Mistake 1: Credit Not Checked
Many landlords are happy when they "quickly find a nice tenant." But without credit report and salary statements, that's like flying blind. A landlord in Nuremberg had to experience that his tenant didn't pay as early as the second monthly rent – in the end, outstanding claims of over €6,000 piled up.
💡 Practical Tip
Always demand credit report, income statements, and rent debt clearance certificate.
Mistake 2: Utility Costs Billed Incorrectly or Too Late
According to § 556 BGB, the statement must be available at the latest 12 months after the end of the billing period. Anyone who misses the deadline loses claims. A classic case: Landlord in Hamburg billed too late, €1,200 in additional claims were lost.
📌 Legal Precedent Example
Federal Court of Justice, VIII ZR 249/15: Late billing = no additional claims possible anymore.
Mistake 3: Outdated Contract Clauses
Old rental contracts often contain rigid cosmetic repair clauses or blanket utility cost regulations – these are regularly invalid today.
Mistake 4: Missing Documentation
Without handover protocol, it's almost impossible to prove damages upon move-out. Many landlords underestimate this formality.
Mistake 5: No Reserves
Repairs will come for sure – roof, heating, windows. Anyone who doesn't build reserves has to refinance expensively.
Checklist: Building Reserves
- Set aside €1–2 per sqm/month
- Use separate account
- Factor in long-term renovations (roof, heating)
Conclusion
The most common mistakes are avoidable – if landlords take the basics seriously. Anyone who checks creditworthiness, bills cleanly, uses current contracts, documents properly, and builds reserves saves themselves the biggest problems.