Tenant First Advice: Prepare Documents in Germany

As a tenant in Germany, a well-prepared first consultation is often decisive to clarify issues such as rent increases, defect reports or termination. Bring your lease agreement, correspondence with the landlord, payment receipts and photos of defects. Note important dates and collect repair reports as well as utility bill statements. This guide explains which official forms and legal bases are relevant, how to structure evidence and which steps to consider in the event of a possible lawsuit or rent reduction. I show you which documents advisors, tenant associations and courts expect, how to make copies and which priority evidence has. This way you will be better prepared in Germany.

What to bring to the first consultation

• Lease agreement and handover protocol (document).
• Correspondence with the landlord, emails and letters (document).
• Payment receipts: rent payments, deposit, utility reimbursements (payment).
• Photos and measurement reports for mold, damp or heating issues (document).
• Repair reports, contractor invoices and appointments (repair).
• Deadlines, reminders and dates (deadline).

Important notes on securing evidence

Arrange your documents chronologically and make copies. Label photos with date and place, briefly note phone calls: date, time, contact person. For damage reports, document when you informed the landlord and how they responded. Legal bases such as the BGB and procedural rules of the ZPO are often crucial for deadlines and formalities ^[1][2].

Important forms and templates

Many steps do not require a specific official form, but certain requirements must be met:

• Termination letter: There is no uniform mandatory form; termination must be written and signed (see BGB §568). Example: date, recipient, concrete reason and signature (notice).
• Filing a claim/eviction suit: The claim is filed at the local court; observe formal requirements according to ZPO §253 and any local court forms (notice).
• WBS/applications for social housing: These forms are regional and issued by the municipality; contact your city administration (notice).

How-To

1. Collect all contracts, protocols and correspondence (document).
2. Create a clear chronology with dates (document).
3. Make copies of all payment receipts and confirmations (payment).
4. Collect photos and measurement records with date and location (repair).
5. Note questions and desired outcomes for the consultation and book an appointment (call).

Frequently Asked Questions

Which documents should I bring?

Bring the lease agreement, handover protocol, correspondence, payment receipts and photos; organize everything chronologically.

Do I have to fill out official forms?

There is no standard form for termination; it must be in writing and signed; for court claims, the ZPO rules apply.

What happens after the first consultation?

Advisory bodies often recommend a priority list: meet deadlines, complete documents and, if necessary, consider filing a lawsuit at the local court.

Help and Support

• BGB and ZPO: Gesetze im Internet
• Federal Court (BGH) – Decisions
• Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection

1. [1] Civil Code (BGB) §535 ff. - gesetze-im-internet.de
2. [2] Code of Civil Procedure (ZPO) §253 - gesetze-im-internet.de
3. [3] Federal Court (BGH) - bundesgerichtshof.de