Rent out residential property — at a 1 % flat fee.
Hands-on guidance from Tobias Rösch and his team – from market-rent analysis through credit checks to key handover. Discreet, fast and legally sound. In the Rhine-Neckar region since 2002.
- 1 % of annual cold rent per unit – transparent flat fee
- GDPR-compliant credit check: SCHUFA, income, self-disclosure
- Legally sound tenancy contract with handover protocol
Tobias Rösch
Founder & Managing Director – Real Estate Agent and Financing Expert
Tobias Rösch founded Mia Immobilien after more than ten years at Deutsche Bank focused on mortgage financing. In rentals he brings two perspectives together: the financier who understands how banks evaluate tenant credit, and the IHK-certified agent with professional indemnity insurance who drafts legally sound contracts – in the Rhine-Neckar region since 2002.
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Rent out an apartment in 8 clear steps
This is how a rental with MIA Immobilien works – structured, legally sound and with clear responsibilities. You stay in charge throughout.
A residential rental follows eight steps: onboarding, market-rent analysis (§§ 558, 556d BGB), listing, marketing, qualified viewings, GDPR-compliant credit check, contract under § 535 BGB and documented handover. Typical time: 2–6 weeks.
1. Onboarding & property intake
We review floor plan, energy certificate, utility statement and align on your goals – duration, tenant profile, target rent.
2. Market rent analysis
Local comparable rent (§§ 558 ff. BGB), check of the rent cap (§§ 556d ff. BGB, state regulation) and comparables from our 23-year regional practice.
3. Professional listing
High-end photography, floor plan, transport, energy data – fully compliant with GEG and GDPR.
4. Marketing
ImmoScout24 Premium (Gold Partner), Immowelt, our applicant database, and on request discreet off-market from our waiting list.
5. Qualified viewings
Individual and group viewings, pre-screened applicants. You only meet candidates who fit economically and personally.
6. Credit check
Tenant self-disclosure (admissible questions per Federal Court of Justice), SCHUFA with consent, income proof – GDPR-compliant throughout.
7. Contract & deposit
Legally sound residential contract (§ 535 BGB), deposit up to 3 cold rents (§ 551 BGB), utility agreement (§ 556 BGB, BetrKV).
8. Handover & aftercare
Documented key handover with meter readings, digital archive and – on request – continuous support throughout the tenancy.
The MIA flat fee: 1 % of annual rent.
One price, no small print, no success hurdles. You only pay once your property is let and the contract is signed. Everything else is included.
Residential rentals are governed by the orderer-pays principle (§ 2 (1a) WoVermRG): the commission is paid by the party who instructed the agent – usually the landlord. Our 1 % annual-rent fee is well below the statutory cap of two net cold rents. Tenants pay nothing.
The orderer-pays principle – what it means for you
Since 2015, residential rentals fall under the orderer-pays principle (§ 2 (1a) WoVermRG): the commission is paid only by whoever instructed the agent. If the landlord instructs us, the landlord pays – the tenant pays nothing. A tenant may only be charged commission if they themselves instructed the agent (§ 3 (2) WoVermRG), capped by law at two net cold rents plus VAT.
Legal basis: § 2 WoVermRG and § 3 WoVermRG.
Market rent, rent cap & ceiling
The right rent is the foundation of any successful letting – too low means lost yield, too high means vacancy and, in cities with a rent cap, legal exposure. We work only with robust data and current legislation.
The local comparable rent is the reference point under § 558 BGB. The rent cap (§ 556d BGB) limits new-tenancy rent to 10 % above the local comparable – in areas declared tight housing markets. In Baden-Württemberg this includes Heidelberg and Mannheim.
Local comparable rent
Derived from the rent index, rent database or expert opinion. Most cities in the Rhine-Neckar region maintain a qualified rent index under § 558d BGB.
§ 558 BGB →Rent cap (Mietpreisbremse)
Maximum 10 % above the local comparable rent when re-letting in designated areas. Exceptions: new builds from 1 Oct 2014, comprehensively modernised units, previous rent.
§§ 556d – 556g BGB →Rent-increase ceiling
For existing tenancies, rents may be raised to the local comparable by no more than 20 % in three years (15 % in tight markets) – § 558 (3) BGB.
§ 558 Abs. 3 BGB →Solvent tenants – GDPR-compliant screening.
A thorough credit check protects the landlord from arrears – but not every question is legal. We work with a standardised screening that is legally clean, non-discriminatory and GDPR-compliant.
We collect only data that case law allows (§ 1 AGG), obtain consent under Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR, and delete all data after completion. Questions on marital status, religion or pregnancy are inadmissible.
What we ask – legal & necessary
- Name, address, date of birth
- Employer & type of employment
- Net income (3 months proof)
- Household size (number of people)
- Current and previous housing
- SCHUFA credit report (with consent)
- Previous-landlord reference (optional)
What we never ask – inadmissible
- Marital status & family planning
- Religion
- Party membership & political views
- Ethnic origin, nationality (unless required for residency)
- Pregnancy
- Sexual orientation
- Unrelated criminal records
- Impermissible data like the raw SCHUFA score (credit rating suffices)
GDPR-compliant process
Consent form up front, purpose-limited use, access only for the assigned advisor, automatic deletion after completion – documented in our internal processing register.
