New refugees from the Ukraine war come to Germany every day. The solidarity is great, many people want to donate or help in other ways. If you want to offer a place to sleep, you have many options.
According to the Federal Ministry of the Interior, between February 24 and March 9, 2022, more than 80,000 war refugees came to Germany from Ukraine at the request of the “Media Service Integration”.
The sympathy in Germany is great, many people want to help: They donate money, food or clothing, but many also want to offer a place to sleep. It’s less complicated than many think. t-online summarizes the most important options:
Attention: The overview does not claim to be complete and was last updated on March 11, 2022. For further regional offers, it is best to contact your local aid organizations directly or the city or municipality directly.
What requirements do you have to meet in order to be able to offer a place to sleep?
This is very different: Some of the refugees only need a place to sleep for a few nights because they then travel on to relatives or friends, for example.
Others need a permanent home. Stricter requirements then apply: For example, you then need sufficient space and should also find out about the legal situation in your area. If you live for rent, it is best to inform your landlord about the acceptance of refugees.
In any case, the accommodation should meet one’s own requirements and provide decent accommodation for refugees – regardless of whether the offer is an entire apartment or just part of the apartment.
You can find out exactly what requirements have to be met in your individual case directly from the local aid organizations.
Do you have a say in who you take in?
For example, many worry about whether, as a single woman, you will have to take in strange men – or, conversely, whether a young woman would even be placed with a single man and his accommodation. But the age of the refugees or the question of whether there are pets also plays a major role for many in their admission.
With many placement platforms, it is therefore handled in such a way that there is a suggestion as to who would like to accept the offer of accommodation. You can also reject this suggestion if you do not feel comfortable. However, there is no precise selection or getting to know each other beforehand, as the need for accommodation is too acute for that.
How long should you be able to provide accommodation?
That too is very different. Some of the refugees are looking for shelter for several weeks until they can perhaps rent their own apartment or be accommodated by the state. Others only need a place to sleep for a night or two before moving on.
In Berlin, for example, the online form for registering a place to sleep only offers the option of offering periods of two weeks or more. In Munich, on the other hand, the option “a few days” can also be selected. If in doubt, ask the local aid organizations directly whether they are also looking for overnight accommodation for short periods of time.
Where can you offer your sleeping place?
Probably the largest online platform for refugee accommodation in Germany is “unterkunft-ukraine.de“There are now more than 205,000 beds there that are being offered by private individuals for Ukrainian refugees. And those looking for accommodation can also register. Registration is simple: anyone who has accommodation gives their name, address, contact information, language skills, and available beds and the possible length of stay in a form. Important: You must expect a stay of at least two weeks, you cannot enter less time.
Also the website “host4ukraine.com” offers the opportunity to register online and thus offer sleeping places. At the same time, refugees looking for accommodation can also register here. The platform works worldwide, but most beds are registered in Europe. There are around 200 offers in Berlin alone .
The “Blue-Yellow Cross” also offers a platform on which shelters for refugees from Ukraine can be registered.
There are now also many regional offers, such as “sleepingplaceberlin” for Berlin. Hamburgers, on the other hand, can remember that Alliance of Hamburg Refugee Initiatives turn around. The Munich cultural center for Russian-speaking people “Gorod” also offers sleeping places for 20 people. In addition, it also connects people from Munich who want to help voluntarily. You can send an email to [email protected]. Also the “Munich volunteers” offer a housing exchange for the Ukrainian refugees.
Can I just take in refugees in my rented apartment?
That’s fine. “Anyone who lives for rent may, in principle, also take refugees into their rented apartment,” says the German Tenants’ Association. Tenants could decide for themselves whether and when to receive visitors. That is why visiting refugees is also permitted.
How long can I take in refugees without having to inform my landlord?
Six to eight weeks. In any case, this period of time is considered a visit without permission, according to the German Tenants’ Association. Although judges have already allowed stays of up to three months to be considered a visit, says Rolf Bosse from the tenants’ association in Hamburg. “But then it’s getting tight.”
Bosse recommends informing landlords before the refugees are admitted in order to strengthen the basis of trust. Refugees can stay for up to eight weeks even without consent.
Does it always require the consent of the landlord?
Not always. According to the German Tenants’ Association, spouses, life partners, children or parents are allowed to take tenants into their apartment without asking the landlord for permission. All other people require consent.
Landlords may only refuse their permission if there is an important reason for the person of the subtenant, the living space would be permanently overcrowded or, exceptionally, the subletting cannot be expected of the landlords. According to the German Tenants’ Association, it is not permissible to refuse foreigners as subtenants solely because of their origin.
Can I charge rent for the accommodation?
That’s fine. Basically, according to Pro Asyl, the municipality bears the costs of accommodating refugees. Anyone who has made their living space available without involving the municipality must, in case of doubt, agree on a rent with the refugees. Because other people in the household may also result in higher ancillary costs, Pro Asyl also advises making suitable cost assumption arrangements.
What else should I know and consider?
Tenants are liable for the breach of contract by all persons they have taken in with them. This applies, for example, to damage to the rental property. According to the German Tenants’ Association, liability does not depend on how long the people accommodated stay and whether they pay for the accommodation or not.
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