Who pays for a repair in a rented flat
The landlord's duty, and what a minor-repair clause can change.
The landlord keeps the flat usable
For a rented flat, § 535 of the Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch says the landlord must hand the flat over in a usable condition and keep it so. Repairs that belong to that duty are the landlord's, unless a valid clause in your lease says otherwise for small jobs.
Text viewed 9 October 2026: § 535 BGB.
The minor-repair clause is the lease, not a national price
Many leases contain a Kleinreparaturklausel. It can move small repairs inside the flat onto the tenant, up to a limit written in that lease. This page does not print a euro cap. Read the clause. If there is no clause, do not invent one.
Parts of the building that serve everyone — the roof, the riser, the stair — are usually the landlord or the owners' association, not the single tenant.
If you own the flat
You hire the firm and you pay the firm. In a block, the Wohnungseigentümergemeinschaft decides on shared parts. The building manager is the person who can authorise work on those parts. Your neighbour's leak into your ceiling may still be a shared pipe.
What to say when you call
Say whether you are the tenant or the owner. If you are the tenant, say you are asking for a date and that the owner will sign. Use the messages guide for a German text the owner can forward.