Rent index; requirement

A rent index gives you an overview of the rents of comparable apartments in the city or municipality. It contains indications as to

• whether a landlord's request for a rent increase is justified,
• whether the rent is permissible for re-letting if the apartment is located in an area in which the regulations of the so-called rent cap apply,
• whether the rent is generally reasonable (outside the scope of the so-called rent cap).

The rent index shows the average net cold rent (local comparative rent) in euros per square meter per month on the basis of net cold rents that have been newly agreed or changed in the last six years. This comparative rent can be higher or lower for each individual apartment. The criteria for this are listed in the rent index.

Decisive factors can be, for example

• Apartment size
• Age of building
• residential location
• Energy modernization status and
• the furnishings of the apartment, e.g. central heating, built-in furniture, parquet flooring.

The local comparative rent may differ from the current market rent.

Rent indexes are drawn up by the cities/municipalities and by representatives of landlords' and tenants' interests, for example tenants' associations, homeowners' and landowners' associations. A city/municipality should draw up a rent index if there is a need for one.

Since July 1, 2022, municipalities with more than 50,000 inhabitants have been obliged to prepare rent indexes. Cities that create a qualified rent index for the first time due to this obligation must create and publish it by January 1, 2024.

As a rule, rent indices are to be adjusted to market developments every two years.

There are rent indices in many larger cities and municipalities.

As a rule, rent indexes can be viewed without any further requirements.

Ask the city/municipality in which the apartment in question is located whether a current rent index is available.

The law and the rent index ordinance distinguish between (simple) rent indices and qualified rent indices.

The qualified rent index is prepared according to recognized scientific principles and is recognized by the municipality or by representatives of landlords' and tenants' interests. It must be adjusted to market developments after two years at the latest and revised after four years.

Since July 1, 2022, all simple and qualified rent indexes must be published online free of charge.

The Erlangen rent index is offered free of charge in the form of an online rent index and for download as a PDF file. The printed version can be requested for a nominal fee of 3 euros (plus postage costs).