Caretaker service in Berlin – someone who actually checks on your building

Many caretaker firms only take on large estates – for those we offer a framework contract for property managers. We also work for individual owners with two or three rented flats – including landlords who live abroad and don’t want to find a German-speaking tradesperson every time a tap drips.

You get one contact person, your tenants get one number to report problems, and you can follow everything in the customer portal: what was reported, what was approved, what was done – with photos, documents and invoices. Emails, quotes and reports come in English if that’s what you need.

Whether it’s a pre-war Altbau with a side wing and rear courtyard, a GDR-era Plattenbau or a new build, damage usually shows early: a damp patch in the basement, a flickering stairwell light, a front door that no longer latches, a blocked courtyard drain. An inspection catches it before it gets expensive or before the tenants complain.

We document every finding with a photo and location. Minor fixes within an agreed limit are done straight away; anything larger comes to you with our assessment and a fixed price, and you decide.

Worth knowing if you let property in Germany: routine caretaker work such as inspections and looking after shared areas can, as a rule, be passed on to tenants through the annual service-charge statement (Betriebskostenabrechnung). Repairs and maintenance cannot. That’s why it helps to see the two separately on the invoice – we discuss this with you when setting up the contract.

It depends on what should happen regularly. Recurring services – inspections, key holding, emergency cover – are fixed in the contract on set terms. Repairs spotted along the way get a written fixed price before work begins; travel within Berlin is included, and materials are itemised at purchase price plus a customary margin.

Any extra work is agreed with you first. Anything done without your approval is not billed. Invoices show the labour share separately, which matters for your service-charge statement and for the German tax reduction on household services (§ 35a EStG).

For buildings we look after, response times are set out in the contract – agreed, not promised. New enquiries usually get a reply within one working day, and a first viewing is often possible as soon as the next working day. Our office at Landhausstraße 31 in Wilmersdorf is staffed Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm.

For emergencies such as a water leak, our phone is answered 24/7; we tell you on the phone how soon someone can be there. We look after buildings in all twelve Berlin districts.