source – including assembly. Move with assembly

From Berlin – from the old room to the new one

We are based in Berlin (Stromstraße 21) and carry out moves within Berlin and to other cities. You will find destinations with their own page in the locations overview, and long distances under Long-distance moves.

Guides & Tips

Beste Umzug Redaktion

September 24, 2026

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