Regalis, as of
In brief
For a placement through Regalis, the company provides accommodation for the first months or actively helps with finding a home, and we recommend providing accommodation. Clear written details on type, rent, service charges and duration convince candidates more than vague promises. Shared flats work when the rules are set in writing from the start.
Why housing decides acceptances
Candidates from abroad have neither a rental history in Germany nor a credit record. Many landlords therefore refuse before a conversation starts.
In practice the housing offer often settles the acceptance. Between two similar jobs, candidates mainly weigh up whether they know where they will sleep.
Two ways: providing accommodation or helping with the search
For the first months, the company provides accommodation or actively helps with finding a home. One of the two is part of every placement through Regalis. You state in the questionnaire which way you take.
Helping with the search means more than pointing to adverts. Contacts to landlords and housing associations, going along to viewings, a room for the first weeks or a contribution to the rent have proved their worth. The flat should be settled before arrival.
We recommend providing accommodation, because it makes it easier for candidates to accept. Three forms are common for this.
- The company provides a furnished room or flat and settles the rent
- The company rents the property and sublets it to its staff
- The company provides a temporary solution until the permanent accommodation is ready
What should be settled before the acceptance
Clarity beats generosity. Candidates decide on figures they can follow, not on loose promises.
Put the figures in writing, best of all in a short annex to the contract. The skilled worker then reads the same numbers that apply in your company.
If you help with the search, describe exactly what you take on and until when. If you provide accommodation, these points belong to it:
- Type and size of the housing, single room or shared room
- Rent, service charges and the share the company carries
- Deposit and the date it is paid back
- Length of the tenancy and the notice periods
- Distance to the workplace and the connection without a car
- Furniture, kitchen, washing machine and internet
Points that are often missed
As landlord or intermediate tenant you carry responsibility for the state of the building. That includes smoke alarms, tested wiring, safe stairs and clearing snow.
Record the condition of the flat at the start and at the end of the tenancy. A handover report with photographs saves argument about the deposit later.
When the market offers nothing
In some regions even a company finds nothing. Other routes then help.
Some firms buy or rent housing for the long term and use it for changing staff. Others talk to local housing associations and act as guarantor. The municipality is a good first point of contact too.
It is also worth looking at the journey. A flat in the next village works if a bus or a shared car runs reliably. Without a connection it becomes the reason for the next move.
Sharing a flat and the first weeks
Shared flats are common. They work when the rules are set from the start. Lay down who uses which room and how kitchen and bathroom are shared.
Watch the mix of people. Staff on different shifts disturb each other's sleep. A shared bedroom rarely suits a company with rotating shifts.
Settle cleaning, waste and visitors in writing. Short house rules in the language of the residents work better than a talk after the first trouble.
The start shapes the impression. Meeting somebody at the station or the airport costs little and is remembered for a long time.
Basic equipment helps: bed linen, towels, crockery and a note on heating and waste. A short sheet with contacts, emergency numbers and the way to work belongs with it.
Raise the house rules early. Quiet hours, waste separation and visitors are arranged differently in every country. A short conversation at the start prevents trouble with the neighbours.
What candidates want to know
These questions come up in almost every conversation. Answering them beforehand saves a round of talks.
- Where will I live in the first weeks?
- What do I pay each month, and what does that include?
- Do I share the flat, and with whom?
- How do I get to work without a car?
Frequently asked questions
Do we need accommodation as the employer?
For the first months, you provide accommodation or actively help with finding a home. One of the two is part of every placement through Regalis. We recommend providing accommodation, because it makes it easier for candidates to accept.
What applies if we help with the search?
Describe in the questionnaire how you help, for example with contacts to landlords or a temporary solution. The flat should be settled before arrival. We explain your offer to the candidates before the introduction.
How long should company housing run?
For a placement through Regalis, for the first months. What matters is that both sides know the period from the start.
What applies to shared accommodation?
It needs clear rules on occupancy, cleaning and privacy. Reasonable equipment and space to withdraw to belong to it.
- For Employers How Regalis works with employers: capture requirements, present candidates, coordinate entry and the start of work. Direct employment, no staff leasing.