- Three months' notice (§ 573c BGB), in writing, delivered to the landlord by the third working day of the month.
- Handover record (Übergabeprotokoll) with photos and meter readings, when you move out and when you move in. It decides your deposit (Kaution) later.
- Paint when you move out only if the clause is valid. Many clauses are invalid; then you do not redecorate.
- Check the new rent straight away: in cities with the rent cap (Mietpreisbremse) it may be at most ten per cent above the local reference rent (§ 556d BGB).
New flat, new rent: too high?
See in two minutes whether your new rent is above the Mietpreisbremse limit.
What do you do three months before?
The exact deadlines and examples for giving notice are under Notice period for a flat. Whether you have to paint when you move out is settled in the guide to decorating repairs: a clause with fixed intervals or a final renovation is invalid, so you move out as you lived.
What do you do four weeks before?
There is no statutory right to special leave for a move; what your employer grants is in your employment or collective agreement.
How do you hand over the old flat properly?
The handover decides your deposit. Walk through the empty, broom-clean flat together with the landlord and record everything in writing:
- Record: condition of each room, existing damage, meter readings for electricity, gas, water and heating, number of keys handed over. Both sign, you keep a copy.
- Photos: every wall, every floor, every window, with date.
- No promises under pressure: if the landlord still demands redecoration or repairs, sign nothing and have the clause checked.
Normal wear and tear is not your damage
Signs of use such as drill holes, light wear on the floor or walls yellowed after years are contractual use (§ 538 BGB). The landlord may not deduct anything from the deposit for them.
What do you watch for when moving in?
The same record, this time in your favour: any damage noted on day one cannot be blamed on you later.
If smoke alarms are missing, see Smoke alarm requirement. Whether your new rent is lawful, we check under Mietpreisbremse, free and in two minutes.
What do you do after the move?
How long the old landlord may hold the deposit and what he may deduct is under Getting your deposit back. The final service charge statement must run pro rata only up to the day you moved out; checking it pays, see Check your service charge statement.
Common questions about moving
Do I have to paint when I move out?
Only if the agreement contains a valid clause and you took over the flat redecorated. Clauses with fixed intervals or a final renovation are invalid.
How quickly do I get the deposit back?
The landlord may take a reasonable time to check, usually three to six months. Longer only if a service charge statement is still outstanding, and then only for a reasonable part.
What if the landlord does not want a record when I move in?
Do it yourself: photos with date, a list of defects, sent to the landlord by email. That protects you just as well.
May the new rent be higher than the previous tenant's?
Where the Mietpreisbremse applies, at most ten per cent above the reference rent, unless the previous tenant already paid more. Ask for the previous rent; the landlord must disclose it.
New flat: paying too much?
Right after moving in is the time to look at the rent. Where the Mietpreisbremse applies, we recover overpaid rent, with no cost risk for you.