No house rules yet?
It is important to draw up house rules to ensure tenants can live together peacefully, and the use of common rooms, facilities, and installations is governed. For larger rental properties, in particular, the landlord or the management regularly lays down house rules.
In doing so, the landlord or administration must weigh up the rights of the tenants and the protection of the neighbors and the landlord themselves.
The house rules can be integrated into the rental agreement as General Terms and Conditions (GTC), but must then be labeled as a contract component. In this case, contract component means that it is expressly mentioned in the rental agreement that there are house rules and that these rules are enclosed. We recommend enclosing the rules in writing to ensure you have proof.
What can be included in the house rules?
- Building quiet hours
- Cleaning and care obligations
- Use of common rooms
- Use of balconies and terraces
- Keeping of pets
- Heating and ventilation conditions
- Use of the elevator (if there is one)
- Use of the basement
- Information on washing laundry in the house
- Use of garbage removal
- Note on playgrounds and green areas belonging to the property
- Changes to the rental property, such as the installation of privately owned appliances, etc.
- Use of parking spaces and visitor parking
What should not be included:
- No prohibited clauses that are too restrictive to the tenants A prohibited clause, for example, would be a general prohibition on music. A permitted clause on music would be a restriction on times it can be played: such as observance of lunchtime quiet hours or a prohibition on playing music on Sundays or national holidays.
- No unusual clauses: These could otherwise fall under the “rule of the unusual” and be lifted by court order – with the consequence that the clause must be removed from the house rules. An unusual clause would be, for example, restrictions on keeping pets to a certain breed or type of animal.
In the attachment, you will find detailed information and a template for house rules.