Check rent increase
Have you received a rent increase notice? Check in 2 minutes whether the increase may be lawful under § 558 BGB — free and instant.
A rent increase in Germany must comply with §§ 558–558e BGB: cap limits, reference rent, and waiting periods. This free checker evaluates whether your landlord's increase request may exceed the statutory limits.
Why our rent increase checker?
Instant check in 2 minutes
No waiting, no lawyer needed. Result immediately after entry.
All § 558 criteria checked
Waiting period, cap limit and local comparative rent — all three rules are checked.
Detailed analysis
For a potentially impermissible increase, you receive a detailed analysis under § 558 BGB.
Free — always
The check is completely free. No account, no registration.
Rent-index based
We use the official rent indices from 9 German cities.
Data minimisation
No data stored. All calculations run locally in your browser.
How it works
- 1
Select city and location grade
Select your city (rent index data) and the location grade of your flat.
- 2
Enter flat details
Floor area and year of construction determine the comparative rent in the rent index.
- 3
Enter rent data
Current rent, requested rent and date of last increase.
- 4
Result & next steps
Instant result with clear reasoning and information on possible next steps.
Legal basis
- § 558 BGB — Cap on rent increases
- § 558a BGB — Justification requirement
This information was compiled based on current German legislation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a rent increase under § 558 BGB?
§ 558 BGB governs rent increases up to the local comparative rent. The landlord may increase the rent if it does not exceed the local comparative rent, the cap limit is complied with, and the 15-month waiting period has elapsed.
What is the cap limit (Kappungsgrenze)?
The cap limit (§ 558 para. 3 BGB) restricts rent increases to a maximum of 20% within 3 years. In areas with a tight housing market (e.g. Munich, Berlin, Hamburg), the limit may be as low as 15%.
What is the waiting period (Sperrfrist)?
After a rent increase, the rent must remain unchanged for at least 15 months before the landlord may increase it again. The 15 months are counted from the day the last increase took effect.
Do I have to agree to the increase?
Yes — without your consent, the increase does not take effect. You have 2 months to respond (§ 558b BGB). If you do not consent, the landlord may bring a claim within a further 3 months.
What should I do if the increase may not be permissible?
Object in writing and explain why the increase may violate § 558 BGB. If in doubt, a tenants' association can help.
Does § 558 also apply to graduated or index-linked rent?
No. § 558 applies only to standard tenancy agreements. Graduated rent agreements (§ 557a BGB) and index-linked rent agreements (§ 557b BGB) follow their own rules — our tool does not currently cover these special cases.