Mietpreisbremse
Rent Brake. The cap limiting new-lease rents to 10% above the local comparative rent (Mietspiegel) in state-designated tight housing markets. Federal legal basis extended to 31.12.2029.
Coverage is city-specific and changes: in 2026, most major cities are covered, but e.g. Mannheim dropped out (Jan 2026), Frankfurt's and Wiesbaden's ordinances are in legal dispute, and Duisburg, Bochum, Wuppertal and Mönchengladbach are uncovered. Verify the current ordinance for your target city.
Key exemptions: first letting of new-builds (first occupancy after 01.10.2014) and comprehensively modernised flats. Furnished letting adds a furniture surcharge on top of the permitted rent but is not exempt. Tenants enforce the cap via simple objection — price compliantly from day one.