Trouble finding Apartment for Family reunification

Finding an apartment is a VERY difficult taskin some German cities.

Thee is a shortage of housing and the landlord is likely able to choose from many applicants

You, being a foreigner (-> higher perceived risk) on a schoöarship (-> likely lower income) and with a family who is not even here yet (-> not being able to meet the tenants is a big No-No for many landlords), are automatically at a disadvantage.

Here is some advice what you can do to overcome this:

1. Introduce your family tp the landlord. For this, it is best to start the housing search only after their arrival. But if the can travel here beforehand for an apartment viewing, that's also o.k.
2. Look for places that cost below 30% of your income/scholarship. This is a threshold generally seen a "safe" by real estate people.
3. Offer to pay the rent (and deposit) in advance (e.g. for a year or so).

A guarantor outside of Germany is not helpful, as the landlord cannot reach him/her easily by legal means.

By the way: I am surprized that you got a family reunion visa without having to submit proof of sufficient housing space. This is usually required - specifically to prevent situations like this!

@beppi

Thank you for your reply. I understand why landlords would be hesitant, and from all perspectives, I might not appear to be the most suitable tenant to them, not even close. Nevertheless, I will continue to try. I wanted my family to travel, but I worry that if they do so and we fail to find an apartment within a specific time, the situation will worsen. I do not want to put my baby into a complicated situation, and I certainly do not want to have any issues with German officials or the law.

I am trying to focus more on houses below 30% of my income, but unfortunately, most of those (which are rare) are not suitable for families; they are usually single apartments or specifically for senior residents. I will try the other option of offering to pay rent for more than one month.

I now realize that a guarantor from outside Germany was not a practical idea; at this point, I am trying anything. I was surprised that the visas were granted before I secured a family apartment. They knew my current living situation_that I could only stay with my child, but not my partner_and they knew that I was searching for a family apartment. I was a bit sceptical about the results, but I am grateful for the visas at least.

Thank you again.

Good luck. It is always more difficult for foreigners, especially if not having a permanent good job. Because of this, most students find a room in a shared apartment - but this doesn’t likely fit to a family. But I have to doubt that a landlord will put any value on a sponsor or guarantor that is not permanently in Germany. How would they force them to pay if you can’t? Like for avoiding the amount needed on a blocked bank account to cover living expenses for the study visa; it can theoretically be gotten around with a close relative signing an agreement to guarantee payment but only if they live in Germany.

It is standard in Germany for people to pay the equivalence of 3 months’ rent as a deposit to cover possible damages. Possibly if one could offer to additionally pay some months in advance it could help. This means putting out a large amount of money at the beginning - but it might offer the security that hesitant landlords might feel they need.

Most German universities have very limited student housing but usually try to prioritize students that will have the most difficulty to find accommodation. Some might have an office that not only does this but additionally has contact to landlords willing to take students in addition to official university property. Google Studierendenwerk wohnen and the city. From your profile it seems to be Erfurt and I found the following:  https://www.stw-thueringen.de/wohnen/

@TominStuttgart

Thanks a bunch for taking the time to respond. I'm actually staying in an apartment managed by the Studierendenwerk Thüringen, from that link you shared. I asked about a family unit right away when I joined in October, but they told me it's about a four-semester wait, which is funny because I will have graduated by then! I have also been recently informed that even if family units were available, I am ineligible due to my spouse's non-student status.

I've tried everything during my apartment search– offering double the deposit, paying months upfront, walking into offices – but no luck. By now, most landlords and property managers in Erfurt know my name, and I am expanding the search to nearby cities.😊

I will keep trying until my family's visas expire; only then will I give up.

OK, keep trying but yeah, it is difficult. Most cities with universities have a very tight housing market. Because of this, many students in such a situation will just accept that they will have to have a double household and be apart from their family during their studies. But many have much more support from extended family back home and the spouse might well have a good job they would have had to give up to be in Germany, where although allowed to work in this situation, are unlikely to find a really good job unless they speak a high level of German.