The Mietpreisbremse - your right.
First things first: rent control (Mietpreisbremse, literally "rental price brake") is a law that has been on the books for over ten years. Landlords must comply with it just as much as tenants do. If your rent violates the rent control law, you have the right to challenge it.
Many tenants still wonder, "Will I get into trouble with my landlord?" The answer is: no. Just because you're exercising your rights doesn't mean your lease can be terminated. And the other grounds for termination are regulated much more strictly than many people think.
Below, we explain what options landlords actually have - and why you can stay relaxed about them.
Reasons for termination - and why you're protected
Most landlords respond calmly and professionally when they receive a complaint letter - the legal document that "activates" rent control. In rare cases, landlords look for other reasons to terminate the lease. German tenancy law sets strict limits on this. Termination is only possible in specific cases defined by law.
Only private landlords may claim personal use, and only for themselves, close family, or household members. They must justify who moves in and why. Statutory notice 3–9 months.
Companies and housing associations cannot claim it at all. Private landlords face strict scrutiny after a rent reduction — pretextual claims regularly fail in court.
Two months of unpaid rent, or persistent significant lateness, can justify termination — including without notice. The Federal Court of Justice treats repeated late payment as a serious breach.
Easy to avoid: keep paying the current rent in full and on time, even while the rent-cap case is running. The dispute is over the amount, never over whether you pay.
Threats, severe disturbances, significant property damage or criminal offences in the apartment can justify termination. In most cases a written warning is required first.
For tenants who behave normally and respect neighbours, this almost never applies. Immediate termination without notice is reserved for genuinely extreme cases.
Subletting rooms or the whole apartment is only allowed with the landlord's consent. Long-term subletting without permission can justify termination.
A short request up front, in writing, usually resolves it without conflict. Landlords just want to know who lives in their apartment.
Visible commercial use of the apartment — heavy foot traffic, regular deliveries, increased noise, on-site employees — can justify termination.
Home office is fine. Only genuine business operations with outside visitors need the landlord's explicit consent in advance.
The landlord's reaction - mostly objective
Our experience shows that the vast majority of landlords respond professionally to a rent-reduction request. In most cases our clients haven't reported any issues with their landlords after a rent reduction. Only in very few cases have we had to help fend off termination attempts or other conflicts.
Larger housing companies in particular often treat the rent cap as a standard administrative process. The staff in charge often don't even know the tenants personally - the review is simply carried out under the legal rules. Because they already know Conny, they take these letters seriously: rather than ignoring them as they often do with tenant-written letters, they hand them straight to their admin team and process them as a routine - if slightly annoying - part of the job.
The pattern we see in 10,000+ cases
Many tenants realise in hindsight that their initial concerns were far greater than the actual consequences.
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Check nowThat's why you should use the rent control law now
Thousands of tenants have already lowered their rent since the rent cap was introduced in 2015. If you take advantage of it, you are not doing anything out of the ordinary - you are simply exercising a legal right that was created precisely for such situations. The rent cap is an effective and legally sound way to reduce excessive rents.
Every month you wait costs you money
A complaint generally takes effect only from the moment it is filed with the landlord. Waiting too long can mean throwing money away, month after month.
Getting started with the rent control program through Conny is easy and convenient - and there is no significant risk of litigation costs.*
Those who know their rights can usually approach the issue with far greater peace of mind than they first expected.
How Conny works
Conny will always try to reach an amicable agreement between you and your landlord. We act friendly and professionally throughout. Our goal is to reach an early, out-of-court settlement. If that isn't possible we take your landlord to court.
Larger housing companies and many private landlords already know Conny - and they know we simply enforce the applicable law. The majority of landlords react objectively to our letter. Conny stands by your side and enforces your rights.
Lower your rent with Conny - safely and without cost risk.*
See in 2 minutes whether your rent exceeds the legal limit.
*Full assumption of legal fees and court costs.