If you book a fitter’s accommodation, you want to arrive and find your way around – without first having to search for a long time where the pot is or whether there is even a bed. Furnishing and furnishing an accommodation largely determines how comfortable and functional a stay is. This is all the more true if you live and work in a foreign place for several weeks or months. It’s not about luxury – it’s about the essentials: a complete, well-groomed basic equipment that makes everyday life easier. This overview explains what this includes, what standards have established themselves in practice and what tenants should look out for when choosing a place to stay.
What is part of the basic furniture of a fitter’s apartment?
A fitter’s apartment is not an apartment and not a hotel room – but it should offer everything that is necessary for a functional everyday life. The basic furniture usually includes the bedroom, the living area, the kitchen and the bathroom. Exactly what should be available depends on the size of the accommodation and the number of residents – but some standards apply across the board.
The following furniture and features are common in the sleeping area:
- A stable bed per person with slatted frame and mattress in good condition
- Sufficient storage space – at least one wardrobe or one open wardrobe per person
- A bedside lamp or sufficient lighting in the room
- Possibility of darkening with curtains or blinds – particularly important for shift workers
In the living area there should be at least one table with seating. A sofa or comfortable chairs are not a must, but a clear quality feature. If you don’t have a place to sit after a long day at work other than the edge of the bed, you will see it as a deficiency.
Kitchen equipment – functional and complete
The kitchen is one of the most used areas in a fitter’s apartment. If you want to cook for yourself – and this often makes sense for longer stays for cost reasons – you need basic functional equipment. This includes a stove with at least two hotplates, a refrigerator, a microwave and enough cookware and cutlery for all residents.
An apartment for fitters without a functioning kitchen is a knockout criterion for many tenants – especially if the stay lasts several weeks and daily food is too expensive. Landlords who equip their kitchen well stand out clearly from the competition.
The sensible kitchen equipment also includes a kettle, a toaster, enough pots and pans of various sizes, plates, glasses and cups for all residents as well as basic cleaning agents and washing-up liquid when moving in.
Bathroom and sanitary facilities
In the bathroom, the requirements are manageable, but clear: shower or bathtub, sink and toilet must be available and fully functional. Limescale deposits, dripping fittings or a weak water pressure are no small things – they are part of the living comfort that every habitable accommodation has to offer.
A mirror, sufficient storage space and hooks for towels are also standard. If you book a fitter’s accommodation for a group, you should make sure that the pool is designed for the corresponding number of people – a single pool for six people can quickly become a bottleneck in everyday work with early start times.
Quality of the facility – it depends on the condition
A complete furnishing is one thing – the state of the facility is the other. Worn mattresses, wobbly chairs, defective cupboard doors or scratched hobs are not normal wear and tear, but a sign of lack of maintenance. Especially in the case of fitter apartments that are used intensively, regular maintenance and the timely replacement of worn furniture is a basic obligation of the landlord.
The following applies to tenants: Anyone who finds defects at the facility when moving in should document and report them immediately. This protects against unjustified claims for damages when moving out and signals to the landlord where there is a need for action. A defective mattress that leads to back pain is not an acceptable condition for a place to sleep in which someone is supposed to sleep after physically demanding work.
Facility standards for group accommodation
In the case of fitter accommodation for working columns, the same standards apply as for individual accommodation – only scaled to the corresponding number of people. This means: enough beds, enough storage space for everyone, a kitchen that can actually be used by several people at the same time, and sanitary facilities that withstand the use of use.
Anyone who books fitter accommodation for employees as a company should check the facility in advance – either through a viewing appointment or through specific questions to the landlord. Photos in advertisements often only show the best angles and say little about the actual condition. A short checklist on the booking request – ‘How many stovetops? Is there a washing machine? How many bathrooms?’ – Saves later disappointments.
Furnished short-term rent – what can you expect?
In the case of a furnished short-term rent – i.e. a stay of a few weeks to a few months – basically the same equipment expectations apply as for longer tenancies. The difference is that the tenant does not bring his own furniture and is therefore completely dependent on what the landlord provides.
This gives landlords a clear responsibility: If you market a fully furnished accommodation, you have to deliver what you promise. Accommodation where cooking utensils are missing, lack of sufficient lighting or poor condition furniture does not meet the standard of reputable fitter accommodation.
Furniture and furnishing standards are ultimately a direct reflection of the professionalism of a landlord. If you take care of this, you will create an accommodation in which fitters feel comfortable and willingly come back – and that is the best proof of quality when it comes to temporary living.