Legally robust outcome
You receive a structured tenant recommendation with credit rating, income-to-rent ratio and previous tenancy – as a basis for your decision, never as an automated rejection.
Documents we need from you as landlord
Complete paperwork shortens time to let measurably. On request we obtain missing documents for you – from the energy certificate to the land register extract and the WoFlV area calculation.
Mandatory: energy certificate (§ 80 GEG) and correct WoFlV area statement. Recommended: prior-year utility statement, house rules, floor plan. For the contract: legally sound template, handover protocol with meter readings.
Energy certificate
RequiredMandatory under § 80 GEG, to be shown by the viewing. Valid for 10 years. Fines up to € 10,000 for non-compliance.
Floor plan & area calculation
RequiredPer WoFlV. Basis for correct area disclosure in listing and contract – discrepancies over 10 % give tenants rent-reduction rights (Federal Court case law).
Utility statement (prior year)
RecommendedLets applicants assess the realistic warm rent. Transparency raises conversion.
House rules
RecommendedFor condominium properties: declaration of division + community rules. Become part of the contract.
Tenant self-disclosure form
RequiredWe provide the current, legally vetted template.
Handover protocol
RequiredMeter readings for electricity/gas/water, key count, condition – documented with photographic evidence.
We already have pre-screened tenants actively looking in the Rhine-Neckar region. List your property – with a good match we can place it without ever going live on a portal.
As a certified Gold Partner we publish your listing with top visibility on Germany's largest property portal – premium placement, extended reach and visible Gold Partner badge on the exposé.
Let privately or with an agent?
Letting privately saves the commission on paper (1 % annual cold rent) – but takes 20–40 hours of your time and usually leads to longer vacancy due to weaker reach. Our take from 23 years in practice: the 1 % flat fee almost always pays for itself in reduced vacancy and preventive credit checks.
Letting privately saves the flat fee but costs time, tends to extend vacancy and raises the risk of void contract clauses and GDPR breaches. With an agent you gain reach, structured credit checks, a legally sound contract and liability protection.
The 7 most common mistakes when letting property
These are the mistakes we see over and over in rental practice – each one can lead to arrears, refund obligations or fines. Here is how to avoid them from day one.
Most common: asking rent above the cap (§ 556d BGB), inadmissible questions (§ 1 AGG), no energy certificate (§ 80 GEG), excessive deposit (§ 551 BGB), vague service-charge clause (§ 556 BGB / BetrKV), missed utility-statement deadline and a superficial credit check. Each one can get expensive fast.
Rent above the statutory cap
In cities with rent-cap regulation (e.g. Heidelberg, Mannheim), new-tenancy rent may exceed the local comparable by no more than 10 % (§ 556d BGB). Excess rent can be reclaimed under § 556g BGB – tenants have formal objection rights.
Inadmissible questions in the self-disclosure
Questions on marital status, pregnancy, religion or political views are inadmissible (§ 1 AGG and Federal Court case law). Using them risks damages claims and reputational harm.
Missing or incorrect energy certificate
§ 80 GEG requires it to be shown by the viewing. Non-compliance attracts fines up to € 10,000. Energy values in the listing are also mandatory.
Deposit above the statutory cap
For residential, a maximum of three net cold rents (§ 551 (1) BGB). Any excess demand is void; the tenant can reclaim it – even years later.
No concrete service-charge clause
§ 556 BGB together with BetrKV require allocable costs to be named concretely. A blanket reference to BetrKV is not enough (Federal Court XII ZR 164/16). Consequence: the tenant owes only the base cold rent.
Missing the utility-statement deadline
The statement must reach the tenant within 12 months of the billing period's end or any follow-up claim lapses – § 556 (3) s. 3 BGB. We remind you in good time.
Superficial credit check
Without income proof and a SCHUFA report, arrears risk spikes – in our practice the single most expensive mistake a landlord makes. A solid up-front check pays back the 1 % fee many times over.
How long does letting actually take?
In our Rhine-Neckar practice, a market-rate apartment typically lets within two to six weeks from listing to signed contract. Excessive rent or incomplete paperwork visibly extend vacancy.
Realistically 2–6 weeks for an apartment in the Rhine-Neckar region. There is no official benchmark – it depends on price, location, condition and size.
Note: the time ranges are our own practice in the Rhine-Neckar region, not industry statistics. Properties needing renovation or with special locations may differ.
What our clients say about us
Real reviews from real clients – see for yourself the quality of our work.
Lisa Giardina
02/2026
We had the viewing with Mr. Sela and the financing appointment with Mr. Rösch – and can only warmly recommend both. Everything went super relaxed yet absolutely professional.
Oudi Hamada
09/2025
The apartment purchase went absolutely smoothly and professionally. From the first viewing to the key handover, I was always accompanied reliably, friendly and competently.
Said B.
