Germany rent deposit (Mietkaution) calculator
How much deposit a landlord in Germany may ask for at most, how you pay it in three installments and how much you must have ready when you move in.
Maximum deposit
€2,700.00
three months’ net rent, without utility costs
- Deposit permitted
- 1st installment €900.00
- On moving in €2,000.00
The landlord may ask for at most three months’ net rent, so €2,700.00 for €900.00. Your agreed deposit of €2,700.00 is within the limit (BGB § 551 para. 1).
In three equal installments that is €900.00, €900.00 and €900.00. On moving in you pay the first installment of €900.00 and the first rent of €1,100.00 (net rent and advance payment): together €2,000.00, instead of €3,800.00 with the whole deposit at once.
- The landlord must invest the deposit in a bank separately from their own assets, at the usual interest rate for savings deposits with three months’ notice unless agreed otherwise; the returns belong to you and increase the deposit (BGB § 551 para. 3).
- An agreement to the tenant’s disadvantage is invalid (BGB § 551 para. 4). If you were asked for more, have the lease checked by a tenants’ association or a lawyer.
I’m not an accountant or a financial advisor. This is an estimate, for information only. Check with a professional before you decide.
Show the detailsHide the details
| Net rent per month | €900.00 | |
|---|---|---|
| × | Monthly rents | 3 |
| = | Maximum deposit | €2,700.00 |
| Agreed deposit | €2,700.00 | |
| First installment at the start of the tenancyone third | €900.00 | |
| + | First rentnet rent and advance payment | €1,100.00 |
| = | To pay on moving in | €2,000.00 |
How it works
- If the tenant has to give the landlord security, it may be at most three times the rent for one month, without utility costs shown as a flat rate or as an advance payment (BGB § 551 para. 1). So the upper limit is three months’ net rent.
- If the security is a sum of money, the tenant may pay it in three equal monthly installments: the first at the start of the tenancy, the others with the immediately following rent payments (para. 2). The page divides the permitted deposit by three, rounded to the cent, and puts the remainder on the last installment.
Worked example
With €900 net rent the maximum is 3 × €900 = €2,700, in three installments of €900. With €200 advance payment for utility costs, on moving in €900 (first installment) + €1,100 (first rent) = €2,000 are due, not €3,800.
Sources
- Civil Code (BGB) § 551: limit and investment of rental security — gesetze-im-internet.de (in German)
Text checked on October 6, 2026
Good to know
- The upper limit applies to every form of security, including a guarantee: the installments, however, are provided only for a sum of money.
- The law names no deadline for returning the deposit after you move out: the landlord may keep it for a reasonable time to check, including the utility costs statement. Expect a few months and ask in writing.
- The landlord’s claims for damages for changes or deterioration of the apartment expire six months after it is returned (BGB § 548 para. 1).
Frequently asked questions
How high may the rent deposit be?
At most three months’ net rent, that is the rent without the utility costs shown as a flat rate or advance payment (BGB § 551 para. 1).
May I pay the deposit in installments?
Yes: in three equal monthly installments, the first at the start of the tenancy, the others with the following rent payments (BGB § 551 para. 2).
What does the landlord do with the deposit?
The landlord must invest it in a bank separately from their own assets; the returns belong to the tenant and increase the deposit (BGB § 551 para. 3).
Is a higher deposit in the lease valid?
An agreement to the tenant’s disadvantage is invalid (BGB § 551 para. 4): the landlord may not ask for more than three months’ net rent.