- New noise is a defect, known noise is not: if you move onto a main road, you rented the road along with the flat.
- The landlord must act against noisy neighbours. If he does nothing, you reduce the rent you pay him, not anything from the neighbour.
- 5 to 30 per cent is what courts have awarded; the rate depends on the time of day, the duration and the rooms affected.
- No noise log, no reduction: date, time, type, duration. Witnesses help.
Paying too much rent?
See in two minutes whether your rent is above the legal limit. Free, no risk.
Which noise is a rental defect?
The benchmark is not your own hearing but that of an average person in this situation. Courts draw on guideline values, such as 55 decibels during the day in residential areas, but decide on the overall picture: when, how often, how long, in which rooms. There is a defect if the noise is new or has clearly increased and the flat is noticeably less usable as a result.
With noisy neighbours, your contractual partner is the landlord: he owes you a quiet flat and has the means to act against the disruptive tenant, from a formal warning to termination. As long as he does nothing, you reduce the rent you pay him.
Which noise do you have to accept?
- Known when you moved in: a main road, a railway line, a pub on the ground floor, a school opposite. Whatever you could see or hear when you signed the contract is part of the flat.
- Normal for the area: what is usual in this location, more in the city centre than on the outskirts.
- Socially acceptable: children playing, prams in the stairwell, church and mosque bells, the occasional party until 10 pm.
- One-off or brief: a party, a move, one evening of music do not justify a reduction.
Children's noise is not a defect, constant noise is
The Federal Court of Justice (BGH) has expressly ruled that children's noise must be tolerated. A nursery that opens next door after you move in is therefore not a defect. A club that blasts music until 4 am after you move in is.
How much reduction is possible?
Courts decide case by case, and the rates differ from city to city. As a guide from published rulings:
Example: Since April the bar on the ground floor has been open until 3 am, and your bedroom is directly above it. You reported it on 5 April and have kept a log since then. Gross rent (Warmmiete) 950 euros.
At 20 per cent you reduce by 190 euros a month, starting in April, pro rata from the 5th.
Pay under reservation if the rate is uncertain
Reducing by too much turns into rent arrears. Pay the full rent “subject to reclaim” and recover the amount once the rate is settled.
Three typical cases and their rates
The ranges come from published rulings of local and regional courts (Amtsgerichte and Landgerichte). They are a guide, not an entitlement: your court decides on the basis of your log.
Building site next door or in the building
Demolition, new construction or a complete refurbishment with pneumatic drills, cranes and delivery traffic during the day: courts usually award 10 to 25 per cent for as long as the loud work continues. On days without noise you pay in full. You get less if a vacant plot next door was visible when you moved in; the construction then counted as foreseeable. More under rent reduction for construction noise.
Noisy neighbours
Arguments, music, stomping or slamming doors several times a week after 10 pm: 10 to 20 per cent is usual. If the noise continues almost every night and robs you of sleep, courts have awarded up to 50 per cent. The condition is always that you have informed the landlord in writing and he does nothing.
Restaurant, bar or club in the building
If the venue opens after you move in or extends its hours into the night, the rates are 15 to 30 per cent. What matters is guests outside the door, bass through the ceiling and deliveries in the early morning. A pub that was already open until midnight when you moved in does not count.
How to keep a noise log
The log is your most important piece of evidence. It does not need to measure the volume; it needs to show how often and for how long. Three lines per incident are enough:
| Date | Time | Type of noise | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 April 2026 | 23:40 – 02:10 | music and guests, bar on the ground floor | no sleep, windows closed |
| 13 April 2026 | 00:15 – 01:30 | guests outside the door, shouting | child woken up |
- Report the noise to the landlord in writing straight away, asking for a remedy and setting a deadline. The reduction runs from that day.
- Witnesses: neighbours, visitors. A signature on the log is enough.
- Recordings: an audio recording on your phone shows the type of noise; decibel apps are rough but usable as an indication.
- Call the police or the public order office (Ordnungsamt) for disturbance at night: the incident report is strong evidence.
Common questions about rent reduction for noise
Do I have to talk to the neighbour first?
It helps, but it is not a requirement. Legally, what counts is the report to the landlord; he has to ensure quiet.
Does noise that only occurs at weekends count?
Yes, if it is regular and disturbs the night's rest. The rate is lower than for noise every day.
Can the landlord terminate my lease because I reduce the rent?
Not for a justified reduction. It only becomes risky with a clearly excessive reduction that builds up arrears of two months' rent.
How long can I reduce the rent?
For as long as the noise continues. Once it stops, you pay the full rent again. There is nothing back for the time before your report.
Is your rent above the limit?
CONNY checks for free whether rent control applies to your flat and enforces the reduction. You only pay if we succeed.