Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors
post
page

FAQ Germany*

Pets

Can I bring my pet to the apartment?​

If you wish to have a pet in your apartment, check your lease agreement [Link to FAQ Housing] to find out which of the scenarios described here applies to you. You could also try to find out if other tenants in your building have pets and what the landlord’s/landlady’s policy has been in the past. In any case, getting in touch with your landlord/landlady about the issue is advisable before bringing a pet into the apartment.

Pets – What are the rules in apartments?

In any case, two general rules apply:

  • You can bring “small animals”, like rabbits, golden hamsters and fish. Please note that cats and dogs are not considered “small animals”.
  • You are not allowed to bring too many animals or animals that can either reasonably scare people and/or are dangerous due to their species (venomous snakes or attack/combat dogs).

Whether other animals than “small animals” are allowed in the apartment depends on the lease agreement:

If the lease agreement permits bringing pets

You are allowed to bring any kind of pet that the lease agreement lists. Multiple pets are allowed but only up to a reasonable number.

If the lease agreement prohibits bringing pets

You are not allowed to bring the pets that are listed in the lease agreement, including cats and dogs.

If the lease agreement is a “form agreement”, such a clause is only valid if it contains a rule that the interests of the tenant in bringing a pet are weighed against the interests of the landlord/landlady and the other tenants. If the clause does not contain such a rule, the following principles apply (see FAQs HOUSING, Question 15)

If the lease agreement requires an individual permission by the landlord/landlad

You will need to ask the landlord/landlady for his/her permission before you bring your pet to the apartment. The landlord/landlady may only refuse to grant permission for substantial reasons (e.g., if the neighbors have a strong interest in keeping the house free of certain animals, see FAQs HOUSING, Question 15).

 

If the lease agreement does not mention pets

In this case, your interest in bringing a pet has to outweigh the legitimate interests of the landlord/landlady and other tenants. Unfortunately, there are no general rules as to what species and number of animals are allowed. The most relevant factors in determining, whether you are allowed to bring a pet into the apartment include:

  • species, size, behaviour and number of animals;
  • special needs of the tenant (e.g., a guide or support dog will most likely be allowed);
  • size, condition and location of the apartment;
  • personal circumstances (e.g., age) and legitimate interests of your neighbors (e.g., a loud animal like a parrot could harass neighbors; a neighbor has a strong allergy against a certain animal);
  • total number and species of other animals in a house;
  • previous legitimate decisions that the landlord/landlady made about other tenants’ pets.

* No guarantee can be given for the correctness and completeness of the information published in the FAQ. The published FAQs contain general information that cannot reflect every individual case.

go back to start