People who want to avoid getting fleeced by landlords should consider becoming a member of the local "Mieterverein". It usually costs around 60 Euro per year to be a member and they will give you free legal counsel whenever you have trouble with your landlord:
http://www.berliner-mieterverein.de/
Berlin's advantage is not just the rents but also the law of tenancy. Germany's laws are tenant-friendly, whereas British laws are -- from what I've read -- landlord-friendly.
That's helpful if you're a young person looking for accomodation or office space to found a company and want to avoid taking too many risks.
In example, period of cancellation may not be more than 3 months in Germany, security deposit may not exceed 3 months' rent, etc.
> It's not just the rents but also the law of tenancy. Germany's laws are tenant-friendly, whereas British laws are -- from what I've read -- landlord-friendly.
Not sure it actually matters. Zürich is probably as tenant-friendly as Berlin, but the rent is as high or higher than London. I think what matters more is the state of the market: Berlin still have lots of real estate available (vs 0.07% of vacant apartments in Zurich).
Meh, twin rooms are NOT common in the US. If you do what the girl in the article did and you are looking to share a flat in the US, the expectation would be that you would have your own bedroom at the very least.
People who want to avoid getting fleeced by landlords should consider becoming a member of the local "Mieterverein". It usually costs around 60 Euro per year to be a member and they will give you free legal counsel whenever you have trouble with your landlord: http://www.berliner-mieterverein.de/
Berlin's advantage is not just the rents but also the law of tenancy. Germany's laws are tenant-friendly, whereas British laws are -- from what I've read -- landlord-friendly.
That's helpful if you're a young person looking for accomodation or office space to found a company and want to avoid taking too many risks.
In example, period of cancellation may not be more than 3 months in Germany, security deposit may not exceed 3 months' rent, etc.