Handing back a flat without the landlord: model letter
How to offer to hand back the flat and put the return of the keys in writing.
Offer to hand back the flat in writing with a date, return all keys with a witness and a list, and tell the landlord in writing the same day. From that day, the landlord has six months to claim for damage (§ 548 BGB).
How to fill in the model letters
Send part A before the handover appointment. Send part B on the day you hand back the flat.
- 1
The offer (part A)
Give the appointment with its date and time, and ask for an alternative date or a person who will take the keys.
- 2
What happened (part B)
State that the landlord did not come or cancelled, with the date.
- 3
The keys
List every type of key with how many there are, and say where and when you dropped them off or handed them over.
- 4
Your witness
Give the name and address of the person who saw you drop off the keys and saw the flat's condition.
- 5
The meter readings
Enter electricity, gas, water and heating, with the meter number and the reading.
- 6
Ask for confirmation
Ask the landlord to confirm receipt, and give your new address for the Kaution (deposit).
Model letters: handing back the flat without the landlord
Fill in the blanks and send both letters in a way that lets you prove they arrived. If your landlord writes in German, use the German version on our German page.
PART A: OFFER TO RETURN THE FLAT (send before the appointment) Your name Your address To: ________ (name and address of the landlord or property manager) Place, date: ________ Subject: Return of the flat ________ (address, position) at the end of the tenancy on ________ Dear Sir or Madam, The tenancy of the flat above ends on ________. I offer to return the cleared flat to you with all keys on ________ (date) at ________, at the flat. If this date does not suit you, please give me another date before the end of the tenancy, or a person who will take the keys for you, by ________. Yours faithfully ________ (signature) PART B: NOTICE OF THE RETURN (send on the day you return the flat) Your name Your address To: ________ (name and address of the landlord or property manager) Place, date: ________ Subject: Return of the flat ________ (address, position) and the keys on ________ Dear Sir or Madam, In my letter dated ________ I offered to return the flat to you on ________ at ________. You did not attend / you cancelled, and you did not give me another date or a person for the keys. (Delete as applicable.) I have therefore returned the cleared flat to you today. I dropped all keys into your letterbox at ________ (address) / handed them to ________ on ________ at ________. (Delete as applicable.) Present as a witness: ________ (name, address). Keys returned: Front door of the building: ____ Flat door: ____ Letterbox: ____ Cellar: ____ Other (type): ________ ____ Meter readings on the day of return: Electricity: meter no. ________ reading ________ Gas: meter no. ________ reading ________ Water: meter no. ________ reading ________ Heating: ________ I have recorded the condition of every room on the day of return. The record is enclosed / available at: ________ Please confirm receipt of the keys by ________. My new address for the Kaution settlement: ________ My account for the payout: IBAN ________ Yours faithfully ________ (signature)
This is a general template, not legal advice. Adapt it to your case and keep a copy of both letters.
Why this matters
From the day you hand back the flat, the landlord has six months to make claims (§ 548 BGB). Your letters show the date. Your record shows the flat's condition on that day.
General information, not legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
Does the landlord have to confirm receipt of the keys?
If the landlord takes the keys in person, you can ask for a written receipt (§ 368 BGB). If you use the letterbox, a witness, the key list and your notice on the same day show that you handed back the flat, even if no confirmation comes.
Where do I drop off the keys?
Drop the keys in the letterbox of the landlord or property manager, at the address in the lease or the one they gave you. Do not use the letterbox of the flat you have just cleared.
Do I need both letters?
Each letter shows something different. The offer beforehand shows that you tried to hand back the flat in time, and the notice afterwards shows what you returned and when. Together they document what happened if there is a dispute later.
Also in this topic: Wohnungsübergabe: what to bring to your flat handover (2026 checklist)Zwischenmiete: documenting the handoverWear or damage: what tenants pay for at move-outAll guides: Handover & viewings
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