Kündigung des Mietvertrags
Give notice on your apartment (Wohnungskündigung) — template
Tenants can end an unlimited German rental contract with three months' notice — no reason needed. But the form matters: it must be a signed paper letter (email is NOT valid), signed by every tenant named in the contract.
The German template
Replace everything in [square brackets] with your details.
[Vorname Nachname aller Mieter] [Straße Hausnummer] [PLZ Ort] [Vermieter / Hausverwaltung] [Adresse] [Ort], den [Datum] Kündigung des Mietvertrags für die Wohnung [Adresse, Etage/Lage] Sehr geehrte/r [Name des Vermieters], hiermit kündigen wir den Mietvertrag für die oben genannte Wohnung fristgerecht zum [Datum — drei Monate zum Monatsende]. Bitte bestätigen Sie uns den Erhalt der Kündigung und schlagen Sie einen Termin für die Wohnungsübergabe vor. Wir bitten außerdem um Rücküberweisung der Kaution nach ordnungsgemäßer Übergabe auf folgendes Konto: [IBAN]. Mit freundlichen Grüßen [Unterschriften ALLER Mieter] [Vorname Nachname]
What it says in English
[Names of all tenants] [Street + number] [Postcode City] [Landlord / property manager] [Address] [City], [date] Notice on the rental contract for the apartment at [address, floor] Dear [landlord's name], We hereby give notice on the rental contract for the apartment above, with due notice, effective [date — three months to the end of a month]. Please confirm receipt of this notice and propose a date for the apartment handover. We also request the return of our deposit after proper handover to the following account: [IBAN]. Kind regards [Signatures of ALL tenants] [Names]
Before you send it
- Notice must arrive by the 3rd working day of a month to count for that month — three full months then follow.
- Paper + handwritten signature is legally required (§ 568 BGB). Email or scan is not valid notice.
- Every person named as tenant in the contract must sign, or the notice is invalid.
- Deliver by registered post (Einschreiben) or hand it over with a witness. The deposit is typically returned within 3–6 months.
Last verified 2026-07-02. Practical guidance, not legal advice — for disputes with real stakes, a Mieterverein, union or lawyer is worth it.
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