Important abbreviations and terminology for accommodation search

Because the space in ads is often very limited and costly, there are many abbreviations to be found. You will find here an alphabetical list of the most important German abbreviations found in accommodation offers with their full meaning and an English translation.

shortcut	German	English
O (Pr)	ohne Provision	without estate agent´s fee
+ (Pr)	mit Provision	with estate agent´s fee
AB	Altbau	old building
Abl	Ablöse	key money
App.	Appartment	appartment
Ausst.	Ausstattung	furnishings
Balk./Blk.	Balkon	balcony
Bek/BK	Betriebskosten	overheads
Bd./BZ	Bad/Bäder	bath/baths
Bhf.	Bahnhof	station
Bj.	Baujahr	Year of construction
Bung.	Bungalow	bungalow
DG	Dachgeschoss	top floor
DHH	Doppelhaushälfte	semidetached house
Di	Diele	hall
DT	Dachterrasse	roof terrace
Du	Dusche	shower
EBK	Einbauküche	kitchenette
EbN	Erstbezug Neubau	new house
EFH	Einfamilienhaus	single-family house
EG	Erdgeschoss	groundfloor
FbH	Fussbodenheizung	under floor heating
G-WC/ Gä.-WC	Gäste-WC	guest toilet
Ga.	Garten	garden
GA	Genossenschaftsanteile	cooperative shares
Gge.	Garage	garage
gfl.	gefliest	tiled
GH	Gasheizung	gas heating
h	Uhrzeit (z.B. 8h)	time (h = hour)
HH	Hinterhaus	part of a tenement house accesible only through a courtyard
Hob.	Hobbyraum	hobby room/ workroom
HP	Hochparterre	raised ground floor
Hzg.	Heizung	room heating
Imm.	Immobilie	real or immoveable property
inkl.	inklusive	inclusive
Ka.	Kamin	an open fireplace
KF.	Komfort	comfortable
Kl.	Kellar	cellar
KDB	Küche Dusche Bad	kitchen shower bath
KM	Kaltmiete	basic rental charge
kpl.	komplett	complete
KT	Kaution	deposit
Kü	Küche	kitchen
Lg.	Loggia	loggia
LuxA	Luxusausstattung	de luxe model
MFH	Mehrfamilienhaus	house for several families
MM	Monatsmiete	monthly rent
Mn.	Maisonette	maisonette
NB	Neubau	new house
Nfl.	Nutzfläche	usable floorspace/living room
NK	Nebenkosten	side costs
NM	Nachmieter	next tenant
NR	Nichtraucher	nonsmoker
OG	Obergeschoss	upper floor
OH	Ofenheizung	stove heating
Öl.	Ölheizung	oil-fired heating
Pk.	Parkettboden	parguett floor
prov.fr.	provisionsfrei	without estate agent´s fee
qm, m²	Quadratmeter	square meter
ren.	renoviert	renovated
renbed.	renovierungsbedürftig	must be renovated
rest.	restauriert	restored
rhg. gel.	ruhig gelegen	quiet location
RH	Reihenhaus	terraced (town) house
Sou.	Souterrain	basement
SZ	Schlafzimmer	sleeping room
Tel.	Telefonnummer	phone/-number
tgw.	teilgewerblich	partly commercial usable
t-möb.	teilmöbliert	partly furnished
Tep.	Teppichboden	carpeting
Terr.	Terrasse	terrace
TG	Tiefgaragenstellplatz	underground parking garage
UM	Untermieter	loger, subtenant
VB	Verhandlungsbasis	for negotiations
VH	Voderhaus	front facing house
v-möb	vollmöbliert	full furnished
Vollbad	Bad mit Wanne	bath with tub
WC	Toilette	lavatory
Wfl	Wohnfläche	used space
WG	Wohngemeinschaft	apartment-sharing community
Whg.	Wohnung	flat/appartment
Wig.	Wintergarten	winter garden
WLAN	Drahtloses Netzwerk	wireless network
WM	Warmmiete	overall rent
wt.	werktags	on weekdays
WZ	Wohnzimmer	living room
zentr.	zentral	central
ZH	Zentralheizung	central heating
Zi.	Zimmer	room
ZKB	Zimmer Küche Bad	room kitchen bath
Zzgl.	zuzüglich	additionally

 

Important terminology

Agent's commission - Provision/ Maklerprovision/ Courtage/ Maklercourtage

Property agent's fee, normally equivalent to 2-3 months' rent (MM) payable on signing the letting agreement. Sometimes the agent is willing to spread payment of the commission over a few months. Landlords/landladies do not always engage the services of an agent. If they let the accommodation directly to the tenant, there is no commission to pay.

 

Subletting - Untervermietung

Rental arrangement between the tenant and a third person. Subletting is often prohibited in rental agreements between the owner and the tenant. Provided it is allowed, however, the tenant can charge the subtenant rent.

 

Deposit/Key money - Kaution/Mietkaution

This is a one-off security measure payable to the landlord by the tenant at the beginning of the rental term. It normally amounts to 1-2 months' rent (MM). The deposit is designed to compensate the owner for any arrears in rent and to finance repair work when the tenant moves out. Otherwise, the landlord must repay the deposit, with interest (normally deposited in a savings account), to the tenant at the end of the rental period.

 

House rules - Hausordnung

Apart from the provisions laid down in the rental agreement, there are usually so-called house rules to observe. These guidelines regulate how the individual tenants have to conduct themselves with regard to the community of occupants: respecting the quiet hours, looking after communal areas such as corridors, cellar, garage, use of the washing machine, etc.

 

Caretaker - Hausmeister

In larger rented properties, the owner usually employs a caretaker or caretaker service to look after the communal areas such as the garden, garages, indoor corridors, stairs etc. The caretaker is also the person to contact if a key is lost or minor repairs need doing.

 

Inspection of the flat - Wohnungsabnahme

The tenant has to leave his flat in immaculate order when moving out. Any damage must be rectified by the tenant. We recommend that you draw up and sign a detailed record of the state of the flat together with the landlord when you move in. The same procedure should be followed when you move out, so the owner cannot raise objections belatedly.

contact: accommodation@zv.tum.de