Letting a flat in Frankfurt runs in six steps: set the rent against the qualified 2026 rent index, obtain the energy certificate, advertise, vet applicants, sign the contract, hand over. The rent brake caps new lettings in principle at ten percent above the reference rent, though its Hessian legal basis is contested in court.
Step 1: set the rent realistically
The basis is the qualified Frankfurt rent index 2026 with its online calculator. Setting the rent well above it risks vacancy and legal exposure: the rent brake in principle limits new-letting rents to ten percent above the reference rent. Its Hessian legal basis is currently contested in court, which is why conservative pricing remains the safe route. Details are in our article on rent increases in Frankfurt. First lettings of new buildings and comprehensively modernised flats are exempt.
Step 2: documents and the energy certificate
Before the first advertisement, gather the paperwork: floor plan, living space calculation, for condominiums the rules of the owners’ association, and the energy certificate. It is not a formality: even the property advertisement must contain mandatory details from it if the certificate exists (§ 87 GModG), namely certificate type, final energy value and the main heating energy source. At the latest at the viewing, the certificate must be presented (§ 80 GModG).
Step 3: marketing and viewings
An honest exposé with good photos, clear key data and a realistic description spares you the wrong applicants. Bundle viewings, but avoid mass processing: individual appointments with pre-qualified applicants produce better decisions than an open walk-through with thirty people.
Step 4: select the tenant
The customary and permissible basis for selection are a self-disclosure form, proof of income, a credit report and a confirmation of no rent arrears from the previous landlord. As a rule of thumb, the net cold rent should not permanently exceed one third of net income. Questions unrelated to the tenancy (family planning, religion, party affiliation) are not permitted. Take your time over this check. Tenant selection is the single most important decision of the whole letting, because a payment default costs many times a month of vacancy.
Step 5: contract and deposit
Use a current, legally sound contract, not the form from the nineties: invalid clauses such as rigid redecoration schedules or outdated operating cost provisions work against you. Two points deserve particular care. First, the agreement on passing on operating costs; without it you bear the service charges yourself. Second, the choice between standard, stepped or indexed rent. The deposit may not exceed three months’ net cold rent and must be invested separately (§ 551 BGB).
Step 6: handover and registration
The handover includes the protocol with meter readings and a key list. What it should look like is covered in our article on the tenant changeover. Afterwards comes an often overlooked duty: as housing provider you must issue the tenant the housing provider confirmation for registration with the citizens’ office within two weeks of move-in (§ 19 BMG).
Letting from a single source
From pricing through viewings and credit checks to a legally sound contract: if you prefer not to carry the workload yourself, you can hand the letting to us. And the time after it too: our rental management in Frankfurt takes over statements, maintenance and tenant care from the first month of the tenancy. The first month’s rent also opens the tax side: what may be deducted from the receipts, how the depreciation on the building works and what goes on the Anlage V is set out in our guide to taxes for landlords in Germany. A landlord who lives abroad faces the same deadlines without anybody on the spot; what has to be arranged then is set out in our guide to letting a German flat while living abroad.
Sources
Editorial responsibility: digo.immo Verwaltung & Invest - certified residential property manager under § 26a WEG (IHK Frankfurt), licence under § 34c GewO. About the certification
This article provides general information only and does not replace individual legal advice. It was created with AI assistance; the legal statements have been checked against the official texts of the law. Legal status: 28/08/2026; laws and case law may change. No warranty is given as to completeness, accuracy or timeliness. When in doubt, please seek qualified advice.