We decided on a flat in the west of Stuttgart, which is very close to the centre of town and surrounded by useful supermarkets and restaurants. The price of renting in Stuttgart is actually quite high and we have ended up paying a little more than we were in London, albeit for a far superior flat. The flat itself is an attic/loft conversion and is surprisingly spacious; the roof is scattered with Velux windows that allow a lot of natural light. The bathroom is very modern – and huge! – and includes our own personal sauna, which is surreal. In the central living space is an outside area with balcony, that is enclosed for privacy. It’s a pretty special place, although it being on the sixth floor – and the absence of a lift – does mean we will have to get used to the trek. I already feel sorry for the removal men.
We signed the contract in a stereotypically bureaucratic and protracted process that took nearly two hours. One thing that was noticeable was that, in almost all cases, the law is in favour of the landlord, with the tenant even having to pay for the upkeep of the boiler and for building maintenance. Also odd is the residents’ responsibility for cleaning of the pavement outside the building, apparently due to a lack of anything akin to Council Tax. There’s a little timetable at the entrance, leaving the tenants with no excuse for forgetting.
We don’t move in until the end of the month, but I’ll be sure to put a few photos up when we do.
Life in Stuttgart 