Pets

Certain pets can be kept in German properties, whilst others will require a specific licence. Pets tend to be a favourite point of disagreement between landlords, tenants and their neighbours. Most legal rulings, should the dispute go to court, tend to rule in favour of the tenant. In general, the rule is that tenants must consult the terms and conditions of the rental contract to be sure that they are allowed to keep a pet in the property.

Keeping small pets, such as hamsters, mice, tropical fish, guinea pigs, and budgerigars, in a property cannot be forbidden as long as there are no unusual circumstances, that is, you cannot keep three hundred hamsters, nor breed budgerigars. You are also not allowed to keep even these small pets if they create a lot of noise and disturb the neighbours. If you wish to keep a larger pet in your property, such as a cat or a dog, you will typically require the agreement of the landlord. Usually, the rental contract will contain a clause detailing the pets you are, and are not, allowed to keep in the property. Even if the rental contract allows you to keep a larger pet, you should still request the permission of the landlord to avoid future problems.