Top 10 Things to Know about Coliving in Luxembourg

Coliving in Luxembourg

#1 – Rent for a Room

So how much will a room in Luxembourg city set you up on average. Well this is a question harder to answer but it might be anywhere between 700-950€ all charges and any additional expense included.
Tip: Be careful but many privately rented rooms do not tell you about added electricity and Internet charges which are often at the cost of the tenants.

#2 – Peak Periods

Peak periods are in January, February but also in September. It is better to sort out your accommodation early and start at least 4-6 weeks before than risk being disappointed or come under pressure.
Many interns that traditionally start in September and then again in February put additional pressure on the market.

#3 – Deposit on a Flat

It is customary in Luxembourg that owners ask for 3 month rent as deposit on a new flat. Sometimes you might be lucky and find somebody who only asks for 2 but normally it is 3. Additionally you normally need to have a CDI (Contrat a Duré Indeterminé) to be considered as a potential tenant.

But, not to despair, most flat sharing companies ask for only 2 month deposit. Even so this is a cost to factor into your moving plans.
Tip: Make sure you demand a receipt of the payment for the deposit.

#4 – Do I Need an Agency for Flat Sharing in Luxembourg?

Whether you need an agency or not is ultimately up to you but agencies normally guarantee quality standards. This should make the whole process a lot easier and faster.

It is customary for an agency to ask you for 1 month rent as a fee for their services in helping you to find a room. The cheapest we have found were Vauban&Fort whose reduced agency fee was substantially cheaper than its competitors while also offering additional services like professional maintenance and additional insurance.

#5 – Short Term (under 6months) or Long Term Rent

Whether you are an intern or have been offered a CDI (Contrat a Duré Indeterminé)  there is a difference whether you will be staying short term (under 6months) or long term (generally anything over 6 months). This is particularly relevant when you search for rooms. People that stay long term have different expectations than those staying short term.
Tip: If you are looking for short term you should really start early because this can limit your options

#6 – Be Aware of Scammers

While many privately offered rooms are not a scam be aware that renting privately has some risks and in some cases people do not see their deposit again.
Rooms are often rented out without the consent of the property owner and it can get hairy once this is found out, as it is illegal.
Tip: Warning signs to find out about this is if you are not allowed to register at the townhall for instance

#7 – Location Location Location

Everything is about location and with all the traffic in Lux City it is important to be close to your work. Rent in the capital for example in Belair or Kirchberg is a lot more expensive than outside the city. If you wanted to rent a decent room for under 700€ consider locations outside of the city like in Leudelange. Inside of the city a decent room/flat normally starts at 700€.

#8 – Where to Search for Rooms

A good place to start looking for rooms is appartager.lu the main flat share platform in Luxembourg. Of course there are also many groups on FB but these are less regulated and do not have proper search criteria that match what you might be looking for. Also justlanded.lu has some rooms to look for. We would recommend companies like Vauban&Fort who are known for their quality services (www.vaubanfort.lu) and specialize in international flat shares only.

#9 – Flatmates

It is obvious that finding the right room at the right rate in the right location is the first and foremost consideration but many people do not directly consider their flatmates.

After all, these are the people you will be living with on a daily basis. Some agencies offer basic assurances as to the background of tenants but in practice often fail as screening for tenants is time consuming. Do make sure that you ask for a 1-on-1 visit of your future room.

#10 – Online Versus 1on1 Room Visits

So you booked your room online and it turned out to be nothing like the pictures? This is unfortunately a more common issue and we would recommend to visit a place in person in nearly all cases.

There is nothing like actually seeing a place to get a feel for it. During a visit do pay attention to the cleanliness of the kitchen or common areas as well as whether your private landlord or agency is coming across as serious, whether they take time to answer your questions and if they ask for upfront payments.

In some cases it might be better to slightly increase your budget to be able to have piece of mind.