09/2025
Thanks to the great support from Tobias, we were able to make our dream of owning a house come true. From viewing to financing, it's worth even more than a 5-star review.
Daniela Pignata
09/2025
From the beginning, through marketing to the sale of a property, I was very well looked after. The advice was absolutely right. The handling with MiaMakler relieved me immensely.
C S
04/2025
What a wonderful time it was with you! It's truly rare to encounter not only competence in such a process, but also so much warmth, humor and genuine togetherness.
Michael Näther
01/2025
The sale of our property was completed in the shortest possible time. The entire team is sensationally good, always reachable, even on weekends. 6 stars!
All services under one roof
Beyond letting, we also cover sales, valuation, renovation and financing – one contact for every property question.
Letting in the Rhine-Neckar region
From our headquarters in Schwetzingen we serve 24 towns between Heidelberg, Mannheim, Speyer and the Kraichgau. We know the micro-locations, rent-index values and tenant profiles – and place your property where the right audience is looking.
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Local market knowledge for every city we serve. Click your city for rents, market data and personal advice.
Frequently asked questions about letting property
The ten questions landlords in the Rhine-Neckar region ask us most often – with pointers to the relevant statutes.
For residential rentals, the "orderer-pays" principle in § 2 (1a) WoVermRG applies: the agent's commission is paid only by the party that instructed the agent – usually the landlord. The tenant may be charged no more than two net cold rents plus VAT, and only if they instructed the agent themselves (§ 3 (2) WoVermRG). Our MIA flat fee of 1 % of the annual cold rent per unit is paid by the landlord – the tenant pays no commission.
Where our data comes from
Every paragraph, deadline and data point on this page can be verified. The following primary sources (statutes, GDPR, Destatis, Bundesbank, municipal rent indices, IHK) are the foundation of our advice – not hearsay or marketing studies.
Laws & regulations
- [1]§ 535 BGB – Typical obligations of a tenancy contractgesetze-im-internet.de
Legal basis of every tenancy in Germany – use granted against rent, landlord's maintenance duty.
- [2]§§ 556d ff. BGB – Rent capgesetze-im-internet.de
Caps new-tenancy rent at 10 % above the local comparable in designated areas. Complemented by state regulations.
- [3]§ 558 BGB – Rent increases up to the local comparablegesetze-im-internet.de
Increase ceiling: up to 20 % in three years (15 % in tight markets).
- [4]§ 551 BGB – Rent depositgesetze-im-internet.de
For residential: maximum three cold rents, held separate from the landlord's own funds.
- [5]§ 556 BGB – Operating costsgesetze-im-internet.de
Allocation to tenant only by explicit clause. 12-month billing deadline (§ 556 (3) s. 3).
- [6]BetrKV – Operating Costs Ordinancegesetze-im-internet.de
Defines conclusively which cost types qualify as allocable operating costs.
- [7]§ 2 WoVermRG – Orderer-pays principle for rentalsgesetze-im-internet.de
Since 1 June 2015: commission is owed by whoever instructed the agent. Maximum two net cold rents from tenants (§ 3 WoVermRG).
- [8]§ 80 GEG – Energy certificate for rentalsgesetze-im-internet.de
Must be shown by the viewing at the latest. Fines up to € 10,000 (§ 108 GEG).
- [9]WoFlV – Living Area Regulationgesetze-im-internet.de
Official calculation of living area – basis for rent per sqm and cost allocation.
- [10]§ 1 AGG – General Act on Equal Treatmentgesetze-im-internet.de
Prohibits discrimination in residential letting on grounds of origin, sex, religion, disability, age or sexual identity.
Market & rent data
- [1]Federal Statistical Office – Rent indexdestatis.de
Official rent trend within the consumer price index – reference for indexed tenancies.
- [2]Deutsche Bundesbank – Residential property indicator systembundesbank.de
Official Bundesbank portal with rent and financing indicators.
- [3]Rent index of the City of Heidelbergheidelberg.de
Qualified rent index under § 558d BGB – basis for the local comparable.
- [4]Rent index of the City of Mannheimmannheim.de
Mannheim rent index as a binding reference for comparable rents.
- [5]IHK Rhine-Neckar – Commercial market datarhein-neckar.ihk24.de
Location data, industry figures and commercial-space trends in the metropolitan region.
Consumer & data protection
- [1]Art. 6 GDPR – Lawfulness of processingdsgvo-gesetz.de
Legal basis for all tenant data processing – typically the applicant's consent.
- [2]Verbraucherzentrale – Tenant and landlord rightsverbraucherzentrale.de
Overview of landlord rights and duties – including credit checks and self-disclosures.
- [3]Deutscher Mieterbund – rent cap explainermieterbund.de
Independent explainer on the rent cap and its exceptions – tenant perspective, factually solid.
Note: the information on this page is no substitute for individual legal advice. The applicability of the rent cap is set by state regulation and changes periodically – we check the current rule for each property. Our assessments rely on 23+ years of practice in the Rhine-Neckar region.
Ready to let? Book your free consultation.
We listen, analyse the market rent for your property and show you the best strategy – personal, non-binding, no hidden costs.