Your FAQ

Do you have questions about SMARTments student? Here you will find answers.

Apartment

  • Quality furniture consisting of bed incl. mattress (usually 100cmx200cm)
  • Desk and chair
  • usually Shelves and wardrobe
  • usually wardrobe with mirror and lighting
  • usually Bathroom with shower and toilet
  • usually Kitchenette with two ceramic hobs, microwave, refrigerator with freezer compartment, sink, proper lighting and storage
  • usually Bell system with intercom
  • High-speed internet access and TV connection

Please note that there may be differences between the various SMARTment properties, especially in state-funded residences. For further information, please contact our staff at any time.

You are welcome to bring your own furniture. However, the existing furniture must not be removed.

Regrettably, pets are not allowed.Considering the entire community of the SMARTments residents, the responsibility of the Landlord and an efficient management of the property, the keeping of pets is prohibited. This also takes into account the close alignment of the apartments within the building and the use of the community rooms and areas provided the SMARTis. Also due respect has to be shown for the different cultural and religious backgrounds of the residents.

Simply contact the technician in charge, he will be happy to help you.

Prerequisites

You are welcome to stay with us as a student, trainee, intern, doctoral student, school student, etc. The rental requirements vary for each property and must be checked on a case-by-case basis. Corresponding proof must be provided.As a rule, we are renting to school students, trainees, students, interns and doctoral students.

A valid copy of your identity card/passport/VISA, enrolment certificate/training certificate/school certificate/internship contract. In individual cases, you must provide us with a current registration certificate (Meldebescheinigung)  not older than 14 days.

In Germany the minimum rental period is 6 months, in Austria 12 months. We regret that we cannot offer rental contracts with a term of less than 6 months.

Yes, you too are welcome to live at SMARTments. However, the rental agreement must be concluded by a parent or legal guardian.

Service & Features

The rental items on hand vary depending on the location. We offer vacuum cleaners, cleaning sets, irons, table tennis bats, etc. Please ask our technician on site for further information.

In a nutshell: An offer from ‘SMARTis for SMARTis’ that we support! How about, for example, a sports group that meets for kicking, table tennis, jogging or Pilates? Or for a regular event in the community room where you cook, play, discuss homework, rehearse for presentations, talk about anything and everything or watch movies together?

Booking

Please just send us your complete application via the inquiry form on our homepage.We will get back to you as soon as we have an apartment available for you.If you don't hear from us, we unfortunately unable to offer you an apartment due to lack of availability.

Write directly to the Operations Manager responsible. We will then help you with troubleshooting

Viewing

Generally, visits are difficult for us to arrange as all apartments are let and we need the consent of the tenant in each case.So we cannot promise to show an apartment. However, you can always obtain a general overview of our property.Please contact the appropriate in-house technician directly for an inspection of the facility.

Rental Agreement

You sign the rental Agreement documents and return them to SMARTments in Erlangen within the set deadline.

Subletting may be approved in individual cases. If you wish to sublet, you must obtain our written consent. To do this, please address your responsible contact person, best via e-mail (address to be found on the contact page).The contact person reserves the right to make an individual decision about your request.ATTENTION: Any unauthorised subletting constitutes a breach of contract and may be prosecuted.

For this you check best in your Tenancy Agreement.On page 1 point 5 you will find the start of the rental period. Under § 1, paragraph 4 you can find further information about your contract period.If you would like to stay longer, please contact SMARTments in good time before your rental period expires.

We attach the House Rules of the respective property to each Tenancy Agreement. If you have mislaid them, just have a look in your log-in area, where the rules are also stored.

Payments & Costs

You pay a fixed rental price and no additional costs whatsoever are charged. All operational costs such as water, electricity, heating, internet etc. are included in the rent. Please note that radio fees are not included in the rent and therefore have to be paid by yourself.

Since you will transfer the first month's rent, you have until 2 weeks after the start of the rental period to open a SEPA-capable account.

The handover / return of your apartment is usually carried out together with the house manager. The condition of your apartment will be examined and the handover will be recorded. If there are no complaints / defects, you will get your deposit back completely. If your apartment needs to be repaired, the cost of the repair will be deducted from the deposit.The payment / bank transfer is usually made within 6 weeks after the end of the rental period to an account to be named by the tenant (e.g. you or your parents); see handover protocol). In the case of larger repair expenses, a repayment of the remaining amount can take more time. This depends for example on the availability of the respective craftsmen or the required materials.

You transfer the first month's rent to us, then we collect the rent from your account via SEPA direct debit mandate.

We need the first month's rent and the deposit on our accounts at least 2 weeks before the start of the rental period. 

You can find the bank details in your rental agreement.

Moving in

The apartment is completely furnished. Therefore you should only bring crockery, cutlery, plates, cups, pots, bed linen, pillows, blankets and towels as well as your personal “feel-good” items.

In order to move into your apartment, the following requirements must be met:

a.) The Tenancy Agreement must be signed (complete with Cancellation Policy and SEPA debit mandate).

b.) The first rent plus the deposit must be credited to the SMARTments accounts no later than 14 days before the start of the rental period.Once the money has been paid, you can make an appointment with the in-house technician to receive the keys.

Every new resident must register at the local registration office. To do this, you will need a rent confirmation from your Landlord (Austria: "Meldezettel"(registration form) which we will give you upon handover of your apartment. In Germany you have maximum 14 days  (varying from city to city) and in Austria three days to complete the re-registration.

We only need a valid identity card or passport and, if applicable, a Power of Attorney from you.

Termination

You can terminate your apartment at any time with the legal notice of three months to the end of the month (exception: minimum rental period of 6 months and fixed-term tenancy). Please note that the cancellation must be received by the SMARTments Administration in Erlangen by the third working day of the month.Send your signed notice to the responsible Operations Manager in Erlangen (FDS gemeinnützige Stiftung, Am Weichselgarten 11 - 13, 91058 Erlangen, Germany) stating your location, apartment or parking place number.

Once we have received your notice, the Operations Manager in charge will usually send you a confirmation of cancellationwithin one week. This process may take a few days longer during holiday periods.

Write directly to the Operations Manager responsible. We will then help you with troubleshooting.

Moving out

When you move out you have to do the following:

  1. Send a proper and timely notice of termination to the Administration in Erlangen (see Tenancy Agreement).
  2. The Administration will send you a confirmation note of termination stating the actual end of the rental period.
  3. You have to pay the rent up to the actual end of the rental period, even if you want to leave the apartment  earlier.
  4. The Parties will carry out a joint preliminary inspection together with the in-house technician at least 14 days before the actual end of the rental term. At this inspection, the technician will inform you of any possible defects. This gives you 14 days left to have the defects expertly remedied.

On the day of return, the Parties carry out the final inspection together with the in-house technician. At the inspection you hand in all relevant keys. A protocol will be drawn up for this final inspection, which will be signed by you and the in-house technician.

Hall of Residence

This varies depending on the location of the property. We offer e.g. (roof) terraces, study rooms, lounge areas, communal kitchens, washing and drying rooms, etc.

In some properties this is offered. Ask your Operations Manager if your location has any such options.

You will find in our offer for apartments a reference to the possible rental of a parking place.

We offer accommodation not only for you personally, but also for your bike, incidentally almost always roofed.

Corona Situation

#socialdistancing is no problem in our apartments with bathroom and kitchen - yet you’re still part of a lively community. You’re digitally connected with your neighbours, and - where contact restrictions allow - you can also get together in "real life", participate in events or start your own project. Everything you need to know about infection protection and life at SMARTments student "in times of Corona" can be found in this overview.