German Residential Lease Agreement Template (Mietvertrag PDF)

Why use a written Mietvertrag?

A written agreement can make rent, property details, tenancy start, operating costs, and practical responsibilities easier to understand. German residential tenancy law includes mandatory tenant protections and rules that cannot simply be replaced by different contract wording. The PDF should therefore be checked against the actual tenancy and current requirements.

What to consider including

• Landlord and tenant names and the address and description of the dwelling.
• Tenancy start and, only where appropriate, any agreed fixed term.
• Base rent and arrangements for eligible operating costs (Nebenkosten).
• Security deposit (Kaution) where agreed, subject to applicable limits.
• Keys, included rooms, furnishings, and any handover record.
• Relevant house rules and allocations of responsibilities permitted by law.

A checklist to think through for your situation. It is not a list of clauses: the blank PDF’s own sections and lines are listed above.

Before signing

Check current German rules for residential leases, deposits, operating costs, any rent restrictions, and the conditions for fixed-term tenancies. A separate handover report (Übergabeprotokoll) can be useful for documenting keys, meter readings, and condition. Do not assume that a clause copied from another country will work in Germany.