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Rental Furniture in Germany – the Smart Alternative for Expats?

With growing success in the USA, the concept of renting furniture is starting to take root here in Germany. More and more foreigners who have moved here are renting furniture instead of buying it or looking for fully furnished apartments. Furniture rental/leasing services have been a big help to many in the US. Now, they are helping expats here in Germany.

Imagine this. You leave your home to settle in another country. You arrive in Germany with nothing but your suitcase, some personal items and an English/German dictionary. The first thing you have to do is to look for a place to stay unless you already have an apartment lined up.

Finding an affordable, furnished apartment in major German cities is like finding a needle in a haystack the size of the Cologne Cathedral. This may be a cliché, but it’s surprisingly close to the truth. And this is true for most expat destinations such as Frankfurt, Hamburg, Munich, Berlin and Düsseldorf.

For example, let’s take the Greater Frankfurt Area. Upscale unfurnished apartments in neighborhoods such as Sachsenhausen, Westend and Nordend can come with price tags of 2,000 Euros a month. Similar flats in other neighborhoods have a going rate of 1,600 Euros - and that, too, is without furnishings. Serviced apartments normally cost considerably more. Those apartments with reasonable rates are nearly impossible to find.

So, maybe a solution is to buy new furniture. It sounds like the logical step to take. However, you’ll probably discover that many German stores have waiting periods of up to three months for the delivery of furniture. It is well known that Germans are pretty patient, especially when it comes to something that they really need. But you don’t need the additional frustration. You’re an expat, recently arrived in a new country and with a lot on your plate already. You may not want to wait for three months for your furniture to arrive. Besides, if you’re only assigned to Germany for a couple of years, it doesn’t really make sense to wait that long for something that you will probably leave behind when your assignment ends.

Even if you decide to buy inexpensive furniture at Ikea or similar furniture stores, you can easily end up paying 5,000 to 8,000 Euros to fully furnish an apartment's two bedrooms, living room and dining room. It's still a pretty steep price, one that many are not willing to pay. On top of that, you often have to pay separately for transportation and assembly, unless you're a do-it-yourself kind of person.

Another alternative is to ship your furniture from home. But hauling your furniture halfway across the world and paying high shipping fees when there are more convenient solutions available in the market may not be the most reasonable move.

There are many available remedies out there and one such smart solution is renting or leasing furniture. Furniture rental can be a cost-effective and flexible solution to your needs. (For example, at Furniture Leasing Corporation rental rates start at 200 Euros/month for furniture for a two-bedroom apartment -- including delivery, assembly and pickup.)

Monthly rates will vary depending on the length of the contract period. A longer contract period (minimum 24 months for example) will have lower monthly rates than a short-term contract.

Of course, the cost is only part of its attraction. Customers can also pick out their preferred furniture styles, from classic to contemporary and exotic. You can refurbish your dining room in a Victorian style while your bedroom can be Scandinavian Contemporary. The possibilities are limited only by your imagination and the items made available by the rental company. You may also find a furnishing package that comes with rugs, linens, home-theater, flat-screen TV and other extras.

You can also get a little unorthodox with your selections. There was an expat from Canada who once rented a dog-house for his German Shepherd. It's true. If it is available, furniture companies will make sure that you get it. You can order a litter box or even a cage for pet birds. They'll provide with anything you need, just not the actual pets themselves.

Fully furnished apartments are not exactly a dime a dozen in Germany. New furniture can be expensive. Buying used furniture is risky in terms of price and condition. Rental furniture could make sense. An unfurnished apartment plus rented furnishings may very well help you save money.

This editorial is co-sponsored by Furniture Leasing Corporation, one of Germany's leading providers of rental furniture and home appliances with representative offices across the country.

Contact Furniture Leasing Corporation at info@FurnitureLeasing.de to learn more about renting furniture and home appliances in Germany.