Skip to content
Sign In
Home
Features
Tenant Communication
Property Handover
Tenant portal
Utility billing
SmartBar
Personal assistant
Legal compliance
Pricing
Magazine
Dark
English
Sign In

Individual Ownership (Sondereigentum)

Individual ownership (Sondereigentum) in German condominium law (WEG): what it includes, what it does not, and how it differs from common property.

Management
§ 3, § 5 WEG

Also known as: sole ownership, separate ownership, exclusive ownership

Individual ownership (Sondereigentum) under German condominium law encompasses the interior rooms of the apartment, including non-load-bearing interior walls, floor coverings, interior doors, and sanitary installations. Load-bearing walls, windows, exterior walls, and the roof cannot be designated as individual ownership. (§ 3, § 5 WEG)

Related Terms

Common Property (Gemeinschaftseigentum)Declaration of Division (Teilungserklärung)Co-Ownership Share (Miteigentumsanteil)Certificate of Completion (Abgeschlossenheitsbescheinigung)

Related articles

Articles from the CIRO Magazine covering this topic

Moving out: What tenants actually owe – cosmetic repairs, renovation & legal obligations in Germany
5 min read

Moving out: What tenants actually owe – cosmetic repairs, renovation & legal obligations in Germany

Painting, wallpapering, renovating – the list of potential tasks before moving out of a rented apartment ranges from simple to extensive. A look at the rental agreement provides starting points for the landlord's expectations. But what obligations does German case law actually impose on tenants? This guide clarifies whether a renovation obligation for tenants actually exists when handing over a rental apartment.

Denise SonnenscheinDenise Sonnenschein26.01.2026
Back to Glossary