Rent reduction for Electrics & Technical
Almost everything in a flat hangs on the electricity, from the lights to the fridge to the heating controls. If it fails completely, the rent can drop to zero. A single dead socket, by contrast, usually stays below the threshold of significance.
4 types of defect · rates from 1 % to 100 %
This text was machine-translated. Only the German version is legally binding. To the German original
Every defect in this category at a glance
Complete power failure
50–100 %No electricity in the entire apartment.
Deadline for the repair: approx. 1 dayInternet outage (if part of the tenancy)
5–10 %Internet that was agreed as part of the rented property fails.
Deadline for the repair: approx. 14 daysStairwell lighting broken
1–10 %The lighting in the stairwell does not work.
Deadline for the repair: approx. 7 daysCable connection / TV broken
1–10 %The contractually agreed cable connection does not work.
Deadline for the repair: approx. 21 daysThe legal position
With internet, cable television or the door intercom, everything depends on whether the connection is part of the rented property under the agreement. And as so often in tenancy law, safety weighs more than comfort: a stairwell dark for weeks counts for more than disrupted television reception.
Every reduction requires a defect notice (Mängelanzeige) under § 536c BGB, because the claim only becomes enforceable once the landlord knows. To the guide: writing a defect notice
Frequently asked questions about Electrics & Technical
How much rent reduction is possible for Electrics & Technical?
The guidance values in this category range from 1 to 100 percent of the gross warm rent. The highest rate falls to “Complete power failure” at up to 100 percent. What always governs is the duration, intensity and extent of the impairment in the individual case.
Which defects belong to Electrics & Technical?
This category covers 4 types of defect: Complete power failure, Stairwell lighting broken, Internet outage (if part of the tenancy), Cable connection / TV broken.
What do I have to do before I reduce the rent?
Report the defect to your landlord in writing without delay (§ 536c BGB) and set a deadline for the repair as a specific date. Only from the landlord's knowledge onwards is the reduction practically enforceable. If in doubt, keep paying under protest for now.
Other defect categories
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Select your defects, enter your gross warm rent and receive a finished defect notice. Free and without registration.
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