Berlin's six-week rule reshapes serviced living finance

Berlin's planning authorities are increasingly treating stays beyond six weeks as residential use rather than temporary accommodation, according to planning lawyer Mathias Hellriegel, speaking at Heuer Dialog's Jahreskongress Temporäres Wohnen in Berlin. The distinction may appear technical. In practice, it influences planning approvals, operational flexibility and, increasingly, financing costs.

The issue sits at the heart of a growing debate within Germany's serviced-living sector. Developers, operators and lenders argue that uncertainty over where "Wohnen" (residential use) ends and "Beherbergung" (commercial accommodation) begins is making projects harder to structure and finance, particularly in cities such as Berlin where the interpretation has become progressively more restrictive.