Ending your tenancy: notice periods & form
Giving notice
Ending your tenancy: first the notice period, then the moving date
Notice periods & form
As soon as the notice terminating your tenancy has reached the landlord, your move-out date is fixed. For tenants with open-ended contracts: notice must arrive by the third working day of a month at the latest and takes effect at the end of the month after next – in practice three months (§ 573c BGB). The contract may not set a shorter period to your disadvantage. With a fixed price after a survey you know early on what the move will cost and can concentrate on giving notice on time.
The notice must be given in writing (§ 568 BGB) – with the handwritten signature of every tenant named in the contract; an email is not enough. Especially if the new flat becomes available earlier, every day counts. Whether a private move within the city or a long-distance move to another region: we schedule moving day to match your notice date. More under private move.
A moving date that matches your notice
Fixed price after a survey, date based on your notice period
Call us on 01625978461 as soon as your move-out date is fixed. After a survey we give you a fixed price and set moving day so that it fits your notice period and the start of the tenancy on the new flat – keeping any overlap of double rent as short as possible.
Quotes available individually based on workload, scheduling and the desired scope of services.
Who does what
You give notice, we do the transport
We are based in Berlin-Moabit (Stromstraße 21) and take over the move as soon as the notice on your tenancy has gone through. We quote the price as a fixed price after a survey; we are liable for damage to your belongings under § 451e HGB at €620 per cubic metre, and additional insurance is available. You write the notice yourself – with the handwritten signature of all tenants, delivered by the third working day of the month at the latest. We schedule moving day accordingly, whether within Berlin or to another city.
Third working day
In writing
Prove receipt
Planning moving day
Six points for valid notice
Giving notice on a flat follows fixed rules set out in § 568 and § 573c BGB. Knowing them helps you avoid a month of double rent.
Check these six points before sending – from the wording and the signatures to proof that the letter reached the landlord in time.
All tenants sign
Word it clearly
Count the deadline backwards
Check the contract
Special right of termination
Keep a copy
Little to move? Part load!
Notice,
handover, deposit
Besides the notice period and the correct written form, moving out also involves the handover report, cosmetic repairs and getting the deposit back. Clarifying these early means you can deal with them alongside the move. What applies to the deposit is explained in the guide Rental deposit: amount and repayment; if you want to leave earlier, read Finding a replacement tenant.
Deadlines in the calendar
Pack, transport, hand over
Deposit and cosmetic repairs
Frequently asked questions about ending a tenancy
Statutory notice period for a tenancy
The statutory notice period for tenants with open-ended contracts is in practice three months, regardless of how long the tenancy has lasted: notice must be received by the third working day of a calendar month at the latest and takes effect at the end of the month after next (§ 573c (1) BGB). Landlords have longer periods: after five and after eight years since the flat was handed over, their period is extended by three months each time, i.e. to six and nine months. Agreements that deviate to the tenant's disadvantage are invalid.
With fixed-term tenancies ordinary notice is ruled out; they end on the agreed date. An agreed waiver of the right to give notice can also block notice for a period. A special right of termination arises, for example, after a rent increase or an announcement of modernisation work. Giving notice early gains you time for the private move; for a long-distance move, too, the deadline belongs in the calendar.
The right form: giving notice in writing
Under § 568 BGB, notice on a tenancy must be given in writing – verbally, by email or by text message it is invalid. The letter needs a handwritten signature and goes to the landlord as the original by post or in person. It should include the names of all tenants, the address of the flat, the requested end of the tenancy (“at the earliest possible date”) and a clear statement of termination. Registered post with proof of delivery helps you prove later that it was received on time.
Mistakes in the form can make the notice invalid; the contract then continues until a new notice takes effect. So check that all tenants have signed if several people are named in the contract. Once the end of the tenancy is fixed, book your moving date early. You can find destinations outside Berlin under locations.
What the move after giving notice costs
| Rooms | Price |
| 1 | from €349 |
| 2 | from €615 |
| 3 | from €889 |
| 4 | from €1,269 |
| House/villa | individual quote |
| Long-distance move | from €3.95/km |
Contact us for a free survey and a personal quote.
What the moving price depends on
- Volume
- Distance (from €3.95/km)
- Floor
- Lift available or not
- Parking restriction zone required
Further services: furniture assembly and shared load.
How we support you
How we support you
You can book these services individually or in combination for your move after giving notice.
- Move with assembly - Practical skill for perfectly reassembled furniture.
- Office move - Professional logistics for offices and companies of every size.
- Shared load - Sustainable and affordable, our shared load makes it possible.
- Furniture transport - We secure your furniture professionally for transport.
- Private move - Personal, reliable and on schedule - that is how we handle your move.
- House clearance - Sustainable disposal and recycling of your unwanted items.
Giving notice and moving to another city
We are based in Berlin-Moabit (Stromstraße 21) and also handle long-distance moves; the notice periods are the same as for a move within Berlin. Destinations with their own pages can be found in the locations overview, routes under long-distance moves.
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