Lower your rent in Berlin

Tenants in “tight housing markets” like Berlin have the right to request a rental reduction according to the Berlin rent cap („Mietspiegel“) if their lease was signed after June 1, 2015, and their rent exceeds the local reference rent by more than 10% . However, certain new buildings and extensively modernized apartments are exempt from the rent cap law. Our experts know all the factors that need to be taken into account and will provide you with clarity about your entitlement.

With our free online check , you can easily find out if you qualify for the Berlin rent cap law and instantly see your estimated annual rent savings. If you decide to have us enforce your rent reduction, we take care of all the necessary steps – so you don’t have to worry about a thing.

Your exact savings depend on the difference between your current rent and the local reference rent. For example, if your rent is 15% above the reference rent, the rent cap law could allow you to reduce it by 5%. o calculate your exact savings potential, simply use our online check .

The rent control law („Mietpreisbremse“) is a federal regulation introduced in 2015 to curb rapidly rising rents in areas with tight housing markets (§ 556d BGB). It allows tenants to request a rent reduction if their rent exceeds the local reference rent by more than 10%. This law is an essential tool to protect tenants from excessive rental prices and uses the rent cap („Mietspiegel“) to determine the local maximum chargable rent.

The rent control law applies only in regions designated by individual federal states as areas with a tight housing market. It has been implemented in most states, particularly in densely populated cities like Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, and Frankfurt.
At Allright, we specialize in enforcing the rent control law in Berlin .

The rent control law applies to all tenants living in a legally designated tight housing market area if their rent exceeds the local reference rent by more than 10%. To qualify, the lease must have started after June 1, 2015, and still be active.
However, certain types of rentals are exempt from the rent control law („Mitepreisbremse“). These include commercial properties, short-term rentals or temporary use, student housing, and government-subsidized apartments.
If you meet the criteria, you may be entitled to a rent reduction!

Yes, as a WG tenant, you can use the rent control law („Mietpresibremse“) through Allright. However, it is important to first determine whether you are the main tenant or a subtenant.
If you are the main tenant, you can hire Allright directly to check and potentially reduce the rent stated in your lease. Your roommates, if they are subtenants, are not directly affected, meaning their sublease agreements remain unchanged.
If you are a subtenant, you should ideally inform your main tenant, as they need to initiate the process with Allright on behalf of the entire WG. If multiple main tenants exist, all must sign a power of attorney for Allright to represent them in negotiations with the landlord.
If you have a direct lease with the main landlord for your WG room, you can independently request a rent adjustment through Allright. In this case, the relevant living space is not the entire apartment but only your room and your share of the common areas.

The rent control law is quite simple: when signing a new lease for an apartment, the landlord is not allowed to charge an excessive rent. Specifically, the rent may not exceed the local reference rent by more than 10%.
If a landlord demands more than this limit, tenants have the right to request a rent reduction during their ongoing lease and reclaim any excess rent paid from that point forward.
However, there is a catch: tenants must actively invoke the rent control law by sending a formal complaint letter („Rügeschreiben“). Without this step, the landlord is legally allowed to keep the overpaid rent

The local reference rent is the average rental price for comparable apartments in a specific region or city. It is typically determined by the rent index (Mietspiegel) of the respective city or municipality.
The rent index takes into account factors such as location, size, amenities, and year of construction to establish a fair benchmark for rental prices. Its purpose is to ensure that rents remain within a reasonable and fair range.
If your rent is significantly higher than the local reference rent, you may be eligible to invoke the rent control law and request a rent reduction.

In Berlin, the local reference rent is determined using the Berlin Rent Index (Berliner Mietspiegel), which is also the basis for Allright’s calculations. This rent index provides an empirically determined overview of typical rental prices for different apartment types, categorized by size, features, condition, and location.

One key advantage of the rent index is that tenants don’t need to commission expensive appraisals to determine the appropriate rent for their apartment. However, it only applies to rental apartments in multi-family buildings. Single-family homes, duplexes, row houses, and rent-controlled apartments are excluded.

The rent figures in the index represent the monthly rent per square meter of living space. The reference value is the net cold rent, meaning the base rent without additional costs such as utilities, furnished rental surcharges, or extra fees for amenities like a garage.

To enforce the rent control law, tenants must send a formal complaint letter („Rügeschreiben“) to their landlord. Without this step, the landlord is legally allowed to keep the excess rent received.
This letter informs the landlord of your request to lower the rent and must include all relevant details to clearly reference the legal basis for your claim.
Allright supports you throughout this process. We know the legal requirements and potential pitfalls of the rent cap law and ensure you get the best possible outcome.

Tenants can generally reclaim overpaid rent starting from the date they submit a formal complaint letter (Rügeschreiben) to their landlord.
However, for rental agreements signed on or after April 1, 2020, in Berlin, tenants can claim a refund for the entire period from the start of their lease. This retroactive reimbursement is only possible if the complaint is submitted within 2.5 years (30 months) of the lease start date.
If this deadline is missed, the right to reclaim past overpayments is lost. In that case, tenants can only recover the excess rent paid from the date of the complaint onward.

Using the details you provide in our free online check , we assess your eligibility and success chances for a rent reduction under the rent control law. You’ll also instantly see your potential savings.

If you choose to proceed, you can hire Allright to enforce your rent reduction. After confirming your request, you’ll complete a detailed questionnaire about your apartment and rental situation, tailored to the Berlin Rent Index (Mietspiegel). Based on this information, we calculate the maximum possible rent reduction for you.

Once all data is collected, we formally demand that your landlord lowers the rent to the legally allowed amount. Our first approach is to negotiate an out-of-court settlement. However, if necessary, we will defend your rights in court – at no cost to you. Allright covers all legal fees, and our success-based fee only applies if we win. If we are unsuccessful, you pay nothing. With zero financial risk, our service is completely worry-free for you.

The calculation of your potential savings and our initial assessment are completely free.
If we are unable to secure a rent reduction for you, you pay nothing – there is no financial risk. A success-based fee is only charged if we successfully lower your rent.

Our one-time fee is equivalent to six months of your savings (including VAT), regardless of whether we negotiate an out-of-court settlement or take your case to court. Additionally, if we recover any retroactive rent overpayments, we retain 50% of those savings (including VAT). Learn More About Costs

Yes. The rent control law applies equally to all tenants in Berlin, regardless of nationality or residency status.

Yes. Rental contracts in English are legally valid in Germany. You can enforce your rights under the rent control law, regardless of the contract’s language.

Not entirely. Furnished apartments can have additional charges, but the rent control still applies. Your landlord must clearly justify any surcharge for furnishings.

No. Germany has strong tenant protections, and landlords cannot legally evict or penalize you for exercising your rights. Your residency status will also not be affected.

Allright helps in English and German.

Generally, short-term or temporary contracts are excluded. However, many contracts are incorrectly labeled “temporary” to circumvent the law, so it’s worth verifying your specific situation. If your lease still runs for at least 12 more months, there’s a good chance we can help you challenge excessive rent.

In Berlin, you can reclaim overpaid rent retroactively up to 30 months (2.5 years) from the start of your lease if you or Allright notify your landlord within this timeframe.

Yes, absolutely. Even if you haven’t raised the issue before, you can still take action now. Once the rent control is enforced, you could save significantly on rent going forward—month after month. It’s never too late to check whether you’re paying too much.

No, the rental laws apply equally to all tenants. Claims of special rules are often attempts to confuse tenants who may not be familiar with local laws. We’re here to support anyone working to make justice accessible.

Our experts focus on finding a balanced solution for all parties involved and prioritize constructive dialogue over confrontation. Many landlords are aware that their rent increases may not comply with legal limits. In fact, they often seek legal advice themselves, which can make the process even more professional.

It’s important to remember that as a tenant, you are simply exercising your legitimate rights. Your landlord – whether an individual or a housing company – cannot evict you or disadvantage you in any way for enforcing your rights. Tenants in Germany are well protected, and landlords can only terminate a lease due to personal use (Eigenbedarf). However, this only applies to private landlords and comes with strict legal requirements that most landlords cannot easily fulfill. If your landlord is a housing company, they cannot evict you due to personal use at all.

You can assert your rights without concern and request a fair rent reduction. If a landlord is acting unlawfully, you shouldn’t hesitate to stand up for your rights – especially when significant amounts of money are at stake.