Culture Shock after moving to Germany

Reposting one of my most viral and favourite videos that I’ve made on Insta.

I often wonder what it’s like to be my neighbour and see what Shenanigans I am up to 😂

I love to make people laugh, and hope you’ve enjoyed a glimpse of my life here in my beautiful new home. 🥰

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#shorts #comedy #ausländer #germanculture#mixedcouple #neuhier #typischdeutsch #manlerntnieaus #lifeabroad #germanlanguage #dieweltentdecken

[sallyd]

Germany prefers not burning houses so they accept the discomfort of one allowed tresspasser 😅

[maunz]

Seeing a chimney sweeper is a lucky charm, here in Germany. And usually they are very kind and discreet 😉🍀

[raistormrs]

fire safety laws demand it, you have no choice either way so over time, they just rolled with it like this but in most areas, you get at least the notification.

[TomEranze]

It’s always a lucky day when he blesses your home with his presence.

[moritzwi]

be grateful chimney cleaners are a symbol of good luck in germany

[Vampirzaehnchen]

When I was a child the chimney cleaner would come to our house every year, since it had a chimney. And then they would leave without doing anything because the chimney is only for decoration, you can't use it. It's literally just a hollow pillar in the house. And this went on for decades. :, D

[Lia]

They always inform you tho 😂 And it’s a safety law so you have to accept it. I think it’s okay tho because it’s for your own good

[stefanklass]

You better not disrespect the chimney sweeper!

[thenightday]

These guys are always welcome in our households. They guarantee our safety and everyone I know always say how chill they are.

[guano]

Never heard that they come without telling you weeks before, especially since they in 99% of the time have to come inside the house (they do not put a ladder on the house and just climb up, but take a roof window out or don't go on the roof at all but cleans from the top floor)

[loonyinasia]

Das hab ich aber auch echt noch nie erlebt 😂

[MrJoeDone]

Funfact. You can also enter properties and ever damage stuff if your bees escape and you want to follow and catch them

[krumelmonster]

This is false. By law they have to notify you in advance and if you deny access they have to get an order from their oversseing body to enforce their obligation to check on the chimneys an fireplaces and your obligation to allow access.
If they dont follow this process, they are illegally trespassing and cant demand payment.
The costs also are fixed by law (and haven't been raised since 2020...).
This is for the obligatory checks every 3-5 years where you cannot chose your chimney sweep. The maintenance sweeps in between you can contract to whom you want.

[HerrHaque]

This might be a culture shock to anyone who has never rented in the U.S. When I lived there in rental apartments, my landlords and their maintenance staff would just barge in unannounced at all hours of the day to do random stuff, and it was terrible because they were so completely and shamelessly ignorant of any kind of privacy concerns.

In Germany, the chimney sweepers (and a few other people like those who collect heating and water use for billing or who check your smoke and fire alarms if you're renting) have a special standing. For chimney sweepers, it's due to safety and mandated by law and local codes, of course. The utilities people have a right to access the counters inside your house or apartment due to contractual terms, but if you don't let them in, the utility companies will just estimate your usage. It's generally considered good form to give notice a week or two in advance of the visit and allow for at least one more visit free of charge if you can't be home for the initial appointment, though, and at least in my experience that is pretty reliable.

[chaotic.mindspce]

I miss having a real chimney :( seeing the chimney sweeper and their funky tools always made them so special to me

[doggocapitano]

chimney sweepers are considered to be a lucky charm in germany. one of my best friends is one and a lot of times people approach him or shake his hand to get some luck :D

[claracatlady]

Essentially if you don’t take care of it and hire someone yourself they will send someone and you are then obligated to pay whatever their fee is

[metallkopf]

They also get to come inside your house and inspect all the fireplaces and the heating.

[airlag]

I don't know any chimney sweeper who doesn't announce his visit. And it's true, the visit is mandatory as long as you have any kind of fireplace or heating system that uses fire.

[flybywire]

We get a visit from the chimney cleaner every year. Its mandatory. He always makes an appointment. He doesnt do any cleaning, since our new central heating is soot free since 22 years. He checks and documents the proper functioning (emissions/efficiency) of the heating system. Its mandatory and you have to pay for it. If this check fails and you dont repair it within a given deadline, it will be reported by the chimney cleaner and you get a visit from the "Ordnungsamt" and will be shut down, with a fine as icing on the top.