Letting: careful and secure.

For residential property, the client pays principle (Bestellerprinzip) applies: whoever instructs the agent pays. If you instruct us as the owner, you bear the commission. Tenants only pay if they have expressly instructed us to search and we have searched for a flat exclusively for them.

The basis is the rent index, comparable flats and the fit-out. Dresden applies the rent cap: for a new letting, the rent may generally be no more than 10% above the local comparative rent, with exceptions for new builds and comprehensively modernised flats, for example. We determine a market rent and explain our reasoning clearly.

With a self-disclosure form, proof of income, a credit report and often a certificate confirming no rent arrears. The personal conversation is just as important. In the end, you decide. We prepare the selection so that the decision is easy.

At most three months' rent excluding service charges. The tenant may pay it in three equal monthly instalments. You must keep the deposit separate from your own assets, for example in a rent deposit account.

No, if the landlord instructed us. The landlord then pays the commission. For our rental flats, you incur no agent's fees.

A self-disclosure form, a copy of your ID, proof of income for the last three months, a credit report and, if possible, a certificate from your previous landlord confirming no rent arrears. Complete documents give you an advantage.

The parties, the rented property, rent and service charges, start and duration, deposit, provisions on cosmetic repairs, minor repairs and pets, and the house rules. Use an up-to-date agreement, as outdated clauses are often invalid.

With a graduated rent (Staffelmiete), future increases are already set out in the contract with amount and date. With an index-linked rent (Indexmiete), the rent follows the consumer price index. In both cases, further increases to the comparative rent are excluded. Which option suits depends on the property and the objective.

Up to the local comparative rent, no earlier than 15 months after moving in or the last increase, and in principle by no more than 20% within three years. Dresden currently applies a reduced cap of 15%. Increases after modernisation follow their own rules.

Operating costs under the Operating Costs Ordinance (Betriebskostenverordnung) can be passed on, such as property tax, water, waste collection, cleaning, garden maintenance, insurance and caretaker. Management costs and maintenance cannot be passed on. The allocation must be agreed in the tenancy agreement.