# Employer paying for full relocation - what should I bring (Germany)?



## mrmillersd (Jul 17, 2013)

My employer is paying for full relocation for a move from UK to Germany. However, i have nothing more than a rug, computer monitor and laptop. Should i take advantage of this benefit somehow or just buy my stuff there..?Anyone have any advice on how to make the most of this generous offer?


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## ALKB (Jan 20, 2012)

mrmillersd said:


> My employer is paying for full relocation for a move from UK to Germany. However, i have nothing more than a rug, computer monitor and laptop. Should i take advantage of this benefit somehow or just buy my stuff there..?Anyone have any advice on how to make the most of this generous offer?


Ask for an allowance for furniture, white goods, light fixtures, floor coverings, window dressings, household items and maybe even a fitted kitchen.

German flats can have some of the above but that's sheer luck and you might end up with a typical one that comes with bare floors, no kitchen and definitely no lamps or curtains.

Definitely buy things in Germany - plugs/sockets are different for instance and if something breaks it will be much easier to deal with guarantees and such.


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## mrmillersd (Jul 17, 2013)

Cool! Thanks so much. My employer has an allowance for furnished housing as well, but i think id rather buy my own furniature...


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## Nononymous (Jul 12, 2011)

You might want to take advantage of that allowance to rent furnished, at least for the first year or so until you settle in, because in Germany an "unfurnished" apartment can be pretty bare: no light fixtures, no window coverings, and in some cases no kitchen, period - not even a sink. That's a lot to deal with on top of moving to a new country and job, regardless of your language fluency.


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## ALKB (Jan 20, 2012)

Nononymous said:


> You might want to take advantage of that allowance to rent furnished, at least for the first year or so until you settle in, because in Germany an "unfurnished" apartment can be pretty bare: no light fixtures, no window coverings, and in some cases no kitchen, period - not even a sink. That's a lot to deal with on top of moving to a new country and job, regardless of your language fluency.


No sink is actually against the law, at least in Berlin.

The landlord has to provide a cooker and a sink and you can insist on those. Mostly they will be the most basic ugly things, though.


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## Nononymous (Jul 12, 2011)

ALKB said:


> No sink is actually against the law, at least in Berlin.
> 
> The landlord has to provide a cooker and a sink and you can insist on those. Mostly they will be the most basic ugly things, though.


Primus camping stove in the bathroom.


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## Mr Happy (Mar 17, 2015)

I know a guy that lived without the kitchen for a year, his pile of pizza boxes however was impressive to see. 

I seem to recall bedding is also expensive.


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