The dark season arrives fast in Germany, and it comes with a few rules that catch newcomers out. Three things to get right over the next couple of weeks.
1. The clocks go back on Sunday 25 October
At 3am, clocks move back to 2am, so you gain an hour of sleep. The trade-off is that it gets dark by late afternoon from here on. Phones and computers update automatically; your oven and car clock do not.
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2. Winter tyres are not optional when the road turns
Germany has a situational winter-tyre law, not a fixed-date one. There is no calendar rule, but the moment conditions are wintry — snow, ice, slush, or frost — you are legally required to be on winter or all-season tyres marked with the Alpine (three-peak) symbol. The rule of thumb drivers use is "O to O": Oktober bis Ostern.
Drive on summer tyres in wintry conditions and the fine starts at €60, rising to €80, €100 or €120 if you obstruct or endanger others, plus a point in Flensburg. Worse, your insurer can cut its payout if an accident happens while you were on the wrong tyres. Book your Reifenwechsel now, before the first cold snap jams every garage.
3. Your landlord owes you heat from October
The Heizperiod runs roughly 1 October to 30 April. During it, your landlord must keep the heating working and able to reach a comfortable indoor temperature — generally taken to be about 20 to 22°C in living rooms during the day. If your heating fails or cannot get the flat warm, that can be grounds to document the problem and, in serious cases, reduce your rent until it is fixed. Report faults in writing.