Renting & Housing
How long until you get your rental deposit back?
Estimated wait
3 months – 12 months
Typically ~6 months
Based on published sources
Timeline guide
- Faster cases~4 months
- Average cases~6 months
- Slower casesUp to 12 months
No fixed statutory deadline exists — the 3–6 months is court practice, not law. The landlord may lawfully retain a reasonable portion for a pending utility bill but must promptly return the clearly-unneeded surplus, not the whole sum. General information, not legal advice.
There is no legal deadline — § 551 BGB does not set one. In practice tenants get the deposit back within about 3 to 6 months after moving out and handing over the flat, once the landlord has checked for damages and settled any open claims (case-law "reasonable period").
More details
Where a Nebenkostenabrechnung is still pending, the landlord may keep only a proportionate part until it is settled, so full repayment can stretch toward 12 months.
Last updated: 15 Jul 2026
Information is for general knowledge only.