European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - July 18, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Consume watch making moving Day gloom free by Mary Neth consumer editor to definitely your move when it comes to moving Oul of a German rental. Be prepared it s not the snap in generally fc9 in the United Stales. You re the Only one who can see that things go along free of go xxx and according to schedule. Trial takes planning. First advises Edward i Estanek housing manager at the Wiesbaden housing Helena office pro you need to gel that termination notice sen Oil at the right ii Roe. Second you need to gel a copy of it to your pro. Third you need to Lake Ewe of any Tedeco Ralko required end see thai Alt the Utility Bills Are paid. Unit recently the germans have been anything but a Mobile society i was not atypical Lor a couple to move into a rental when first married and not Movo out again until read Lor a Relue ment Homo. Apartments often still Are leased Lor Fiva. Eight or Ion years Al a time. To move out can require giving notice anywhere from three months to a year in Advance. All that Rowan the american Standard 30-Day notice is anything bul the Norm in Germany. Here s where in will Havo paid if the landlord has accepted the contract provided by Iho housing office says Miesionczek. Noting thai m Tho Wiesbaden area where rents Are now running 12 to 12 50 Marks a Square molar 65 percent o the service members use he pro contracts the other 35 percent he Standard German contracts a housing cil ices provide the con Raets Lor military and Dod civilians. The advantage of the Usa Reuh Mongual rental contract ii does not include the numerous common charges land tax insurance costs common utilities common Antenna Etc., that the German contracts generally do it also is for an unspecified period and allows a 15-Day termination Lor military associated actions. Transfer to another area assignment to military quarters Etc. When the move is not of such a nature the parties generally agree id a 30-Day notice. Be aware though that to be valid a today rental termination Nolice must be received and acknowledged by the landlord by he third working Day of the month prior to termination if notices Are received even one Day later you have to pay rent for another month. Tho notice says Miesionczek should be sent toy German registered mail sin Schreiben or taken to the landlord or his representative personally for  ii Lor some reason the landlord i causes to agree to the termination quickly ask pro Foi assistance. A signed copy of the termination notice or a German Post office registered mail receipt must be turned Over to an pro official who can then arrange appointments Wilh Utility companies Lor meter Reading and payment of final Bills.  says Miesionczek. Con acl the transportation office and make arrangements for pick up of government furnishings. Remember. They Musl be clean at time of inspection or pick  How come the problem of redecoration or renovation. This can be a source of conflict Between Render and landlord and not just Between american tenants and German landlords. It s also the reason for dispute and court cases Between German tenants and landlords. Under German Law. The landlord is liable far the Upkeep and redecoration of the rental. The pro rental contract goes along Wilh this. The tenant is required Only to repair damages he has caused. Almost All German rental contracts however leave redecoration to the renter and require thai it be done is regular intervals. Unless otherwise specified. Kitchen Baths and showers Musl be redone every three years living and bedrooms Halls vestibules and toilets every five years and All other rooms every seven years. The Retfel oration generally requires painting of inside Walls and ceilings and replacement of wallpaper plus sometimes pal Ling of Heaters and inside doors and the inside of outside doors. Unpaid glad varnished Wood doors generally Are cleaned Only sometimes the contract will state thai the work has to be undertaken by a professional. If so Don t take the first person the landlord offers. Gel several people to offer a Price. The Lennal who has taken Over Tede oration in his contract must do ii Only if the rental is not in the condition it was when taken Over or there Tereara Ion was not carried Oul on the accepted schedule. If the contract allows it and you decide to do your own painting and wallpapering be sure you know what you Aro doing. If you make a mess of the Job you re in trouble. You May nol Only have to pay to have in redone bul also for damages if you Havo. For example dripped paint on carpets or the like. Miesionczek advises gelling together Wilh the landlord to discuss whal Type of paint and wallpaper to buy and whether enamel doors and Woodwork need to a redone. We be had people who have put enamel pain on living room Walls and Flat Wall paint on enamel doors he notes. People often complain about not having their Security deposits or Paulion resumed. The landlord can use the Deposit to pay Lor repairing damages to the apartment. He can also apply it against final heating Bills. Healing Bills Are usually prorated monthly during the year and finalized annually. He also May apply the Deposit against other unpaid utilities. Ii you believe you have paid Alt these Bills and taken care of the necessary decoration and repair of any damages and Are no Able to recover the Security Deposit con acl the pro and let hem negotiate with he landlord for you. The Deposit or a part of it should be returned at the time you urn the keys Over to the landlord. Don t try to withhold your Las month s ran to assure recovery of the Deposit advises Miesionczek you will Only gel yourself in trouble. If the annual Bills have not been figured the landlord can hold Back a portion of the Deposit until they Are  for the service member leaving he country he advises giving a responsible person the Power of attorney to follow through and collect the remaining Deposit in your name. A new military housing program now being lasted could solve individual tenant landlord problems. Under this plan the . Military would lease private rental properly or the use of military families. It a Twat conf estimates Baton hiring a professional Attar to do the . German Catalon shopping at cafes Page in the stars and stripes a Afes patrons in Forth and Ramstein Germany Are enjoying the convenience of shopping in a German department Slor without leaving their local exchanges. The iwo exchanges have introduced Quelle Callog sales on a test basis. Quelle inner National is Europe s largest Catalon sales firm and its 19b6 Spring summer Catalon has More than 1.000 pages of merchandise. Because . Personnel Are nol required to pay German sales tax cafes customers will pay 15 percent less than the prices listed in the Catalon cafes said. According to Glenn Stolz assistant chief of the cafes european Field office. Zuefle Catalon sales have averaged $700 a Day since the program began in april. Quelle Catalon customer service personnel have Friday july 18,1986 been trained in both Quelle and cafes sales procedures. They can assist customers in comp Lelling special English Quelle Catalon order forms. These forms show the Dollar amount paid and the Dollar Mark Exchange rate the Day the order was placed. Customers pay when ordering. When cafes begins accepting credit cards later this summer customers will be Able to charge Quelle Purchase. For $5, cafes customers get the thick Quelle Catalon plus an English language supplement of translations keyed Loil. The $5 is deducted irom tote amount of the first Purchase. Returns and refunds on Quelle purchases Are processed directly at Quelle s customer service counter. If the cafes program continues to be a Success the Catalon service May be extended to other exchanges i Germany