Purpose
Commercial lease law knows no social protection of tenure — but it does have another central risk: § 550 BGB. A defect in written form makes a contract concluded for ten years ordinarily terminable, and the cure clauses customary in response to this do not hold. This skill examines written form, value preservation, protection from competition and operating duty, reviews the general terms and conditions and addresses adjustment due to frustration of the basis of the transaction.
Inputs
- Lease agreement with all annexes, amendments and side agreements — complete, with dates
- Term, extension options, agreed notice periods
- Rent structure: fixed rent, graduated rent, index, turnover rent; value preservation clause in its wording
- Rental purpose / description of assortment, protection from competition and operating duty clauses
- Competitors in the property (in the case of shopping centres: tenant structure, centre management)
- In the case of a request for adjustment: turnover development, government measures, aid, insurance benefits
- Whether consumer or entrepreneur status, general terms and conditions or individual agreement
Sub-agent architecture
The examination is carried by specialised steps in prose; this skill deliberately does not include a agentsblock is deliberately omitted by this skill (mietrecht convention). A written-form reviewer works through the entire contract including amendments against § 550 BGB — this step decides the security of the term and therefore comes first. An remuneration reviewer checks value preservation, graduated rent and turnover rent. A use reviewer clarifies rental purpose, protection from competition and operating duty. A general terms and conditions reviewer subjects the clauses to the content review under §§ 305 ff. BGB in dealings between businesses. An adjustment reviewer assesses § 313 BGB and Art. 240 § 7 EGBGB.
Procedure
1. Delimitation and applicable law
The general lease provisions (§§ 535–548 BGB) as well as the provisions on lease relationships over rooms apply to the commercial lease; the protective provisions of residential lease law (§§ 549 ff. BGB — rent brake, § 558 BGB, protection against termination §§ 573 ff. BGB, hardship clause §§ 574 ff. BGB) do notapply. Freedom of contract is correspondingly broad; its limit is formed by review of general terms and conditions under §§ 305 ff. BGB, which also applies between businesses — however without the prohibitions on clauses under §§ 308, 309 BGB applying directly (§ 310 Abs. 1 BGB), but which have indicative effect within the framework of § 307 BGB.
2. Written form of long-term contracts (§ 550 BGB)
If the lease agreement is concluded for longer than one year not in written form concluded, it is deemed concluded for an indefinite period; termination is permissible at the earliest upon expiry of one year after handing over. This is the practically most important provision of commercial lease law: a formal defect turns a ten-year contract into one that can be ordinarily terminated.
The written form requires that all essential contractual terms — parties, leased object, rent, lease term — emerge from a single document that is signed by both sides. Typical defects:
- Amendments without reference to the original contract or without signature by all parties,
- Annexes (floor plan, area schedule, building description) that are not firmly attached or not clearly referenced,
- Representation relationships without a representation suffix in the case of companies,
- Changes of party (sale, conversion) without documentation preserving the form,
- oral ancillary agreements on essential points.
Written form cure clauses — clauses that obligate the parties to cure the formal defect and until then not to terminate ordinarily — are invalid; a purchaser is not bound by them (BGH, judgment of 27.09.2017 – XII ZR 114/16, BGHZ 216, 68 = NJW 2017, 3772, https://dejure.org/dienste/vernetzung/rechtsprechung?Gericht=BGH&Datum=2017-09-27&Aktenzeichen=XII%20ZR%20114/16). Reliance on the formal defect can be contrary to good faith only in exceptional cases (§ 242 BGB). Consequence for practice: written form audit before every amendment and before every transaction — do not rely on cure clauses.
3. Graduated and index rent (§ 557a BGB, § 557b BGB)
The graduated rent fixes the rent in terms of amount for specific periods; each step must be determined as to its amount. The index rent links the rent to the Consumer Price Index for Germanydetermined by the Federal Statistical Office. The clause must clearly govern the reference figure, the base date, the adjustment mechanism (automatic or upon declaration) and the adjustment rhythm. In commercial lease law, the restrictions of residential lease law (§ 557b(2) BGB: rent unchanged for at least one year) are not mandatory; the limits arise from the Price Clause Act and standard terms review. Unilateral clauses that permit only increases and no decreases are problematic in standard terms.
4. Protection against competition
The contract-immanent protection against competition is an unwritten ancillary obligation of the landlord under § 535(1) BGB: he may not establish a competing business in the same property that competes with the tenant in the contractually agreed main product range competes. It applies even without an express agreement, but extends only as far as the rental purpose stipulated in the contract — therefore a precise description of the range of goods is the most effective protection. An extended protection against competition requires an agreement; an exclusion of protection against competition is only possible to a limited extent in standard terms and conditions. Legal consequences of a breach: claim for injunctive relief, reduction under Section 536 of the German Civil Code (BGB), damages, and in serious cases termination under Section 543 BGB.
