Overview
- Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig’s Mietrechtskommission held its first meeting and is tasked with delivering concrete proposals by the end of 2026.
- About 20 members from tenant and owner groups, the judiciary, academia and municipalities will meet every eight weeks to prepare recommendations for legislation.
- The mandate targets a reform of the Mietwucher standard to lower proof hurdles and examines introducing fines for violations of the rent cap.
- Under current rules, landlords who breach the cap typically only repay excess rent after successful claims, with no routine administrative penalties.
- Reactions are split, with the Deutscher Mieterbund calling Mietwucher reform overdue, landlord group Haus & Grund warning of investment risks, and opposition figures criticizing the slow, vague process.