1. About the moveable kitchen
August 20, 2025•379 words
Like I wrote in my introduction, I never lived in Germany as a "local", but as student in a cheap WG or as an expatriate in a fully furnished and equiped flat for which I would not have to pay the rent.
Before I moved in Germany, I knew this particularity about the kitchen, but I heard that recently, most of new rentals would include the kitchen (search for apartments with EBK = Einbauküche), so I was hopeful that I might not need to buy my freaking kitchen.
Alas, last year, I had to resign myself and accept the fact that most flats in Bavaria were rented either completely naked or that renting it would necessarly mean that the next tenant would have to buy the awful kitchen from the soon-to-be previous tenant at a ridiculously high price. On top of that, I have seen also very badly thought kitchens.
Beside the Netherlands and very few old flats in Denmark, Germany is the only country where the tenants have to buy their own kitchen. It seems that most Germans are quite annoyed by this concept but the habit persists, probably because despite "complaining" being a national sport, acting on it is not.
Anyway, I had to pay 15000 euros for my kitchen and, excellent news (irony here), I was able to deduct the installation (the labour) fees in my tax return, yeah.
When you move out, you are suppose to return the flat into its original state, meaning that you have to remove the kitchen, fill in all the holes and paint the walls white.
My landlord graciously offered me to buy my kitchen back at a 10% discount per started year of use.
I know that Germany is a country of tenants and that they tend to stay longer in their flats but I really wonder why? It is because they do not like to move and once settled, they are inoustable or do they not like to move because it is such a hassle?
PS: when I say no kitchen, there is not even a sink, nothing just one water inlet and drainage coming out of the white wall, plus some plugs for fridge and oven, which means that it determines how you can arrange your appliances.