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Guide by kind of contract

How to give notice on a lease renewal

General guidance for leases and rentals: what happens if you do nothing, how to cancel, what to check and what to keep. It isn’t about any one company, so check your own contract for the details.

What happens if you do nothing

  • You may roll into an automatic renewal or month-to-month terms.
  • Rent may increase at renewal.

How to cancel, step by step

  1. Check your notice period in the lease terms
  2. Send written notice before the deadline
  3. Send it by certified or registered mail, or get a signed acknowledgment
  4. Document the property condition with photos
  5. Confirm deposit return process in writing

Checklist

  • Locate the notice date for renewal/non-renewal.
  • Confirm any rent change window.
  • Decide: renew, negotiate, or give notice.

Watch out for

  • Notice dates are often earlier than people expect.
  • Auto-renew clauses can be buried in addenda.

When to start

Start about 60 days before the renewal date⁠—earlier if there is a notice period, so you still have time to decide, compare and send your notice.

Documents to keep

  • Lease PDF
  • Renewal offer
  • Notice confirmation

An email you can copy

Replace the parts in brackets. Send it to the address in your contract or on the provider’s contact page, and keep the reply.

Subject: Lease renewal terms & notice date – [provider name]

Hello,

I’m reviewing the lease renewal for [provider name].

Please confirm:
- Notice deadline for renewal/non-renewal
- Renewal options and any rent adjustment
- Required method of notice

Thanks,
[your name]

If you call

What to say, and what to ask for in writing:

  • I’m reviewing renewal and need the notice deadline and renewal terms.
  • What are the options and any changes in rent or fees?
  • Please email the details.

Official factsBased on official sources, as of the date shown⁠—not features or prices of the app.

Renting a home in Germany: notice period and form

If you rent a home in Germany: as a tenant, you give ordinary notice no later than the third working day of a month, effective at the end of the month after next⁠—just under three months’ notice. The longer notice periods after five and eight years apply only to the landlord.

Terminating a residential lease requires written form: a letter you sign by hand. A plain email, a text message or a messenger chat is not enough, and there is no online cancellation button for these contracts.

A fixed-term lease (Zeitmietvertrag) is only allowed under certain conditions, for example if the landlord wants to live in the home afterwards, and it follows its own rules.

This is general information, not legal advice. For your specific case, Germany’s consumer advice centers (Verbraucherzentralen) can help.

Sources: Section 573c, German Civil Code (in German)⁠ (opens in a new tab), Section 568, German Civil Code (in German)⁠ (opens in a new tab), Section 126, German Civil Code (in German)⁠ (opens in a new tab), Section 312k, German Civil Code (in German)⁠ (opens in a new tab), Section 575, German Civil Code (in German)⁠ (opens in a new tab) checked

Guides by kind of contract

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From Aplo Apps

Renewal Radar: Know when to cancel⁠—before your contracts renew.

A subscription and contract tracker for iPhone and iPad that alerts you before renewals and cancel-by dates, so you can keep, cancel or renegotiate on time.

In the app, a playbook for each kind of contract lists the steps, a checklist and an email and call script to copy. The free version shows a preview; Premium unlocks the full playbooks.

Download on the App Store: Renewal Radar: Cancel On Time(opens in a new tab)About Renewal Radar