Introducing Mietminder.de - A Platform for Rent Reduction in Germany

I’ve been living in Berlin for over a year now, and it feels like the moment you decide to move here, the struggles begin, and they never really stop. From finding an apartment to dealing with bureaucracy, landlords, maintenance people, utility providers, and the Ordnungsamt, it’s a constant uphill battle.

My girlfriend and I managed to find an apartment that already seemed overpriced. We knew it would be a financial stretch, but we took it anyway. The area was nice, and, frankly, there were no other options.

Once we moved in, we spent the next few months figuring out the basics: getting our Anmeldung, tax ID, setting up electricity, gas, internet, and so on.

Then the problems started.

The trash bins weren’t big enough and began to overflow. Water started leaking from the toilet. The doorbell stopped working.

We were frustrated, not just by the lack of response from the maintenance guy, but also by the rent that already felt unjustifiable, and which was set to increase after 12 months.

So, I started doing some research.

That’s when I discovered Berlin’s surprisingly strong tenant laws.

I read through the 2024 Mietspiegel PDF and checked several websites. Using the official calculator, I found out what the rent for my apartment should be, and I was shocked.

I was paying €400 more than the maximum legal rent for my place.

Furious, I sent a letter to my landlord. Then another one a month later. No response.

I looked into the service Conny, but even though it’s technically free, they take a huge cut of any savings — so I decided to handle it myself. I also considered joining a tenant association, but since I don’t speak German, it felt too complicated, and you have to wait months before you can even use their services.

I reached out to a few lawyers, but they were all too busy.

So, as a developer always hungry for new challenges, I realized this was a problem that desperately needed a simpler, more affordable, and streamlined solution.

After a few months of research, planning, and development, I’m excited to launch Mietminder.de - a platform built to help tenants in Germany understand their rental rights and identify opportunities for rent reduction.

Right now, it’s essentially a cleaner, easier-to-use Berlin rent calculator. But this is just the beginning — I’m already working on expanding it into a more comprehensive tool to make tenant rights more accessible to everyone.

TBC

The Problem

Rent prices in Germany have been steadily increasing, and many tenants are unaware of their rights when it comes to rent reductions. Whether it’s due to construction noise, heating issues, or other property problems, tenants often don’t know they can legally request rent reductions.

The process of understanding these rights and finding qualified legal help can be overwhelming, especially for non-German speakers or those unfamiliar with German rental law.

The Solution

Mietminder.de aims to bridge this gap by providing:

Why This Matters

Rent reduction (Mietminderung) is a legitimate legal right in Germany, but the complexity of the process often prevents tenants from exercising it. By making this information accessible and actionable, we can help tenants:

Technical Approach

The platform is built with a focus on user experience and accessibility, ensuring that both German and international tenants can easily understand their rights and take action.

Looking Forward

This project represents a step toward making legal rights more accessible to everyday people. The goal is to democratize access to legal information and services, particularly in the rental housing sector.

If you’re a tenant in Germany facing property issues, or if you’re a legal professional interested in connecting with potential clients, I invite you to visit Mietminder.de and explore what I’m building.