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Rent control

There is less and less affordable living space, especially in large cities and metropolitan areas. To control the rising rental prices, the German government introduced the rental cap (Mietpreisbremse).

The rental cap was supposed to expire at the end of 2025. However, the government extended it until the end of 2029. Here are the things you should know about rent control.

What is rent control?

The rent cap means landlords cannot charge excessive rent and must comply with the local area's "rent index."

When a new rental agreement is concluded, the rent can be a maximum of 10% above the local comparative rent (ortsüblichen Vergleichsmiete). If your landlord charges rent above this limit, you can retroactively get the excess rent back.

Example: You live in a 100 m2 rental apartment and pay a rent of 10 €/m2. However, the local comparative rent (ortsüblichen Vergleichsmiete) per the "rent index" is 8.50 €/m2.

In this case, the landlord may charge a maximum of 9.35€/m2 (10% above the local comparative rent of 8.50 €). So, you can demand the excess, i.e., 0.65 €/m2 or 65 € back.

How do you find the rent index?

To find the local comparative rent in your area, search "Mietpreisbremse

• ​Berlin​
• ​Stuttgart​
• ​Munich​
• ​Frankfurt​

If the rent control applies in your city, you should check that the rent is within the "local comparative rent" limit. If it's higher, you should send a written complaint to your landlord.

In the letter, you should also demand back the excess rent paid so far. Our sample letter (Word document) can help you do this.

Where does the rent control apply?

The rent cap currently applies in 13 of 16 federal states – a total of 415 cities and municipalities. Each federal state decides for itself whether and where the rent control applies.

Plan your holidays ☀️

Summer is almost here. Soon, the kids will have summer holidays, and families will start planning vacations.

As you know, Germans like to plan. It doesn't matter if it's a wedding or a three-day vacation. Moreover, they plan things three months or even six months ahead.

Yeah, I know, planning three months ahead may seem like so far in the future, but it has its benefits.

Not only do you save money, but you can plan your office and other things better.

I am too lazy to plan the holidays. Finding a budget-friendly destination, transport, hotels, etc, is too much work for me. This is why I prefer booking or browsing package holidays from travel portals.

The package holidays include flight tickets, hotels, hotel transfers from the airport, and meals. So, you get a price estimate for the whole vacation at your fingertips.

You can either book them directly or use them to find cheap destinations.

I often find booking package tours convenient and cost-effective when traveling with family. Moreover, you can filter the tours that you can cancel for free.

There are many travel portals in Germany. However, you can compare the offers from different portals on Check24*.

Here is how you can use Check24's travel portal*.

• For the best results, put the continent's name in the "Region" and a six-month travel date. This will give you more options.
• Use the filters to shortlist the packages that fit your preferences. Don't forget to select the filter "cancel for free." You must have the cancellation option as you are booking a bit in the future. So, if you cannot travel for any reason, you should be able to get your money back.
• If you find a great deal, book it directly on the travel portal. Otherwise, use it as inspiration to find a travel destination.
• You should also compare flight and hotel prices on Skyscanner, Google Flights, or Booking.com. Usually, the prices are similar, but it's still worth doing this exercise.

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