Immobilien: Mietrecht-Reform trifft Vermieter hart – Hunderte Euro weniger

Private landlords in Germany will face significant challenges under a new reform of the rental law, with hundreds of euros less income for many. The new legislation, proposed by the Federal Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig and recently approved by the cabinet, aims to increase protections for tenants. Key changes include a mandatory disclosure of additional costs for furnished apartments, stricter regulations on late payments, and limits on rent increases for index-linked leases.

One major impact will be the introduction of a price ceiling for furnished apartments. Landlords in competitive housing markets will be required to disclose any surcharge for furnishing before a tenant signs a lease. This information must be provided upfront, otherwise tenants only need to pay the base rent. However, landlords can still charge a post-facto surcharge after a lease is signed.

The maximum surcharge allowed on fully furnished units will be capped at 10% of the net monthly rent after the deduction of wear and tear.

Another significant change affects late payment provisions. If a tenant falls behind on rent, they will have only two months to make up all missed payments before their eviction proceedings can proceed. This is a significant tightening of the eviction process, which previously required a landlord to prove several months of missed rent before taking legal action. The new two-month window provides more time for tenants to address financial difficulties.

Finally, index-linked rent increases will be more tightly controlled. While the original legislation set a cap of 3.5% annual rent hikes in high-demand housing markets, the new rules lower that ceiling to 3% if inflation remains below that level. Once inflation surpasses 3%, the increase in rental rates can only be half of the overall consumer price increase. Critics argue that even a 3% annual rise could significantly impact low-income renters, particularly in expensive housing markets.