Rent control has been extended to the end of 2029. What does that mean for your rent?
The Mietpreisbremse now runs until 31 December 2029 — and the core rule stays the same: in a tight market, your rent may be at most 10% above the local comparable rent.
See how much you can saveWhat this means for you
On 23 July 2025, the law extending rent control (Mietpreisbremse) to 31 December 2029 entered into force. The federal rule in § 556d BGB is unchanged: where a federal state designates a tight housing market, a new rent may be no more than 10% above the local comparable rent. States have issued fresh ordinances — for example Hamburg from 1 January 2026. If your rent is above the limit, you can still raise a formal complaint (Rüge) and reclaim overpaid rent.
The essentials in four facts.
The extension keeps tenants' most important tool against overpriced rents alive — but it only helps those who actually use it. Here is what you need to know first.
The law: § 556d BGB
The new deadline: 31 Dec 2029
The amount at stake
The catch
What's new — and what stays exactly the same.
The headline is the deadline: the federal legislator extended the authorisation for states to designate tight housing markets to 31 December 2029. The extension law entered into force on 23 July 2025. Without it, many state ordinances would have lapsed at the end of 2025.
What did not change is the substance. The 10%-above-comparable-rent cap in § 556d BGB, the complaint requirement, and the exceptions all continue as before. If anything, the extension removes the uncertainty tenants faced about whether the rule would survive — it now clearly does, for years.
New: valid until end of 2029
States may keep their rent control ordinances in force until 31 December 2029 instead of letting them expire.
Same: the 10% cap
A new rent still may not exceed the local comparable rent by more than 10% in a designated area (§ 556d BGB).
Same: states still decide
Rent control only applies where a state issues a valid ordinance for a tight market — it never applies automatically nationwide.
Fresh state ordinances from 1 January 2026.
Because the extension gives states the legal basis, several have issued new or renewed ordinances so rent control keeps running without a gap. Which cities are covered and the exact validity dates differ by state — always check the current status for your address.
See the full picture of covered regions on where rent control applies, or the city pages for Hamburg, Berlin and Cologne.
Does it apply to your apartment?
Even in a designated area, rent control has limited exceptions. The extension did not change these. Landlords often invoke them — sometimes correctly, sometimes not. Here are the main cases to check.
New-build and first letting
Apartments first used and let after 1 October 2014 are generally exempt, as is the first letting after comprehensive modernisation.
- New builds after Oct 2014
- First letting after full modernisation
Higher previous rent (Vormiete)
If the previous tenant already paid more than the cap, the landlord may continue that higher rent — but not raise it further.
- Only the lawful previous rent counts
- Landlord must disclose it on request
Modernisation surcharge
Costs of recent modernisation can raise the ceiling — but landlords sometimes overstate or wrongly claim works.
- Must be genuine modernisation, not repair
- Worth checking — a common trick
Planned penalty reform: more pressure on landlords.
Alongside the extension, there has been political discussion about strengthening enforcement — including the idea of treating serious rent-control breaches as an administrative offence with possible fines. The details are not settled, so treat the following as the direction of travel, not fixed law.
Don't wait for a reform to use rights you already have.
While politicians debate tougher penalties, your existing right under § 556d BGB is fully in force until the end of 2029. Every month you don't check is a month you may be overpaying for nothing.
How to reclaim overpaid rent — step by step.
The cap doesn't lower your rent on its own. You activate it with a qualified complaint (Rüge); from that point you can demand a reduction and reclaim overpayments going back up to 30 months. Here is the path — Conny can do all of it for you.
Check your rent for free
Enter your address, size and rent. We compare it against the local rent index in about two minutes.
We send the qualified complaint (Rüge)
If you mandate us, we draft and send a legally compliant letter that specifically derives why your rent is too high.
We handle the landlord
Our rent-law experts manage all communication, deadlines and evidence. You don't speak to your landlord yourself.
Your rent drops and you reclaim overpayments
Once agreed, your monthly rent falls and overpaid rent from the relevant period is recovered.
Want to see your savings potential?
With rent control secured to 2029, now is the time to act.
The extension removes the uncertainty — the rule is here to stay for years. What hasn't changed is that the cap only works if you enforce it, and that landlords sometimes resist.
Conny has specialised in rent control for a decade. We know the complaint requirements, the exceptions landlords invoke, and how to see a case through — including, where needed, to court.
Specialists in rent control
We focus specifically on the Mietpreisbremse — a narrow, highly technical part of tenancy law.
No win, no fee
The check is free and you carry no financial risk — our fee is only due if your rent actually goes down.
Your tenancy is protected
A landlord cannot terminate your tenancy just because you enforce your legal right to a fair rent.
Rent control to 2029 — common questions
Until when is rent control now valid?
The extension law in force since 23 July 2025 allows federal states to keep their rent control ordinances running until 31 December 2029. Without it, many ordinances would have expired at the end of 2025. The exact end date in your city depends on your state's current ordinance.
Did the 10% rule change with the extension?
No. The core rule of § 556d BGB is unchanged: in a designated tight housing market, a new rent may be at most 10% above the local comparable rent. The extension only prolongs how long states may keep rent control in force.
What's new from 1 January 2026?
Several states issued new or renewed ordinances so rent control continues without a gap. Hamburg's new ordinance applies from 1 January 2026, for example. Berlin's ordinance has run continuously since 2015. For other cities, check the current state ordinance [zu prüfen: exact validity dates per state].
Does the extension apply automatically in my city?
Not automatically. Rent control is a federal law, but it only applies where a federal state designates a tight housing market by ordinance (§ 556d BGB). Whether your exact address is covered depends on your state's current ordinance — our free check tells you instantly.
Can I still reclaim overpaid rent?
Yes. Once you raise a valid qualified complaint (Rüge), you can demand a reduction and reclaim rent overpaid from that point, going back up to 30 months [zu prüfen: confirm current § 556g BGB look-back period]. Your claim exists now and does not depend on any planned reform.
What about the planned penalty reform for landlords?
There has been political discussion about tougher enforcement, including treating serious breaches as an administrative offence with fines. The details are not settled [zu prüfen: current status and fine amounts]. Importantly, your existing civil-law right to reclaim overpaid rent is fully in force already — you don't need to wait for any reform.
My landlord says an exception applies — now what?
Exceptions exist (new builds after Oct 2014, a lawful higher previous rent, first letting after comprehensive modernisation). But landlords sometimes invoke them wrongly, especially for modernisation surcharges. A check tells you whether the claimed exception really holds. See also our pages on modernisation and where rent control applies.
Is checking my rent really free?
Yes. Conny's analysis and savings estimate is free and non-binding. Afterwards you decide whether to mandate us to enforce a reduction — and our fee is only due if we succeed.
Rent control runs to 2029 — use it now.
Free check. No upfront cost. No win, no fee. Your tenancy is fully protected.
See how much you can saveLast updated: October 2026. This page is general information, not legal advice.