Lower your rent in a shared flat – CONNY helps

You can check whether your rent is too high here. We need a few details about your rental agreement and your flat, then we compare them with the rent index (Mietspiegel). That tells you exactly how far your rent is above the rent index and how much you could save at most.
The check is free and non-binding. It gives you a solid basis for deciding with your flatmates how you want to proceed.

If you just want a rough first estimate, use the mini calculator on www.conny.de.

Yes. § 556d BGB looks at the flat, not at how many people live in it: when the contract is signed, the rent may be at most 10 % above the local comparable rent. That applies to a shared flat exactly as it does to a family.

Rent control has been federal law since 2015. Each federal state decides whether and where to apply it, so the rules differ from state to state. You will find an overview of where and since when rent control applies here: „Where does rent control apply?“

Rent control does not apply to student halls of residence or to subsidised housing. More on rent control on our information page.

We have enforced rent control thousands of times, and on average we reduce our customers' rent by around €200.
Every day we see shared flats paying extremely high rents, and we can help make housing affordable again.

Shared flats come with very different contract set-ups. Here is a summary of the three most common models and what to bear in mind with each.

Does rent control apply to a room in a shared flat with its own rental agreement?

Yes. With an individual contract you are the landlord's tenant yourself, and § 556d BGB applies to your rent just as it does to a whole flat. Your cold rent is compared against the area of your room plus your share of the kitchen, bathroom and hallway.

How much rent do we get back?

Everything above 110 % of the local comparable rent. For contracts that began on or after 1 April 2020, you get the overpaid rent back from the start of the tenancy, provided the objection reaches the landlord within 30 months of that start (§ 556g para. 2 BGB). If the objection arrives later, the claim runs from the date it is received.

When does rent control not apply in a shared flat?

Not to new builds first used and let after 1 October 2014, and not to the first letting after a comprehensive modernisation (§ 556f BGB). If the previous tenant already paid more, the landlord may continue to charge that previous rent (§ 556e BGB). Student halls of residence and subsidised housing are also excluded.

Do all flatmates have to take part?

Only if you are all on the same rental agreement. Then you are joint tenants, and the objection must be made on behalf of all of you – which is why every main tenant signs the power of attorney. With individual contracts, each of you decides for yourself whether to have your rent checked.

Can the landlord give us notice because we object to the rent?

No. Termination requires a legitimate interest under § 573 BGB, and exercising your statutory rights is not one. Keep paying the agreed rent until the matter is resolved so that no arrears build up.

What do we need for the free check?

The rental agreement with the start date and cold rent, the address and the floor area. With individual contracts, your own contract and the size of your room are enough. The check takes a few minutes and is non-binding.