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Get your Kaution back when leaving Germany

Selected criteria

  1. I’m planning to leave Germany
  2. Handle housing matters
  3. Get my Kaution back

Plan moving out of your rented home as a sequence of connected tasks: first review the contract and notice, then prepare the home for handover and keep proof of its condition. Separately check every issue that may affect the Kaution settlement: keys, meter readings, household contracts, and written agreements with the landlord. This page helps you avoid missing key checkpoints and choose material for your specific situation. If your contract contains unusual terms, you disagree with a claim at handover, or your deposit is withheld, do not decide based on a general description alone: document the circumstances and check the contract terms.

Plan overview

Gather documents, end the tenancy correctly, document the apartment handover, and follow up on the Kaution settlement.

What to do step by step

  1. 1

    Check the contract terms

    Find the terms on termination, repairs, apartment handover, and the deposit; mark disputed wording for separate review.

    Articles for this step

    How to Move Out of an Apartment in Germany Without Losing Your Security Deposit Tenants’ Rights in Germany: Lease Agreement, Security Deposit, Repairs, and Notice Period
  2. 2

    Prepare and send your Kündigung

    Use the separate guide to check the notice format, deadline, and how to confirm receipt.

    Articles for this step

    How a Tenant Can Terminate a Lease Agreement in Germany
  3. 3

    Prepare the apartment for handover

    Take photos, collect the keys, record meter readings, and discuss the handover of the home.

    Articles for this step

    How to Move Out of an Apartment in Germany Without Losing Your Security Deposit
  4. 4

    Document the handover in a protocol

    Check the Übergabeprotokoll carefully and add a comment if you disagree with a listed claim.

    Articles for this step

    How to Move Out of an Apartment in Germany Without Losing Your Security Deposit
  5. 5

    Follow up on the deposit return

    Provide your payment details, request a breakdown if the deposit is not returned in full, and keep deposit, utility settlement, and claimed damages separate.

    Articles for this step

    Mietkaution in Germany: Amount, Payment, Storage, and Deposit Refund Tenants’ Rights in Germany: Lease Agreement, Security Deposit, Repairs, and Notice Period

Important notes

  • Do not agree to unsubstantiated claims in the handover protocol.
  • If the deposit is not returned in full, request a written breakdown.
  • A new prospective tenant does not automatically end the contract early.

Common mistakes

  • Sending notice at the last minute
  • Expecting the deposit on handover day