Hi everyone,
I’m looking for some advice on escalating a security deposit dispute. I was in Germany for 6 months (till about Jan 2026) as an exchange student and was renting out a studio apartment at the time. I had deregistered from the city office and vacated the premises in Dec itself.
According to my contract, the deposit was due back within 12 weeks (which was March 2026). It is now May, and I have:
- Submitted my deregistration (Abmeldung).
- Sent multiple follow-up emails, tried calling several times.
- Sent a formal "Letzte außergerichtliche Mahnung" (Final Warning) via email setting a deadline of April 29th.
The deadline has passed with zero response and no money transferred. I know they are now legally in by default.
My questions:
Since I am currently abroad(back to my home country), can I still initiate the Online-Mahnantrag (court order for payment) myself, or do I need a German address/representative? I think I will have to send a Mahnung by post before doing this?
Should I get in touch with a legal team who may help me through the process? In this case, I hope that the landlord will bear my legal expenses, as I am in this situation through no fault of my own.
I want to make sure I’m not missing any German Bureaucracy steps before I trigger the court process. Thanks!