Furnished temporary housing: check the contract and rental rules
Immo Hunter editorial team · 25 October 2026 · Updated 25 October 2026
Furniture does not automatically create an exception
A furnished listing initially describes the equipment. Furniture alone does not establish that the exception for accommodation let for temporary use applies. Check the purpose of use, contract type and agreed duration separately.
An ordinary fixed-term tenancy
For a fixed-term tenancy within the scope of section 575 BGB, the statutory requirements must be met. These include written notice of a legally specified reason for the fixed term when the contract is concluded. An end date alone is not the same as that reason.
Temporary use is a different case
Section 549(2)(1) BGB concerns accommodation let only for temporary use. For the cases listed in subsection 2, the statute excludes specified protections, including section 575. The requirements of an ordinary fixed-term tenancy therefore cannot simply be transferred to that same exception. A listing headline cannot establish whether the exception applies to a particular contract.
Write down costs and furnishings
Record rent, its price basis, additional charges, the deposit, inventory and furniture condition. Ask about missing details. This guide gives no standard market surcharge: that would require current comparable offers for the same city, size and equipment.
Resolve open questions before signing
Ask which contract type is intended, why the use should be limited in time and what the agreement says about its end. If the legal classification is unclear, seek advice about the actual agreement. The linked statutes provide orientation, not a review of an individual case.