Commissioning Principle (Bestellerprinzip)
Commissioning principle for rentals and purchases: Who pays the estate agent? Current legal situation and cost distribution in Germany explained.
Financial
§ 2 WoVermittG (Miete); § 656a BGB (Kauf)
Also known as: orderer pays principle, who orders pays principle
The Bestellerprinzip (commissioning principle) determines who pays the estate agent's commission (Courtage). For residential rentals, the rule since 2015 is: whoever commissions the agent pays them. For property purchases, a new regulation was introduced on 23 December 2020 (§ 656a-656d BGB): the agent's commission must generally be split equally between buyer and seller.