World
Germany caps furnished-home rent surcharges at 10% in tight housing markets
Germany’s cabinet has adopted a rental-law reform first presented by Federal Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig (SPD) in February 2026. In tight housing markets, surcharges for furnished homes will be capped at 10% of the net rent excluding service charges. That means a maximum of €60 a month on a reference rent of €600, compared with surcharges of up to €180 previously collected. Landlords must disclose the surcharge before a lease is accepted or receive only the permitted unfurnished rent. The reform affects about 5.5 million private landlords, but its exact commencement date remains unspecified.