Kitchens and renting an unfurnished apartment

We're renting a furnished place, but it looks like we're going to be here a while so we're about to start looking for a place of our own.

This business of having to buy and install an entire kitchen for a rented apartment has me a bit freaked out though. Does anyone know how or why this practise came about? Is it just a bizarro quirk of renting in Germany that you don't get a kitchen with your apartment, or is it common all over Europe? My next question is, why stop at a kitchen?? It's just so weird. I mean, why not force people to install their own toilet bowls, or windows, or ceilings? Seems to me a kitchen is no less optional!!! Why is it like this? It's so stupid.

There's my rant. I am curious, though.

For some reason in Germany kitchens and things like light fixtures, etc. do not add any value to the apartment when it is sold etc. (as far as I know) So people take it all with them if they've spent money on it. Makes sense that the owners do it, especially if they've bought a really nice kitchen and they're not going to benefit from leaving it...doesn't make sense that it wouldn't up the value of the place though...

Btw, I could be wrong...but that's what I've been told

I don't know about continental Europe, but in the UK it's pretty much unheard of to rent a place without a kitchen.

I agree it's crazy, but if you plan to stay in a place for ten years it becomes less of an issue...

Ab-so-lu-te-ly NOT! Sometimes a kitchen may have only the basics (stove, fridge, couple of cupboards) and you can improve it if you wish, but usually there's none of this 'take your kitchen with you when you leave'.

The landlord of our first apartment told us it was because traditionally most people in Germany don't tend to move more often than a couple of times in a lifetime and rent their apartments their whole lives, so the landlord doesn't want to be involved in something so personal as a kitchen. if you think of it that way it makes sense, but society is changing and people are moving more often so who knows, maybe kitchens will start staying put, but maybe not. I've heard of a few landlords offering to put a kitchen in for an increased rent and similar schemes but culturally it doesn't look as if they will be considered part of the fabric of the place any time soon, as they are in Britain or the US.

We bought the kitchen that was in our first place and took it with us when we moved six months later. mad.

I've moved around a bit in my 3-4 years here (3 times) and we have always taken an apartment with kitchen. Twice we had to pay an Ablöse and once it was included. A lot of the newly built places, and expecially the build to rent developments have kitchens installed.

As far as I know, in Berlin the landlord is legally obliged to provide a cooker/oven in the kitchen.

several German couples came through to see my apartment before I moved out. Each of them asked if my kitchen was for sale as none of them had one they were bringing with them (they were pretty much all late 20/early 30 something), so maybe it's true times are changing.

I'm taking my kitchen with me to Paris though, as I was told the situation was the same there and I'd have a much better selection of places if I brought my own (NO WAY I'm going through that whole measure, design, order, purchase, installation multiple month process again. ugh).

A German friend told me that it due to the effects of WWII; that people were so poor and so many places were bombed out that they took literally everything that they owned when they moved, including light fixtures, kitchen, etc. I don't know if it's true, but it makes sense to me.

Edie

I have to say I've come around to the German system. Redoing a kitchen in the US is a major investment that you're supposed to get back if you ever sell. I wanted to redo my small L-shaped kitchen and got a quote from a small startup firm, quote came in at 40k *not* including new appliances. I'm sure it would've been pimping but no thanks. Home depot gave me a very rough estimate of 25K, with mid range cabinets and appliances at least. IKEA's moved into the neighborhood though and they've got similiar pricing to what you see in Europe.

unfortunately, probably similar quality too...

I dunno, it just seems nuts to lug an entire kitchen around from apartment to apartment. Geez, a couch and a bed are bad enough! I can't imagine that cupboards and appliances and countertops would even fit anywhere but the place it's built for. And then trying to unload beat up old cupboards when we leave... The thought of it makes me laugh, or cry, I can't decide which. It's just SO weird.

Anyway, thanks for enlightening me. I guess it must be true Germans don't move much. Why WOULD you when you have to take apart a kitchen and put it together again??? It would give me incentive to stay put, I think.

Weird weird weird... (shaking head)

I agree with you, gills. After 11 years married to a German, and 6 years living in Germany, I've managed to get used to most things, but that is just effing bonkers. We had to buy the kitchen that was already here, and it was made to fit, so we won't be able to take it with us, wherever we go next. We will, however, probably have to pay to have it removed, when we go.

I'm happy that we got ours for a good price and that it fits in our new apartment - but (as it's already been mentioned) the sink unit and one of the cupboards did fall apart during the move!

So how do you figure out how much to pay for a kitchen? Obviously it's not worth the same as it was new. Is there some kind of depreciation formula that people use? At some point an old kitchen should be free, you'd think.

Is it something like, "hey, if you throw in the front door and the railings on the balcony, I'll make you a deal!" ???

But seriously. How do you negotiate a price for a used built-in kitchen that is pretty much worthless anywhere else?? I can sort of get my head around a fridge and a stove having some kind of resale value, but built in cupboards???!!!

Hi all,

First-time post-er here. I'm moving to Konstanz in about a month and have read that when you rent an unfurnished flat in Germany it is truly bare...no fridge, sink, stove, etc. I was wondering if anyone could tell me how easy it is to find second-hand or inexpensive appliances there. We've been thinking of purchasing these items here (Australia) second-hand and having them shipped (company is footing the bill).

Anyone have any ideas?

Looking forward to the move and to meeting some of you.

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Actually, it's everything, including the kitchen sink!

But it's not always the case. Many appartments now are rented with EBK, which stands for EinGebautesKüche, or built-in kitchen. I've always had a place with that. I wouldn't buy them in Australia, because you never know how they will fit into your kitchen space. Just when looking, keep an eye out for the EBK. Watch out for the term "Ablöse" though, which means the previous renters want you to pay them for the furnishings they are leaving behind. Sometimes it's worth it and not much, other times it can be a hefty sum.

Good luck with the move!

Sometimes the people moving out of the apartment will be prepared to sell you the kitchen in situ, so it's worth asking about this. The fact that everyone is buying and selling kitchens means it's reasonably simple to find one, so I'm not sure what the logic of buying one in Australia is, regardless of who is paying for the shipping.

Just buy one from Ikea over here - they do them for a decent price and they work OK.

Although I just bought the kitchen from the old tenant, and plan to sell it for a profit when I move on

...probably best not to advertise that if you were going to offer it up on TT.

If your company is also going to be paying for your place (or maybe a portion thereof), just rent a place that has a kitchen, sink, refridge, etc. They are a little harder to come by, but you'll find them.

My place comes with kitchen, sink, refridge. Although, I did have to buy a dishwasher and washingmachine separately.

Now, whether your apartment will come with lights hooked up is another thing! I spent a few weekends getting all that sorted as well!

Ikea is good for one-assembly: few have ever disassembled and reassembled Ikea furniture succesfully. Keep that under consideration.