Overpaying for your furnished flat?
The rent cap (Mietpreisbremse) applies to furnished flats too — but contracts rarely state the furniture surcharge separately, so the rent is hard to check. Compare your rent with the official Mietspiegel in one minute. Free, no account, not legal advice.
- Berlin: the rent cap applies to the whole city until 31 December 2029. Mietenbegrenzungsverordnung
- Furnished flats are covered by the rent cap today — only a reasonable furniture surcharge is allowed. Federal Ministry of Justice
- Mietrecht II: bill in the Bundestag since July 2026, not passed (checked 13 September 2026). Bundestag printed paper 21/6807
Questions
What is the Mietspiegel?
The official table of typical local rents per m² for comparable flats, published by the city. Courts use it as the reference for the rent cap. For Berlin we use the qualified Berliner Mietspiegel 2026.
Does the rent cap apply to furnished flats?
Yes. The landlord may add only a reasonable furniture surcharge. Courts base it on the value of the furniture; the Berlin Senate's guideline allows up to 2 % of the furniture's value at move-in per month. Today no law sets the amount, and the surcharge does not have to be stated separately in the contract. The Mietrecht II bill would require landlords to state it before a new contract is signed.
Is this legal advice?
No. It is a calculation with a fixed formula. Whether the rent cap applies to your contract depends, among other things, on exceptions such as a higher previous rent or a new build first let after 1 October 2014. A tenant association or lawyer checks your individual case.
Who are you?
An independent project building tools for tenants. We are not a law firm and do not collect claims ourselves.