Noise and Ruhestörung: your rights as a tenant
When Ruhestörung (noise disturbance) in your rented flat is a reason to reduce the rent, and what to do first.
Ongoing loud noise that you do not cause yourself lowers your rent for as long as it lasts. Write down every disturbance with the date, time and duration, and report the noise to the landlord in writing.
What counts as noise, and what to do about it
You do not need a lawyer to get started. What matters is that you can prove the noise and that you report it to the landlord.
- 1
The source does not matter
Noise from a neighbouring flat, a building site or a business in the building counts too.
- 2
Night quiet from 22:00 to 6:00
From 22:00 to 6:00, usually only Zimmerlautstärke (room-level volume) is allowed.
- 3
Children's noise is the exception
You normally have to accept ordinary children's noise.
- 4
Keep a noise log
Note the date, time, duration and type of every disturbance.
- 5
Report the noise in writing
Report the noise to the landlord in writing, in a way you can prove, and set a reasonable deadline.
- 6
Then reduce the rent
If the noise continues, reduce the rent according to how bad it is. Do this only after you have reported the noise.
Why this matters
Under § 536 BGB, the rent drops automatically for as long as a substantial defect such as loud noise lasts. For that to apply, you have to report the noise to the landlord (§ 536c BGB).
General information, not legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
What are the quiet hours in a German rental?
Night quiet usually runs from 22:00 to 6:00. During those hours only Zimmerlautstärke is allowed. The law sets no nationwide midday quiet, but house rules or the lease often set 13:00 to 15:00.
Can I just pay less rent because of noise?
No, you cannot reduce the rent for noise without reporting it. First report the noise to the landlord in writing (§ 536c BGB). If you pay less rent without a written report, you risk losing the right to reduce the rent and falling behind on rent.
How much can I reduce the rent because of noise?
How much you can reduce the rent depends on how bad the noise is and how long it lasts. There is no fixed table (§ 536 BGB). Courts have granted about 10% for loud neighbours (AG Bergheim, 23 C 147/12) and, in individual cases of lasting night noise, up to 50%.
Also in this topic: Mängelanzeige model letter to your landlordSchimmel (mould) in a rented flat: your rightsAll guides: Rights & duties
Moving soon?
A move is the moment to record the condition of the flat. BildProof guides you through every room and creates a structured condition report.
Create your proof