Wednesday, November 1
The Berlin Senate has approved a four-year extension of the city’s rent brake, ensuring tenants will continue to benefit from capped rents until the end of 2029.
The measure, set to take effect on Jan 1, 2026, limits how much landlords can charge on new leases. Under the rules, rents may not exceed 10% above the local comparative rate benchmark designed to keep increases in check amid the city’s ongoing housing crunch. .
Urban Development Senator Christian Gaebler (SPD) said that the policy remains a key tool in curbing excessive rent hikes. “Anyone who suspects an excessive rent is being charged at the start of their tenancy should contact the Senate’s rent inspection office,” he said.
That office, established in spring this year, identified 177 cases of significantly overpriced rent in its first six months of operation – roughly 93% of 190 cases reviewed. In total, 255 tenants sought advice, mostly from the districts of Mitte and Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg.
Alongside the rent brake, the Senate also extended the conversion regulation, which restricts the transformation of rental flats into private property. The rule has sharply reduced such conversions – from nearly 30,000 four years ago to around 1,500 last year.
While the Left and Greens back the extension, both parties argue it doesn’t go far enough to protect tenants from spiralling housing costs. They’re calling for stronger federal measures and tougher enforcement. Steffen Krach, the SPD’s top candidate for the 2026 Berlin election, has urged the city to impose fines for violations and to treat systematic fraud as a criminal offence.
