Short Answer
Standard residential rental properties in Germany are routinely handed over as completely bare shells lacking cabinets, stoves, or sinks.
Unless an advertisement explicitly features the abbreviation EBK, you are legally responsible for procuring, installing, and financing your own complete kitchen infrastructure.
What Most Expats Don't Realize
You collected the keys to your new apartment and walked into the kitchen space to find raw plumbing pipes and exposed electrical wires jutting out of bare concrete walls. You did not check the listing terms for the specific inclusion of built-in fixtures, assuming a sink and a stove were basic structural requirements for any modern dwelling. Because you had to purchase custom cabinetry, pay for emergency plumbing installations, and buy all appliances independently, you faced an immediate, unplanned budget drain of €3,200.
What To Do
- Look for the specific term "Einbauküche" or the acronym "EBK" in any real estate advertisement before booking a physical viewing appointment.
- Book a measurement and design consultation slot at a kitchen manufacturer or hardware supplier the exact day your lease is signed.
- "Ist die Einbauküche im monatlichen Mietpreis enthalten?" (Is the fitted kitchen included in the monthly rental price?) — ask the landlord this question to confirm the structural inventory baseline.
The Truth
Germany’s real estate framework categorizes kitchen components as personal, transportable furniture assets rather than permanent structural utilities. The system permits landlords to lease completely empty rooms, forcing tenants to finance custom installations independently and carry the heavy financial risk of adapting those fixtures to a different floor plan when they move out.