Rent reduction for Kitchen & Appliances

With kitchen appliances the tenancy agreement decides. The landlord has to maintain what he let with the flat, and only that. If the fitted kitchen appears in the agreement or the handover protocol, its failure is his problem. If you installed the kitchen yourself, there is no reduction.

4 types of defect · rates from 1 % to 60 %

This text was machine-translated. Only the German version is legally binding. To the German original

Every defect in this category at a glance

Kitchen completely unusable

15–60 %

The entire kitchen cannot be used (e.g. after water damage).

Deadline for the repair: approx. 7 days

Stove / oven broken

2–5 %

The stove or oven provided by the landlord does not work.

Deadline for the repair: approx. 14 days

Fridge broken

2–5 %

The fridge provided by the landlord does not work.

Deadline for the repair: approx. 7 days

Dishwasher broken

1–3 %

The contractually agreed dishwasher does not work.

Deadline for the repair: approx. 21 days

The legal position

So look first at the tenancy agreement and the handover protocol (Übergabeprotokoll). For everything listed there as part of the rented property the landlord owes working order (§ 535 Abs. 1 Satz 2 BGB). A minor-repairs clause can make you share repair costs, but it does not take your right to reduce away.

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 Kitchen & Appliances

How much rent reduction is possible for Kitchen & Appliances?

The guidance values in this category range from 1 to 60 percent of the gross warm rent. The highest rate falls to “Kitchen completely unusable” at up to 60 percent. What always governs is the duration, intensity and extent of the impairment in the individual case.

Which defects belong to Kitchen & Appliances?

This category covers 4 types of defect: Stove / oven broken, Fridge broken, Dishwasher broken, Kitchen completely unusable.

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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