Zero Commission: Why Renters in Germany Usually Pay Nothing

"Null Provision" (zero commission) isn't a special deal on most German rentals anymore, it's the legal default. Since 1 June 2015, the Bestellerprinzip ("whoever orders, pays") has governed residential letting agency fees.

What is the Bestellerprinzip?

Under Section 2(1a) of the German Housing Agency Act (Wohnungsvermittlungsgesetz, WoVermRG), a letting agent may not demand, be promised, or accept a fee from the apartment seeker. The only exception is when the agent is instructed by the landlord to offer the apartment solely because of a separate agency agreement with the seeker. In practice: if the landlord hires the agent to find a new tenant, the landlord pays, not the incoming tenant.

When does the tenant pay?

A tenant pays only if they hire an agent first, for example to search independently for a specific type of apartment, and the agent then acts independently of the landlord. That's the exception, not the rule, for standard rental listings, though it does happen for highly sought-after properties or specialised search mandates. An agent who breaches the Bestellerprinzip commits an administrative offence under Section 8(1) and (2) WoVermRG, punishable by a fine of up to €25,000.

How to recognise genuine "zero commission" listings

Most fee-free listings come either directly from private landlords or from an agent instructed by the landlord, who is therefore already paid by the landlord under the Bestellerprinzip. Portals such as ImmobilienScout24 and wohnungsboerse.net let you filter specifically for commission-free listings. Municipal housing companies such as degewo also typically let without an external agent.

What else to check before signing

Even where the Bestellerprinzip applies, check the utility costs and contract terms before signing. Make sure every agreed detail appears in the lease and ask directly about any hidden costs. How cold rent (Kaltmiete) and warm rent (Warmmiete) relate to each other is explained by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).

Bottom line

The Bestellerprinzip makes zero-commission rentals the legal default in Germany, not the exception: whoever hires the agent pays them, usually the landlord. If an agent still demands a fee from you as a tenant without you having hired them, that demand is generally unlawful.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do tenants in Germany generally not pay agent commission?

Correct: you only pay if you hired the agent yourself. If the landlord hired the agent, the landlord pays, as required by Section 2(1a) WoVermRG.

Since when has the Bestellerprinzip applied in Germany?

Since 1 June 2015, introduced by the Mietrechtsnovellierungsgesetz (Tenancy Law Reform Act).

What happens if an agent violates the Bestellerprinzip?

Demanding an unlawful fee from the apartment seeker is an administrative offence under Section 8(1) and (2) WoVermRG, punishable by a fine of up to €25,000.

Are there exceptions to the Bestellerprinzip?

Yes, if the apartment seeker independently hires an agent first for a specific search, and the agent then finds a matching apartment independently of the landlord.

For how students in Berlin find commission-free WG rooms and apartments, see No-Commission Apartments in Berlin for Students. If you also want to negotiate the rent itself, see Negotiate No-Fee Rentals in Berlin: Essential Tips. Find agent-free listings through Waitly.