Moving out of a flat in Germany: notice, handover and deposit

2 min read · 7 steps · Updated 2 October 2026

Ending a tenancy in Germany is formal. A letter that arrives late costs a month's rent, and a handover without a written record invites arguments about the deposit. These are the steps in order.

Rules, amounts and deadlines change. Check the official source named at the end before you act, and ask the office in your city, because procedures differ from town to town.

Step by step

1. Give notice on paper

   The notice must be in writing and signed by every tenant named in the contract. Email or a text message does not count. For tenants the period is three months: a letter that reaches the landlord by the third working day of a month ends the tenancy at the end of the month after next. Send it by registered post or hand it over against a signature.

   Done

2. Read your contract for special terms

   Some contracts exclude notice for a first period, or run for a fixed term. If you need to leave earlier, ask the landlord whether a new tenant you propose would be accepted. The landlord does not have to agree.

   Done

3. Clarify the renovation question

   Many contracts make the tenant paint when moving out (Schönheitsreparaturen). Not all of these clauses are valid, for example rigid schedules or if the flat was handed over unrenovated. A tenants' association (Mieterverein) checks your contract for a small membership fee.

   Done

4. Cancel or move your contracts

   Cancel or transfer electricity, gas and internet, and read the meters on the last day. Order mail forwarding from Deutsche Post (Nachsendeauftrag). Tell your bank, insurers, employer and the broadcasting fee service your new address.

   Done

5. Do the handover with a protocol

   Walk through the empty, clean flat together with the landlord. Write down meter readings, the number of keys returned and any defects, and both sign. Take dated photos. Do not sign a statement that you accept costs if you disagree.

   Done

6. Register at the new address

   Within two weeks of moving in, register the new address at the residents' office. A move inside Germany needs no separate deregistration. If you leave Germany for good, you deregister (Abmeldung) instead. See how to register your address in Germany (Anmeldung).

   Done

7. Ask for the deposit

   Give the landlord your new address and bank details. Handbook Germany says the deposit should be repaid within six months if there is no significant damage. The landlord may keep a reasonable part until the next statement of service charges. The deposit is returned with the interest it earned.

   Done

Good to know

The last statement of service charges (Nebenkostenabrechnung) can arrive up to twelve months after the end of the billing year. A refund or a bill may still follow.

If the landlord keeps the deposit without giving reasons, set a deadline in writing. The tenants' association or a lawyer helps after that.

How deposits and notice work from the start: rental contracts in Germany: deposit, notice and costs explained.

Looking for the next place: how to find a flat in Germany: documents and scams.

In short: Signed notice three months ahead, check special terms, renovation clause, cancel contracts and forward mail, handover protocol with photos, register the new address, claim the deposit.