The Rent Control in Hamburg
Whether Schanzenviertel, Barmbek-Süd, Eimsbüttel or Bahrenfeld - it hardly matters in which district of Hamburg tenants want to live: The housing market in the Hanseatic city is extremely tight and rents are expensive. But in Hamburg, too, the federal Rent Control law “Mietpreisbremse” is an effective remedy against excessive rents.
In short
Does the Rent Control law apply in Hamburg?
The “Mietpreisbegrenzungsverordnung” (Rent Limitation Ordinance) - the so-called Mietpreisbremse (Rent Control law) - does not automatically apply in every federal state in Germany. It must be introduced separately by each state government. This was also the case in Hamburg.
The Rent Control is now valid for the entire city of Hamburg. However, the law had to take a few detours before it could be implemented:
The Rent Control is valid for the City of Hamburg since its extension until 30 June 2025. If your tenancy started on 11 July 2018 or later and you pay an excessive rent, you can apply the Rent Control.
There has been much criticism regarding the effectiveness of the Rent Control in Hamburg. As early as 2017, a study revealed that landlords are illegally demanding high usurious rents for properties in central Hamburg. On 19 March 2020, the City of Hamburg published an evaluation report on the Rent Control in the transparency portal of the city. According to the study, the Rent Control has not yet shown the desired effects on the Hamburg housing market since its introduction. On the one hand, many landlords bypass the law unjustly and on the other hand, many tenants are not aware of their rights.
Attorney Daniel Halmer explains why Hamburg tenants should now become more active:
"Especially in a competitive market like Hamburg, where the Rent Control is not yet working as it should, it is important that tenants enforce their rights. Not only does every tenant have the potential to save money every month, but he or she also makes a relevant contribution to ensuring that the local comparative rent in the area does not rise any further".
The local comparative rent forms the basis for calculating the permissible rent level. And there are many other good reasons to use the Rent Control. Find out whether your rent is too high and how much you can save each month. CONNY will help you.
What exceptions are there for the Rent Control in Hamburg?
As in other federal states, in a few cases the Rent Control in Hamburg cannot be applied, or only to a limited extent:
These exceptions apply nationwide. The City of Hamburg does not make any further exceptions with regard to the Rent Control. Even if one of the exceptions applies, this does not authorise the landlord to increase the rent at will. In Hamburg, for example, there is a cap: landlords are not allowed to increase the rent by more than 15 percent within three years. Despite the exceptions, it may therefore be worthwhile to examine your own case.
Lilli from Hamburg-Barmbek saves 150 € per month
Like many other tenants, Lilli hesitated for a long time before becoming active. For her 45 m² small flat in Barmbek she paid an inflated rent of 543 Euros cold. She commissioned CONNY to put the brakes on the rent and was successful.
How do I make use of the Rent Control in Hamburg?
To successfully apply the Rent Control in Hamburg, you as a tenant should take the following steps:
CONNY is Germany's leading online platform for legal services in tenancy law and helps tenants with legal challenges. Let CONNY help you to put the brakes on your rent - simply and conveniently: