Who the companies are
Berlin has seven state-owned housing companies (landeseigene Wohnungsbaugesellschaften): degewo, GESOBAU, Gewobag, HOWOGE, STADT UND LAND, WBM and berlinovo. By their own account, they manage almost one in four rented flats in the city. They let flats directly, with no agent and no commission (Provision).
Where to find the flats
- inberlinwohnen.de is the joint portal of all seven companies. It lists vacant flats; each listing shows whether a WBS is required.
- On the companies’ own websites you reply to listings and can often set up a search profile. Gewobag, for example, e-mails you as soon as a matching offer appears, and HOWOGE has its own flat-search app.
- berlinovo lets, among other things, furnished apartments, for example for students and young professionals. The terms there may differ from ordinary rental flats.
- If you already rent from one of the companies, you can look for a flat swap (Wohnungstausch) with other tenants of these companies on inberlinwohnen.de.
How many flats go to WBS holders
The rules are set out in a cooperation agreement with the State of Berlin (Kooperationsvereinbarung), valid from 2024 to the end of 2027. Under it, 63% of the existing flats re-let each year go to households entitled to a WBS: half to households with an income of up to 140% of the federal income limit, half to households between 140% and 220%. A quarter of these 63% is set aside for people with special housing needs. In new buildings, at least half of the floor space must be subsidised. The company decides which flat goes to which group — the listing says so. To learn how to get the certificate, see our guide to the WBS.
How applying usually works
- You reply to a listing through the contact form on the company’s or the portal’s website — usually your name and e-mail address are enough.
- The company selects who is invited to a viewing. HOWOGE, for example, says it often receives several hundred enquiries per flat and allocates viewing slots by lottery.
- After the viewing, you state your household size and income; the company checks whether you meet the flat’s conditions (such as a WBS).
- You upload or hand in your documents. If several applicants qualify, some companies decide by random draw.
- If you are chosen, you receive a tenancy offer and sign the contract.
Documents to have ready
- Passport or ID card and, for non-EU nationals, your residence permit.
- Proof of income for every adult in the household, for example your latest payslips or decisions from the Jobcenter or other offices.
- Your WBS, if the listing requires one.
- A certificate from your previous landlord that you owe no rent (Mietschuldenfreiheitsbescheinigung).
- Some companies check your creditworthiness, for example via SCHUFA, or accept a guarantor. What exactly is needed is stated in the listing or on the company’s website.
Rent: caps on increases and the 27% rule
The cooperation agreement limits rent increases in existing tenancies to an average of no more than 2.9% a year across each company. There is also an affordability promise (Leistbarkeitsversprechen): if your household income is below certain limits and the flat is not too large, you can apply to have your net cold rent capped at 27% of household income. You apply to your own company; ask there which proof it needs. Important: this is a voluntary commitment by the companies, not a right you can enforce in court.
Realistic expectations
Your chance of getting any particular flat is small, because so many people apply and a lottery often decides. The number of applications you send therefore matters more than a perfect cover letter. Check the portal and the websites every day, switch on alerts and reply immediately. Keep your documents ready as PDFs and consider several districts, including outside the centre.
The state-owned companies do not charge for viewings, reservations or applications and do not work through middlemen. If someone acting in their name asks you to transfer money before you sign a contract, it is a scam. HOWOGE warns explicitly that it treats offers of money or gifts as attempted bribery and excludes the person from lettings for a year. If in doubt, check the listing on the company’s official website.
Read also how to find a flat in Berlin and how to apply for a WBS. At the same time, you can create a free housing request on Flat-Radar: landlords can see it, and new matching listings are sent to you by e-mail.