The 2-month rule: what a tipster may charge

Good news for everyone hunting for an apartment: the finder fee is legally capped. A tipster may charge at most two months of cold rent including VAT for their service.

How it is calculated

The cold rent (without utilities) forms the basis. Example: €1,000 cold rent = a maximum of €2,000 finder fee incl. VAT. Anything above that is not permitted — and you should decline the offer.

What to look out for

• Ask for the price in writing before commissioning — a reputable platform shows it transparently.
• Pay on success only: the fee is due only when the lease is signed.
• Escrow protects you: the amount stays secure until a successful match — and is refunded if things go wrong.

With Kiezfinder the price cap is built in: no finder can charge more than two months of cold rent — the system checks this automatically.