Schleswig-Holstein: an increase cap, but no rent brake
Schleswig-Holstein limits rent increases in 62 municipalities but leaves the starting rent of new leases free.
Checked by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method
Maximum rent at the start of the tenancy
no cap
The municipality is in no ordinance on this date.
| Local reference rent | €11.00/m² |
| Reference rent for your floor area | €682 |
| Rent brake | does not apply here |
| Increase cap | 20 % in three years |
Without the rent brake, Sections 556d ff. BGB set no limit at signing. Later increases still follow Section 558 BGB, with the reference rent and the cap.
How we calculateSchleswig-Holstein has had no rent brake (Mietpreisbremse) since 30 November 2019, so the starting rent of a new lease can be agreed freely throughout the state. For rent increases, however, a lowered cap of 15 per cent over three years applies in 62 municipalities. The cap ordinance has been in force since 1 May 2024 and runs until 30 April 2029. It covers the cities of Kiel, Lübeck and Flensburg, the Hamburg commuter belt with Norderstedt, Pinneberg, Ahrensburg, Reinbek or Wedel, and many holiday resorts on the North Sea and Baltic, from Sylt, Föhr and Amrum to Fehmarn, Timmendorfer Strand and Scharbeutz. Everywhere else the nationwide 20 per cent limit applies. An example from Kiel: a rent of €497 for 65 m² may rise to at most €571.55 at an assumed reference rent of €9.00 per square metre, even if the landlord asks for €585.
Only one ordinance
The Schleswig-Holstein cap ordinance (GVOBl. Schl.-H. 2024 p. 308) rests on Section 558(3) of the Civil Code and lists 62 numbered municipalities. The state has issued no ordinance under Section 556d since 2019. The rent check therefore shows no ceiling for any Schleswig-Holstein municipality on a new lease and applies 15 or 20 per cent to increases, depending on whether the municipality is listed.
Kiel as an example
A 65 m² flat, current rent €497, assumed reference rent €9.00: the reference rent allows €585.00, the cap €571.55. The lower amount, €571.55, is lawful. A letter received on 14 October 2026 must be answered by 31 December 2026. If you want to judge whether a new lease at €640 is high, compare it with the reference rent; Schleswig-Holstein sets no legal ceiling for it.
Every municipality with the 15 per cent cap
| Letter | Count | Municipalities |
|---|---|---|
| A | 3 | Ahrensburg, Ammersbek, Aumühle |
| B | 8 | Bad Schwartau, Bad Segeberg, Bargfeld-Stegen, Bargteheide, Barsbüttel, Bönningstedt, Börnsen, Büsum |
| D | 1 | Dahme |
| E | 1 | Elmshorn |
| F | 2 | Fehmarn, Flensburg |
| G | 5 | Geesthacht, Glinde, Grömitz, Groß Grönau, Großenbrode |
| H | 8 | Halstenbek, Hasloh, Heikendorf, Heiligenhafen, Helgoland, Henstedt-Ulzburg, Hohwacht, Hörnum |
| K | 4 | Kaltenkirchen, Kampen, Kellenhusen, Kiel |
| L | 3 | Laboe, List auf Sylt, Lübeck |
| N | 2 | Neustadt in Holstein, Norderstedt |
| O | 1 | Oststeinbek |
| P | 1 | Pinneberg |
| Q | 1 | Quickborn |
| R | 4 | Ratekau, Reinbek, Reinfeld, Rellingen |
| S | 7 | Scharbeutz, Schenefeld, Schönberg, Siek, Sierksdorf, Stockelsdorf, Sylt |
| T | 3 | Timmendorfer Strand, Trappenkamp, Trittau |
| U | 1 | Uetersen |
| W | 7 | Wedel, Wenningstedt-Braderup, Wentorf bei Hamburg, Wittdün auf Amrum, Wohltorf, Wrixum, Wyk auf Föhr |