Check the flat before you sign.
We read the land register extract, the energy certificate and the rent figures for homes in Germany, and flag what does not add up. Works for rentals and purchases.
Preview with sample data. Nothing you type is sent anywhere.
Eight cities, local rules for each
Rent indexes, flood zones and conversion rules differ from city to city. Pick a city to see what we look at first, and the weather there right now.
From address to report in four steps
You do not need to be in Germany. You need the listing and, for purchases, the documents the seller hands over.
Send the listing
Paste the address or the listing link. For a purchase, add the Exposé and any documents you already have.
We match the facts
Owner, floor area, year built and heating are compared across the documents and public records.
We test the numbers
Rent against the local index, service charges against typical values, price per square metre against the area.
You get a short report
Green, yellow or red per topic, with the question to ask the landlord or notary next.
What goes into a check
Eight topics cover most of the surprises people meet after the signature.
Land register
Who owns the property, and what is registered against it: mortgages, rights of way, rights of residence.
Energy certificate
Class, heating type and expected costs, and whether the certificate is still valid.
Rent brake
Is the cold rent above the local reference rent by more than the legal 10 percent?
Service charges
Nebenkosten advance payments compared with typical values for the building size and heating.
Scam signals
Stolen photos, a price far below the area, an owner who is always abroad, requests for money before a viewing.
Zoning and risks
Development plan, flood zones, noise maps and listed-building status around the address.
Owners' meeting minutes
For flats: planned repairs, reserve fund and disputes between owners in the WEG.
Contract review
Clauses that are void or unusual: cosmetic repairs, deposit size, fixed-term and index rents.
Quick rent check
In areas with a rent brake, a new rental may not exceed the local reference rent by more than 10 percent. Try it with the numbers from a listing.
Reference values here are sample figures for the demo, not the official rent index of the city. New buildings first let after 1 October 2014 and flats after a comprehensive modernisation are exempt from the brake.
Six signs of a rental scam
Most fake listings in Germany follow the same script. If you recognise two of these, stop and check.
Money before a viewing
A real landlord does not need a deposit, a "reservation fee" or a transfer by Western Union before you have seen the flat and read the contract.
The owner is abroad
"We moved for work, the keys are with a courier." Nobody can show you the flat, but the courier needs a payment first.
The price is far below the area
A furnished two-room flat in a central district at half the usual rent is bait. Compare with the local reference rent.
Photos that appear elsewhere
Run the photos through a reverse image search. Scam listings reuse pictures from sale offers and hotel sites.
Pressure and messenger chats
"Three other people are interested, answer today." Real landlords use email or the platform and let you ask questions.
A copy of your passport up front
A landlord may ask for a credit report and proof of income after a viewing. A passport scan sent to a chat before one is a data-theft risk.
Next public holidays in Germany
Offices and notaries close, and viewings move. Plan appointments around these dates.
Live data from open services: Open-Meteo, Nager.Date. Photos from Wikimedia Commons.
Questions
Short answers. Write to us for anything specific to your case.
Can I use it from outside Germany?
Yes. Everything is done online. For purchases you will still need a notary in Germany, who can sign on your behalf with a power of attorney.
Does a report replace a lawyer or a notary?
No. It tells you what to ask and what to look at twice. Legal advice and the notarised contract stay with professionals.
Which documents do I need?
For a rental: the listing and, if you have it, the draft contract. For a purchase: Exposé, land register extract, energy certificate and the owners' meeting minutes of the last three years.
Is my data stored?
In this preview nothing is sent or stored. The address field and the rent check run in your browser only.
How current are the reference rents?
Cities publish a new rent index every two to four years. In the live service we show the edition year next to each value.