The term company apartment keeps popping up when looking for accommodation for employees – but what exactly is meant by that? Unlike a classic fitter’s apartment, which is booked by a single craftsman, a company apartment describes a tenancy in which the company itself acts as a contractual partner. For companies that regularly have to accommodate employees in changing locations, this model is often the more practical solution – if you know what is important.
The difference between company apartment and individual booking
In the case of an individual booking, the employee registers himself with the landlord himself, usually pays himself or then submits the costs via the travel expense statement. With a company apartment for fitters, the entire process is different: the company itself is a tenant, concludes the contract and receives the invoice – regardless of which employee actually lives in the apartment at what point in time.
This difference may seem small at first glance, but has practical consequences. A company apartment can be rented continuously and used by changing employees without the need for a separate booking for each new resident. This is a significant organizational advantage, especially for companies with frequently changing staff on assembly.
for which companies the model is worthwhile
Not every company needs a permanent company apartment. If you only occasionally send a single employee for a few weeks, you are usually better off with a simple one-off booking. The situation is different when a company regularly, over several months or even permanent employees in the same region – for example during ongoing service assignments, recurring projects or a permanent branch that needs additional staff from outside.
In such cases, a permanent company apartment is worthwhile, which is always available instead of having to look for a new accommodation for every change of staff.
How a company apartment works in practice
A company apartment is usually rented for a longer period of time – often several months or even permanent with an agreed notice period. Within this period, different employees can use the apartment, depending on who is currently working on site. The administration lies with the company itself – it organizes who moves in when and ensures an orderly transfer between the individual users.
For the landlord, this means a stable, predictable income over the agreed period of time, regardless of how often the actual residents change. For the company, it means planning security: The apartment is available when it is needed without having to be renegotiated every time.
What to consider when organizing
In order for a company apartment to work in everyday life, the company should internally define clear processes for the handover between changing employees. These include:
- A clear overview of who lives in the apartment and when
- A single contact person for contact with the landlord
- Rules for passing access codes or keys between users
- An agreement on who is responsible for cleanliness and order when changing
Anyone who clearly regulates these points from the start avoids confusion if several employees use the same apartment over time.
Costs and billing for company apartments
A central advantage of the company’s apartment lies in the simple billing. Instead of several individual invoices for each employee, the company receives a continuous invoice for the entire rental period – regardless of how often the residents change. This makes accounting much easier, especially for companies with regular staffing in the same region.
A company apartment can also be worthwhile in terms of price. Since this is a kind of long-term rent, better conditions can often be agreed than with repeated short-term individual bookings. Anyone who signals from the outset that the apartment should be used permanently or over a long period of time has a good chance of a fair, predictable price.
What is important when drafting a contract
In the case of a company apartment, the rental agreement should contain clear regulations on the notice period, use by changing people and any additional costs from the start. Since the company itself acts as a contractual partner, it also bears the responsibility for the proper condition of the apartment – regardless of which individual employee last lived there.
Company apartment or individual booking – a decision-making aid
Whether a company apartment is worthwhile depends largely on the frequency and regularity of the personnel deployment. The following questions help with the decision:
- How many times a year are employees in this region needed?
- Is the occupancy rate so high that a continuous rent is more economical than individual bookings?
- Are there permanent contacts in the company who can take over the management of the apartment?
Anyone who can answer these questions for themselves has a good basis for deciding whether a company apartment is the right solution or whether individual, project-related bookings make more sense.
A solution for permanent personnel deployment
Raumschmide Apartments offers companies at several locations in Baden-Württemberg the opportunity to rent apartments as a company apartment in the long term – with clear billing, a permanent contact person and the flexibility to have the apartment used by changing employees. A practical and economical alternative to repeated individual bookings for companies with regular personnel deployment in the region.