How do I get my rental deposit (Kaution) back in Germany?
Send your landlord a formal written demand (Mahnung) with a payment deadline — in Germany, this letter is the legal first step before court. If the landlord doesn't pay, you can file a court payment order (Mahnbescheid) online without a lawyer. Pakta prepares the complete, lawyer-reviewed document set for this exact process for €69 — you just send it.

How long can a landlord keep my deposit in Germany?
Generally 3 to 6 months after you move out — German courts allow a "reasonable examination period" (BGH case law), typically up to 6 months. A landlord may hold back a small part longer only for a pending utility bill settlement (Nebenkostenabrechnung). "I'll return it next year" is not a legal position.

What can a landlord legally deduct from my deposit?
Only actual damage beyond normal wear and tear, unpaid rent, or documented outstanding utility costs. Normal wear — worn floors, faded paint, small dowel holes — is the landlord's cost by law (§ 538 BGB). The landlord must prove every deduction, not you.

My landlord is ignoring my messages about the deposit. What can I do?
Stop messaging and switch to formal legal steps: a written Mahnung with a 14-day deadline, sent by registered mail (Einschreiben). Silence after a formal demand opens the way to a court payment order and default interest on your money (§ 288 BGB). Pakta prepares this letter for you, ready to send.

What is a Mahnbescheid and how much does it cost?
A Mahnbescheid is an official German court payment order — the court formally demands payment from your landlord without a hearing or a lawyer. Court fees start at €36 (depending on the amount) and are added to your claim: the landlord ultimately pays them. You can file it online; Pakta's Basic package includes the full step-by-step instructions in English.

Can my landlord keep the whole deposit because of a pending utility bill (Nebenkosten)?
No — only a proportionate part, roughly the expected size of the final bill, and only if a settlement is genuinely pending. Withholding the entire deposit "until the Nebenkostenabrechnung" is one of the most common illegal excuses.

Do I need a lawyer to get my deposit back in Germany?
For most cases, no. The demand letter and the court payment order (Mahnbescheid) are designed to work without a lawyer — Pakta prepares both for you, reviewed by a German tenant law attorney. A lawyer becomes relevant only if the landlord formally objects in court — and if you have legal insurance (Rechtsschutzversicherung) from before the dispute, the insurer covers it.

Does the landlord owe me interest on my deposit?
Twice over: the deposit itself must sit in an interest-bearing account separate from the landlord's money (§ 551 BGB), and once the landlord is in default, you're owed default interest of 5 percentage points above the base rate (§ 288 BGB). Pakta's demand letter includes both claims automatically.

I already left Germany. Can I still claim my deposit from abroad?
Yes. The claim doesn't expire when you leave — it's enforceable for 3 years (standard limitation period). The entire process — demand letter, registered mail, online court filing — works from any country, which is exactly the situation Pakta is built for.

Is Pakta a law firm? Is this legal advice?
No — Pakta is not a law firm, and this isn't individual legal advice. We prepare your documents for you — the demand letter and court filing paperwork, reviewed by a German tenant law attorney — and you send them under your own name. That keeps it fast, legal, and a fraction of a lawyer's cost.