Book an apartment online with the Good Shepherd

Why a fully online booking process is crucial for certain tenants

Before we start taking the specific steps, it's worth thinking briefly about why a process that works online is important in the first place and for whom it means the most.

Anyone who grew up in Aachen or already lives there can schedule a visit spontaneously. But anyone who comes from South Korea and will study in Aachen in two months won't be able to do that. Anyone who has their employer in Munich and is moving to Aachen for four months on the project side does not have a day off to take a tour in between. Anyone who comes to RWTH as a visiting researcher from Canada for six months plans the entire trip from home and must arrange accommodation before booking the flight ticket.

For all these people, a process that can be completed completely without physical presence is not a convenience, but a basic requirement. The Good Shepherd was built for this situation, and the booking process reflects this in every step of the way.

Step 1: Find and rate the available apartments

The first step is to get an overview of what's currently available. Under https://guterhirte-wohnen.com/apartment You can find an overview of the apartments that are currently vacant or will be vacant in the foreseeable future. Take a look at the descriptions, pictures and key data carefully.

What you should specifically assess: Does the size of the apartment fit your situation? A single apartment for one person is different from an apartment that is suitable for two people. Does the available time period match your move-in date, or is there a gap? Does the equipment meet your basic needs, i.e. is a full desk available, is the kitchen really functional with refrigerator and stove, is there enough storage space?

One point that is often forgotten in this evaluation is the location within the building and the district. The Good Shepherd is located on Campus West of RWTH Aachen, which is generally a very good starting point: short distances to the university, supermarkets within walking distance, the university sports center in a few minutes, the city center can be reached in ten minutes. This is a good basis for almost all target groups of the project. But if you have specific requirements, such as a specific subject area, that you have to go to every day, it's worth checking the exact travel time. All details about the location can be found at https://guterhirte-wohnen.com/lage

Step 2: Make a direct apartment request

Once you've found an apartment that fits your situation, the next step is to make a direct request. You specifically inquire about the apartment and specify your desired move-in period.

What happens next is the decisive difference to the traditional housing market: Within seconds, you will receive automatic feedback as to whether the apartment is available for your desired period of time. This response comes immediately after submission and, in addition to availability information, also contains further information for the next steps.

That sounds like a small thing, but it is a significant advantage in practice. Anyone who makes an enquiry on the traditional housing market often waits days for an answer. During this time, you have neither security nor room for manoeuvre. You don't know whether you should keep looking or whether it's worth the wait. With the Good Shepherd, you have a clear orientation within seconds. Anyone who knows that the desired apartment is available can immediately start all further steps. Anyone who finds out that it is occupied can immediately look for an alternative instead of wasting valuable time.

If you have not yet selected a specific apartment or if you would like to clarify general questions first before making a direct request, use the contact form at https://guterhirte-wohnen.com/kontakt There, you can describe your situation, describe your planned time period and ask specific questions. The team will get back to you personally.

Step 3: Personal contact and clarification of all details

After the automatic availability confirmation, the Good Shepherd team will contact you personally. This usually happens on the same day or the next working day. This step is deliberately kept personal because each tenant's situation is individual and because an automated process alone cannot answer all relevant questions.

In this personal contact, the following points are typically clarified: the exact rental conditions for your specific period, what is specifically included in the rental price and what is not, whether a visit to the apartment before moving in is desired or possible, how the move-in is organized in practice, i.e. who coordinates the handover of the keys and when, what documents are required for the rental agreement and in what form they should be submitted.

This personal exchange is also the right time to ask any questions that concern you. Whether the process works in English, whether you receive the landlord's confirmation to register with the residents' registration office, whether pets are allowed, whether parking is available, whether heating costs are included in the rental price: These are all legitimate questions that are answered in this step. If you ask these questions early on, you will avoid surprises after moving in.

Step 4: Compile and submit documents

As soon as all details have been clarified orally or in writing, the formal part follows: the submission of the documents necessary for the rental agreement. What exactly is needed depends on your individual situation and will be specifically told to you by the Good Shepherd team. There is no blanket formula because the starting position of a German career starter is different from that of a newly arrived international student.