5. Operating obligation and opening
An operating obligation — the obligation to operate the business during opening hours — exists not by law; it must be agreed. In shopping centers it is customary and in principle also permissible in standard-form contracts, because the center concept establishes a legitimate interest. Critical in standard terms and conditions are: operating obligation combined with product range commitment and exclusion of protection against competition (cumulative effect), rigid opening hours requirements without any possibility of adjustment, and contractual penalties. In the event of a closure ordered by the authorities, the operating obligation is suspended.
6. Disruption of the basis of the contract (Section 313 BGB, Article 240 Section 7 EGBGB)
Article 240 Section 7 EGBGB contains an actual presumption: If leased properties or premises are not usable or only usable to a considerably restricted extent for the tenant's business as a result of state measures to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, it is presumed that in this respect a circumstance within the meaning of Section 313(1) BGB, which became the basis of the lease agreement, has changed significantly after conclusion of the contract. The presumption concerns only the actual element; reasonableness and scope of adjustment remain subject to a comprehensive case-by-case assessment.
The Federal Court of Justice has clarified this: A pandemic-related business closure does not constitute a defect within the meaning of Section 536 BGB and does not lead to impossibility; only an adjustment under Section 313(1) BGB comes into consideration, and indeed not on a flat 50/50 basis, but after a comprehensive weighing of all circumstances of the individual case — decline in turnover at the specific property, state aid, insurance benefits, expenses saved, continued existence (BGH, judgment of 12 January 2022 – XII ZR 8/21, https://dejure.org/dienste/vernetzung/rechtsprechung?Gericht=BGH&Datum=2022-01-12&Aktenzeichen=XII%20ZR%208/21). Under Section 313(3) BGB , rescission — in the case of a continuing obligation, termination — comes into consideration only if adjustment is not possible or unreasonable for one party; adjustment therefore always takes precedence.
7. Termination and end (Section 580a BGB, Section 543 BGB)
For open-ended agreements concerning business premises, ordinary termination is at the latest by the third working day of a calendar quarter for the end of the next calendar quarter permissible (§ 580a(2) BGB). Deviating agreements are permissible. Fixed-term contracts end upon expiry of the term; ordinary termination is excluded — unless a defect in written form under § 550 BGB opens it up. The extraordinary termination with immediate effect under § 543 BGB remains possible at all times; § 569 BGB does not apply to business premises, in particular there is no grace period payment. A landlord's lien on the items brought in exists under § 562 BGB. On the eviction: /mietrecht:raeumungsklage.
Sources
Statute
- § 535 BGB, § 536 BGB, § 543 BGB, § 550 BGB, § 562 BGB, § 580a BGB
- § 557a BGB, § 557b BGB
- § 305 BGB, § 307 BGB, § 310 BGB, § 313 BGB, § 242 BGB
- Art. 240 EGBGB (§ 7 — frustration of contract in the case of lease) PrKG
Commentaries
- Leo, in: Lindner-Figura/Oprée/Stellmann, Geschäftsraummiete, current edition, Ch. 6 (written form)
- Bieber, in: MüKoBGB, 9th ed. 2023, § 550 para. 1 et seq.; § 580a para. 1 et seq.
- Blank/Börstinghaus, Miete, current edition, § 550 para. 1 et seq.
- Weidenkaff, in: Grüneberg, BGB, 84th ed. 2025, § 550 para. 1 et seq.; § 313 para. 1 et seq.
Case law
- BGH, judgment of 27.09.2017 – XII ZR 114/16, BGHZ 216, 68 = NJW 2017, 3772 (written-form cure clauses invalid; reliance on the defect in written form contrary to good faith only in exceptional cases) — verified: https://dejure.org/dienste/vernetzung/rechtsprechung?Gericht=BGH&Datum=2017-09-27&Aktenzeichen=XII%20ZR%20114/16
- BGH, judgment of 12.01.2022 – XII ZR 8/21 (rent payment obligation in the event of a coronavirus-related business closure; no defect, adjustment under § 313 BGB only after balancing the circumstances of the individual case) — verified: https://dejure.org/dienste/vernetzung/rechtsprechung?Gericht=BGH&Datum=2022-01-12&Aktenzeichen=XII%20ZR%208/21
- For the scope of the contractual implied protection against competition and for the standard terms review of clauses imposing an obligation to operate, the relevant BGH case law is to be consulted
[unverifiziert - prüfen].
Drafting aid — request for adjustment under § 313 BGB
Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,
für das Mietverhältnis über die Gewerbeeinheit <Anschrift> verlange ich
namens meiner Mandantschaft die Anpassung der Miete gemäß § 313 Abs. 1 BGB
für den Zeitraum <von> bis <bis>.
