A few weeks ago my landlord sat me down and asked how long I was planning to stay in my one room pokey hole under the roof.
Well the place was supposed to be temporary, a stopgap from returning from Malta to something permanent.
That was six years ago, how time flies eh?
Thing is it turned out to be a perfect place, five minutes to the Autobahn, great thing for a roving technician who works out of his car. Five minutes on my wire donkey to the Ammersee, an hour on the motorbike to the alps, under an hour to the kids and grandkids and at 610 Euros cheap enough even for me.
I got on well with the landlord and they got on well with me.
So I said that I would like to stay until retirement and then see what comes next. They were happy with that because in a few years it would be a perfect time for their kid to want his own digs close to mummy.
End of last month I was told that they had a family talk and the kid wants his own digs now and that they are now calling âEigenbedarfâ meaning they need it for themselves and I have six months to move out.
Since then I have been looking for a flat, one to two rooms and I refuse to pay more than a third of my wage which limits me to 600 to 700 Euros.
Turns out that 700 is the lower limit what a cold rent costs a month, warm, meaning with everything included and I am looking at around 1000 to 1200 Euros a month minimum.
Half and over half of my wage and that makes me uncomfortable indeed, plus if I actually manage to get an appointment for a viewing, I get shuffled through with ten other people and when you ask how many have applied it is always around 400 to 700 applicants.
Last viewing this afternoon, a cellar, built out as a two roomed flat offered at 610 Euros cold, which went up to 650 during the talk then 180 for the warm part and then 20 Euros for this, 15 for that and a few more for this which put the monthly bill up to 970 Euros for 40 square meters.
I declined, didn´t like the landlady anyway, he was 93 and she was 42, dressed like and gave off an Elvira, Mistress of the Dark vibe and âtaaalk liike briiide of draculaâ
I like the area where I am now but there is no way I will be able to afford even the cheapest place near by, round here they start at 1400, go past 1800 and even one on offer for 2200 Euors a month.
I´m going to the gym to let my frustation out on a few tons of rusty iron.
Good luck! At least you are not with the crazy landlady in Basel!
Have alway wondered what happened to them, clogs well snd truly popped by now I suppose.
What are your local contacts like? Gym, biker club, local stammtisch, etc? Can you put a few feelers out?
Already done that, also got alerts out on immoscout and Kleinanzeigen.
what about âhouse-sittingâ? is it possible where you are? A friend of mine (Czech) came to Switzerland for 2 months, to live - for free- on a wow house, and take care of a dog, while the owners were out on hols.
Not an option, I want somewhere to stay for a while.
If you just want a room what about that website where you can find rooms to rent. Forgotten what itâs called and donât have a note of it. Something zimmer.ch
I think he is in Germany, but they have something similar wgzimmer
There is, but a WG is not an option for me.
This sucks. Good luck!
Well, at least 6 months counting from May 1st.
There was a time I shared a flat. Plenty of issues, but none of those issues were as big as paying full rent. At some point you see your flatmates as walking 1000 CHF bills. Not the best, but itâs convenient for everyone.
Maybe you could meet the kid and explain that the place is unsuitable.
Many years of farts hanging around, the neighborhood ghost, the Mafia gang seeking vengeance for unpaid loans, too poorly insulated for noisy sexâŚ
Slammer has quite a pastâŚ!
Maybe thatâs your clue, you have to look for a cheaper area and a longer commute.
I hope you can find something as cheap as your current apt. thoughâŚAnyway, this really sucks.
Hang in there, something will come up.
Move to Switzerland then, lower taxes could compensate for the new higher rent.
Just fight the eviction tooth and nail.
This is Bavaria - people are commuting into Munich from 2h away.
Back when I lived in Freising over 20 years ago, there where already people in the train from Straubing with pillows to help them find some sleep.
Germany has failed to build housing space to the tune of hundreds of thousand of units per year for at least a decade - while letting millions of low-earners that compete for the cheapest apartments into the country.
People complain about Zooglers and other high-earning expats driving gentrification - but at least they donât compete for the ultra-low end of apartments directly.
Good luck.
So which town or city are you talking about?
Maybe thatâs your clue, you have to look for a cheaper area and a longer commute.
I don´t have a commute per-se, as a roving technician, as soon as I am in the car I am on the clock. Problem is anywhere south of the A96 is a beauty spot and you pay more, anywhere near the lakes, pay more, an hours commute to the nearest S-Bahn and⌠yup, you pay more, anywhere within 100km around Munich, you pay more. People commute to munich from DonauwÜrth, or about 130 km´s.
The area I service is roughly from Kempten to Traunstein, Neu-Ulm to Garmish -Partenkirchen, with Munich and Augsburg as my main areas with all the courts and justice departments inbetween.
Move to Switzerland then, lower taxes could compensate for the new higher rent.
Tried that, never earned enough money to make CH work for me, apart from that who is gong to employ a 65 year old?
Just fight the eviction tooth and nail.
Not going to work, nothing to fight for. The law is clear and the room I occupy does not have a separate entrance and I have to go through their house to get to my room, one of the reasons this place is so cheap. Living in such close proximity is challenging but doable if the trust is there, this trust is now gone from my part.
So which town or city are you talking about?
Pick anywhere in Bavaria.