The Complete Guide for Apartment Tenants — Q&A

Signing a lease requires understanding the rights and obligations of both parties. We have gathered the most important points every tenant should know.

Before signing

• Verify the owner’s identity and their right to lease the property (land registry extract).
• Read the entire contract, especially the clauses on guarantees, repairs and early termination.
• Document the apartment’s condition with photos at move-in.

Guarantees and security

The landlord may require reasonable security (bank guarantee, promissory note, guarantors). The Rental and Lending Law limits the scope of security that may be realized and the conditions for doing so.

Repairs and maintenance

As a rule, defects not caused by the tenant that prevent reasonable use of the apartment are the landlord’s responsibility, to be repaired within a reasonable time of notice.

Eviction and early exit

Early-exit terms and finding a “replacement tenant” should be regulated in the contract. Evicting a tenant who will not leave requires an orderly legal process — self-help is prohibited.

This guide is general only and does not constitute individual legal advice.