1. Reales Element: Die Mieträume waren aufgrund <Bezeichnung der
staatlichen Maßnahme> vom <Datum> bis <Datum> für den vertraglich
vereinbarten Betrieb <nicht / nur erheblich eingeschränkt> verwendbar.
Insoweit greift die Vermutung des Art. 240 § 7 Abs. 1 EGBGB.
2. Umsatzentwicklung: Der Umsatz der Einheit betrug im Vergleichszeitraum
des Vorjahres <Betrag> EUR, im betroffenen Zeitraum <Betrag> EUR,
mithin ein Rückgang von <…> %. Die Zahlen sind durch die beigefügte
betriebswirtschaftliche Auswertung belegt.
3. Kompensation: Staatliche Hilfen wurden in Höhe von <Betrag> EUR gewährt
bzw. <abgelehnt / beantragt>. Leistungen einer
Betriebsschließungsversicherung wurden <nicht erbracht / in Höhe von
<Betrag> erbracht>. Ersparte Aufwendungen betrugen <Betrag> EUR.
4. Zumutbarkeit: Unter Abwägung aller Umstände — insbesondere <…> — ist
das Festhalten am unveränderten Vertrag unzumutbar. Eine pauschale
hälftige Teilung wird ausdrücklich nicht zugrunde gelegt.
Ich schlage eine Reduzierung der Nettokaltmiete um <…> % für den genannten
Zeitraum vor und bitte um Rückäußerung bis zum <Datum>.
Mit freundlichen Grüßen
Output format
GEWERBERAUMMIETE — Prüfung — <Mandat-ID> — <Datum>
I. Vertragstyp / anwendbares Recht [Geschäftsraum — §§ 573 ff. BGB nicht anwendbar]
II. Schriftform (§ 550 BGB) — AUDIT
- Einheitliche Urkunde [✅ / ❌]
- Nachträge formwahrend [✅ / ❌ <Nachtrag Nr. …>]
- Anlagen in Bezug genommen [✅ / ❌]
- Vertretungszusätze [✅ / ❌]
- Parteiwechsel dokumentiert [✅ / N/A / ❌]
Schriftformheilungsklausel [vorhanden — unwirksam / keine]
FOLGE [Laufzeit gesichert /
ordentlich kündbar zum <Datum> 🔴]
III. Mietstruktur [Fest / Staffel § 557a / Index § 557b / Umsatz]
Wertsicherungsklausel [wirksam / PrKG-Risiko / AGB-Risiko]
IV. Mietzweck / Sortiment <Wortlaut>
Konkurrenzschutz [vertragsimmanent / erweitert / ausgeschlossen]
Verletzung [nein / ja → Unterlassung, § 536, § 543]
V. Betriebspflicht [keine / vereinbart] AGB-Kontrolle [✅ / ⚠️]
Kumulation mit Sortimentsbindung [unkritisch / ⚠️]
VI. Störung der Geschäftsgrundlage
- Art. 240 § 7 EGBGB Vermutung [greift / N/A]
- Umsatzrückgang <…> %
- Staatliche Hilfen / Versicherung <Betrag>
- Ergebnis Abwägung [Anpassung um <…> % / keine]
- § 313 Abs. 3 BGB Kündigung [nachrangig / ausnahmsweise]
VII. Beendigung [Zeitablauf <Datum> / § 580a Abs. 2 BGB /
§ 543 BGB]
Schonfristzahlung § 569 BGB [N/A — gilt nicht für Geschäftsraum]
VIII. Vermieterpfandrecht (§ 562 BGB) [besteht / eingeschränkt]
Ergebnis: <…>
Risiko: [🟢 / 🟡 / 🔴]
Risks / typical mistakes
- Defect in written form under § 550 BGB — the largest single risk item in commercial leases; it makes the long-term contract ordinarily terminable and is typically discovered only during the transaction.
- Relied on written-form cure clause — it is invalid and in particular does not bind the purchaser; instead, a written-form audit before each amendment.
- Amendments and annexes not preserving written form — missing reference, loose annexes or missing representative additions suffice for the defect in form.
- Protection against competition with too broad a rental purpose — the contractual implied protection extends only as far as the agreed main product range; an imprecise specification of purpose devalues it.
- Operating obligation in standard terms and conditions cumulated — An operating obligation plus product range commitment plus exclusion of protection against competition can, when viewed as a whole, cause unreasonable disadvantage.
- Corona closure treated as a defect — Section 536 of the German Civil Code does not apply; only Section 313 of the German Civil Code comes into consideration.
- Equal division as an automatic mechanism — Article 240 Section 7 of the Introductory Act to the German Civil Code presumes only the actual element; the level of adjustment requires a comprehensive weighing of the individual case.
- Residential tenancy law applied — The rent brake, Section 558 of the German Civil Code, protection against termination and the social clause do not apply to commercial premises; nor does the grace period payment under Section 569 of the German Civil Code.