October 14, 2026
Sozialwohnung: What Social Housing Is and Who Can Rent It in Berlin
A Sozialwohnung is a rental apartment built or renovated with public funding and subject to two bindings: the rent is capped, and it may only be let to households with a housing eligibility certificate (WBS). Both bindings expire after a fixed period, after which the apartment becomes an ordinary rental. Waitly sends you new WBS apartments in Berlin through its newsletter.
Last updated: 13 October 2026.
In short
Social housing is created when developers accept public funding and in return agree to rent caps and to letting only to WBS households. In Berlin, these bindings last 30 years for new funding, and the starting rent is at most 7.00 to 11.50 euros per square metre before service charges, depending on the level. Nobody has a right to a specific Sozialwohnung. A WBS only entitles you to apply.
How is a Sozialwohnung different from a normal rental?
A Sozialwohnung differs through two conditions attached to the funding: a rent binding and an occupancy binding. Under § 27 WoFG, a landlord may only let a Sozialwohnung to someone who has first handed over a WBS. Social housing is built and let by state-owned companies, cooperatives and private owners.
The rent binding sets how high the rent may be at the start and how much it may rise. The occupancy binding sets who may move in: only households whose income is below a certain limit.
The term "sozialer Wohnungsbau" describes the funding programme, while "Sozialwohnung" means the individual apartment. Our guide to social housing in Berlin gives an overview of the Berlin programme.
How much does a Sozialwohnung cost in Berlin?
New social housing in Berlin falls under the 2026 housing funding regulations. The starting net cold rent, meaning without service charges, is capped at:
7.00 euros per square metre for apartments let to households with a WBS 140
9.50 euros per square metre for apartments with a WBS 180
11.50 euros per square metre for apartments with a WBS 220
The rent may rise every two years. For WBS 140 apartments, the increase is up to 0.20 euros per square metre in the first 14 years and up to 0.25 euros after that. The bound rent may also never exceed the rent for comparable non-subsidised apartments.
The funding rules protect tenants in the contract too. Leases must be open-ended, graduated rent agreements are banned during the binding period, and no agency fee may be charged. Older social housing from earlier funding programmes sometimes follows different rent rules, such as the Housing Binding Act (Wohnungsbindungsgesetz).
Who has a right to a Sozialwohnung?
Nobody has a legal right to a specific Sozialwohnung. With a WBS, you may apply for social housing that matches your income level and household size. The landlord decides which of the eligible applicants gets the apartment.
A WBS is issued to households whose income is below the limit and who intend to settle in Berlin for the long term. Our article on the WBS in Germany explains the income limits and requirements in detail. Some social housing is also reserved for households with special housing need, such as families in apartments that are too small.
The size of the apartment is limited as well. As a rule, each person in the household is entitled to one living room, and single people may also rent a two-room apartment of up to 50 square metres.
How do I apply for a Sozialwohnung?
You do not apply for a Sozialwohnung at a public office. You apply for a WBS at the housing office and then use it to apply directly to landlords. Here is how:
Apply for a WBS: online or by post at the housing office in your district, free of charge. Our Berlin WBS application guide shows the steps.
Look for listings: according to the Berlin service portal, Berlin's large housing companies state in their listings whether you need a WBS and which one.
Apply: the WBS is usually valid for one year and must be valid when you move in. If it expires, apply for a new one.
You will not be allocated an apartment. You compete with other WBS households, so seeing new listings early makes a difference.
What happens when the binding on a Sozialwohnung ends?
When the binding ends, a Sozialwohnung becomes a privately financed rental. For new funding in Berlin, the rent and occupancy bindings last 30 years from completion. After that, rent increases follow the general rules of the German Civil Code (BGB), and new tenants no longer need a WBS.
Your lease continues after the binding ends, because social housing leases are open-ended. The funding rules also ban contracts that already provide for a rent increase after the binding ends.
Expiring bindings are shrinking Berlin's stock. According to the Senate, there were still 97,033 bound apartments at the end of 2024, down from 180,489 at the end of 2020. Around 70,000 of the lost units were apartments with an occupancy binding only, whose transition periods expired at the end of 2024. For 2025 to 2030, the Senate lists another 34,420 apartments losing their binding.
New social housing is being built at the same time. In 2025, Berlin approved 5,175 social housing units, of which 3,211 are for WBS 140, 560 for WBS 180 and 1,322 for WBS 220.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I stay in a Sozialwohnung if I start earning more?
Yes. The WBS must be valid when you move in, and social housing leases are open-ended, so a later pay rise does not end your tenancy. Whether higher earners should pay a compensation charge in future, known as the Fehlbelegungsabgabe, is a matter of political debate in Berlin. Your housing office can tell you the current position.
Is there social housing in Hamburg too?
Yes, but with its own income limits and funding routes. Waitly has no apartments in Hamburg; our guide to social housing in Hamburg explains the rules there.
What are the alternatives to a Sozialwohnung?
If you are just above the WBS limit or have been searching for a long time, you can apply to housing cooperatives, which allocate their apartments to members under their own rules. Our guide to cooperative apartments in Berlin explains how to get one.
See new social housing in Berlin early
Once you have a valid WBS, speed decides whether your application gets noticed. The Waitly newsletter for Berlin alerts you to new apartments, including WBS apartments. Signing up improves your chances, but it does not guarantee you a home.
