Flat share in Luxembourg: find a room for rent stress-free
With soaring rental prices, the young trainees or working professionals in the Grand Duchy are more likely to choose to live under a shared roof. It is a friendlier and more economical lifestyle choice, especially for new residents.
According to a study by the site Appartager.com, flat shares in Luxembourg are no longer exclusive to students.
73% of the users of this platform are working professionals. Having become a very attractive financial centre, Luxembourg attracts students from all over the world as well as professionals with international profiles, particularly in the finance and new technology sectors.
This is the case of Juan, a 40-year-old Madrid IT developer who moved to Luxembourg for professional reasons. "As I had accepted a job of a few months, I preferred to flat share until my situation settled down a bit.
My goal is to find a permanent position and then a home", he explains.
For Mélanie, a 36-year-old French woman who arrived in Luxembourg 6 years ago, the choice to flat share was not exclusively economical: "I was coming from Berlin and it seemed to be the easier way to quickly meet people".
Flat sharing in the face of expensive rents
In 2012, Melanie remembers that she had rented her room "for 500 euros all inclusive, but the prices have changed," she admits.
"A flat share in Luxembourg City is between 800 and 1,200 euros", estimates Roberto.
This young Portuguese has just moved to Belair, a very fashionable district of the Luxembourg capital alongside Strassen, Bertrange, Cessange and Mamer.
Searching for a flat share?
For their searches, Juan and Roberto preferred social networks to traditional real estate agencies that charge commissions for their services.
To avoid these costs, these new residents turned to expat forums such as Internations or Facebook groups dedicated to expats. To target your search, Roberto recommends searching in different languages on social networks, for example: "colocation Luxembourg", "WG Lëtzebuerg" or "Flat sharing Luxembourg".
Of course, check out specialised websites such as Vaubanfort.lu, Furnished.lu or Justlanded.com.
Remember to also look at classified ads in Luxembourg newspapers such as l’Essentiel or Wort.
Insure your home with comprehensive cover: fire, storms, multimedia, travel, sports equipment, theft and breakage and much more.
Vigilance is required
"In my first flat share in the city centre, I did not have a contract and the landlord did not give me back my deposit", says Juan. Roberto, meanwhile, recommends paying attention to the final cost of the rental "which does not always include additional charges".
Finally, also make sure to check the room that will be accessible to you, “I was lucky enough to live in a room in an old café near the station.
The lounge was big, it even contained a pool table”, advises Melanie. But the rental pressure pushes some to optimise the space, she adds.
"I visited houses where all the rooms had become bedrooms. There were no common rooms. Except a kitchen to share as 12! ”
Flat shares & by-products
Student rooms
The University also offers rooms that it rents to students for very affordable prices - about 450 euros for 15 m2 room - with a half-yearly lease.
Intergenerational flat share
Another model is being developed in the Grand Duchy: intergenerational flat share, supported by the Cohabit'Age association.
The concept? A young person and a senior live under the same roof.
The young tenant can choose the type of free housing in return for their commitment to staying in the home on certain days to help the elderly person with tasks.
They may also prefer to pay a rent, without any other form of commitment.
Coliving
This new trend originated among the digital nomads and is a hybrid between classical coliving and hotel models. In a coliving each person has its own room and often even a bathroom and kitchen corner. Everybody is responsible for their own lease and can also profit of an “All inclusive” offer: Water, gas, Internet, cleaning, …
And insurance?
In a flat share, it is important to check that the common areas and rooms are well insured by the landlord.
If this is not the case, the landlord can ask the tenant to take out civil liability insurance. It costs between 50 and 70€ per year and avoids many problems.
The landlord may also require "rental risks" insurance that covers fire, theft or water damage, if it is not provided in the charges.
