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Are AirBnBs illegal in Berlin?
I just started reading all these articles about how Berlin banned AirBnB due to the detriment it causes on the rental market. But I've also read that some hosts obtain a permit, and have a registration code in the ad. The ad had that code, but why would some hosts get that permit? I thought the long term rentals (90 days+) were forbidden since they're the ones that hurt the rental market? I booked 2 months and she said I could extend it. So that would make it an illegal long term rental. I've read that hosts also need a valid reason for the permit, such as being abroad. I picked this unit, because the ad said she lives abroad - I thought "great, then I won't have to deal with the host" - but she's actually living downstairs and is calling, knocking on my door, and spamming the doorbell every day.
How do I know if the place I'm staying in is illegal, and who would I report that to?
honestly the registration code thing is mostly for show in cases like this. the law says you can rent out your whole apartment for up to 90 days per year but only if you actually live in the city and have a valid reason like a temporary work assignment abroad. if she's living downstairs she prob just registered the apartment under some fake story about being abroad and then never updated it
your bigger issue is that she's trying to force you out without a proper eviction process. that's straight up illegal, even if the rental itself is illegal. in berlin tenants have strong protections, and you've already paid. call the mieterverein or a lawyer if you can, they handle this kind of harassment. for the illegal rental part, email the bezirksamt's zweckentfremdungsstelle directly with her name and the registration number, they take these complaints seriously and will send someone to check
also fyi the 90-day limit is per host per apartment per calendar year, not per booking. so if she's been renting this out for months at a time she's way over that already. the fine for that can be up to 500k euro, which is why some hosts still risk it
yeah so that registration code in the ad doesn't actually guarantee it's legal, it just means they applied for permission at some point. the real issue is that zweckentfremdungsverbot law limits short-term rentals to 90 days per year total per host, not per booking, and they need to be living in the unit themselves for most of that time. if she's literally living downstairs and renting this one out full-time, she's almost certainly breaking the rules
you can check if the registration is valid by looking up the number on berlin.de's zweckentfremdung page, but honestly your bigger problem is that she's harassing you. call the bezirksamt for your district and ask for the zweckentfremdungsverbot team, they handle complaints about illegal rentals and will actually investigate. also document everything with her in writing, texts or emails are best, because she's trying to illegally evict you which is a separate issue from the airbnb stuff
Officially? Nah. Practically? The city's got a lot of rules about short-term rentals, so it's a bit of a grey area. Best to check the specific regulations for the property you're looking at.
i'd say skip the big names and look at studiowest in prenzlauer berg, they do amazing japanese style but the waitlist is like 6 months. if u want something quicker, the artists at bitterlich tattoo in mitte are super underrated, especially for fine line. and honestly, walk past the instagram hype, go to a shop in person and ask to see their portfolio book, that's where the real stuff is.
The Berlin tattoo scene is pretty spread out, so it depends on what style you're after. For fine line and minimalist work, I'd look at A Fine Line in Kreuzberg, they're booked out weeks in advance for a reason. If you want bold traditional, check out Die Wilde Ecke in Neukölln, they've been around forever and the artists there are solid. Honestly, your best bet is to scroll through Instagram and find someone whose healed work you like, not just the fresh photos, because that's where the real skill shows.
One thing nobody's mentioned yet is the tattoo convention at Arena Berlin, usually in early summer. It's a good way to see a bunch of styles in one afternoon and talk to artists face to face without committing to a shop. I found my guy there three years ago, he works out of a tiny studio near Boxhagener Platz and does amazing neo-traditional, but he rarely posts on Instagram so you'd never discover him otherwise. Bring cash if you go, a lot of the booths only take that on the day.