Typically, the required documents include a valid proof of identity, i.e. an identity card or passport, as well as proof of financial security. For students, this can be a certificate of enrollment combined with an account statement or proof of scholarship. For working people, these are usually current proof of income. Anyone who comes from abroad and cannot yet provide German credit certificates does not have to regard this as an obstacle, as the Good Shepherd is familiar with this situation and knows appropriate alternatives.

One point that is relevant at this point: In Germany, after moving in, there is an obligation to register with the residents' registration office within two weeks. This requires a landlord's confirmation, which the landlord issues. This document confirms that you actually live in the specified apartment and is the basis for opening a German bank account, for health insurance and for other administrative steps in your new everyday life. Clarify when and how you will receive this confirmation when and how you will receive this confirmation so that you do not have an unnecessary delay in registering after collection.

Step 5: Read, understand and sign the rental agreement

The rental agreement will be sent to you in full for review before signing. Take the time to read it carefully. That sounds obvious, but in practice, many people sign rental contracts without reading them in full, because they are under time pressure or because the text is in German and seems complex to read.

What you should specifically check in the rental agreement: Does the agreed rental price match what was discussed in a personal conversation? Are the additional costs clearly regulated, either as a lump sum or with a clear billing regulation? Is the rental period correctly stated, i.e. move-in date and duration? Is there an early termination rule if your plans change? And is the deposit shown correctly?

If something is unclear or if you want the contract explained in English, that is a legitimate request that you can make to the team. A reputable landlord has no problem explaining contract points. Anyone who is still uncertain after the declaration can show the contract to a friend with knowledge of German or a tenant law advisor before signing.

Step 6: Moving in

Once the rental agreement has been signed and the deposit has been paid, the move-in date will be specifically agreed. You will receive all necessary information, i.e. the exact address, how the key handover works and who to contact on the day of move-in.

What to expect on the day you move in: The apartment is ready to move in. The bed is set up and occupied, the kitchen is equipped, the Internet is active. You arrive, pick up the key, go to your new room and can live normally from the very first moment. No assembly day, no empty refrigerator, no cable that still needs to be ordered.

That is the point at which the entire process comes down to: a move in that is actually a move in and not a multi-day furnishing project. For people who have to go to work or university the next morning, this is not a comfort feature but a practical necessity.

What to do if the desired apartment is not available

It may happen that the apartment you are requesting is already occupied for your desired period of time. It's not a dead end. In this case, the Good Shepherd will immediately inform you that the apartment is not available and you can ask directly which other apartments are vacant in the same period. The team gives you an overview of available alternatives so you don't have to start the search from scratch.

It is also worthwhile to make an enquiry even if you are not sure whether your desired apartment is still available. The feedback comes immediately, and in the worst case scenario, you have invested three minutes and then know where to continue looking.

A realistic scenario: This is what the entire process looks like in practice

A specific example helps to make the process tangible. Imagine that you are a software developer from the Netherlands who will be working project-based in Aachen for six months from March. You're based in Amsterdam, it's the beginning of January, and you want to sort out the accommodation as quickly as possible, because you know that good apartments close to the campus are quickly sold out.

You open https://guterhirte-wohnen.com/apartment, take a look at the available units and find an apartment that fits your situation in terms of size and equipment. You request it directly, state that you are looking for six months from March 1st, and receive confirmation within seconds that the apartment is available for this period.

On the same day, the team will write to you in English, explain the conditions, answer your question about the additional costs included and send you an overview of the required documents. You send your passport and current income statements as a PDF. The rental agreement will be sent to you digitally three days later, you will read it, have a question about the notice period, receive a clear answer within one day, sign and transfer the deposit.

Everything will be settled at the end of January. At the beginning of March, you arrive in Aachen, pick up the key, go to the apartment and start working the next morning. During this entire process, you never had to be in Aachen in person.

conclusion

The booking process with the Good Shepherd is designed to work completely online, to provide quick clarity and to meet the specific requirements of people who come from far away or are under time pressure. It takes seconds from the first click on the apartment page to an availability response. It usually takes a few days from the initial contact to the signed rental agreement. Everything is ready on the day you move in.

If you want to go through this process yourself, it's best to start right away with a look at the available apartments: https://guterhirte-wohnen.com/apartment

Or get in touch first if you have any questions: https://guterhirte-wohnen.com/kontakt