Locked out as a tenant in Germany: who pays the locksmith?
Short answer: if you locked yourself out, you pay. If the lock failed on its own through wear or age, it is the landlord's cost. If you lost the key and the whole locking system has to be changed, your private liability insurance (Privathaftpflicht) often covers it, but only if the policy includes key loss. Always insist on an invoice with the company address and VAT shown; without it you can claim nothing from anyone.
This page exists because the rules here surprise people who did not grow up with them. German rental law separates the cause of the problem from the person who happens to be standing in front of the door. Three situations cover almost everything.
1. You pulled the door shut and the key is inside
This is your cost. It is not a defect of the flat, so the landlord is not involved and the building management has no obligation to help. The bill is yours, and a normal door opening is from 59 € during the day.
One thing worth knowing: most standard private liability policies do not cover simply locking yourself out, because no third-party property was damaged. Some newer policies include a "Türöffnung" clause. Check your policy wording before you assume anything.
2. The lock is defective and the key no longer turns
This is normally the landlord's cost, because maintaining the flat in a usable condition is their obligation under the rental contract. A cylinder that is worn out after fifteen years is wear, not your mistake.
In practice, the landlord or the property management should be called first. If they cannot be reached and the situation does not allow waiting, you may commission the work yourself and pass on the invoice, but tell them as soon as you can and keep the paperwork. Our invoice states what was found and what was done, which is exactly what a landlord will ask for.
3. You lost the key
This is the expensive case, and the one where insurance matters most. If the flat has a single ordinary lock, a new cylinder is usually enough, from 89 €. If the building has a master key system (Schließanlage), a lost key can in principle mean the whole system has to be rekeyed, which can run into thousands of euros.
Private liability insurance with key cover normally pays for this, including the master key system, but you must report it to the insurer promptly. Look for "Verlust fremder Schlüssel" in your policy. If you rent, the key is legally someone else's property, which is precisely why the cover applies.
Before anyone assumes the worst: we check first whether a cylinder change is enough. A lost key does not automatically mean the whole system is compromised.
What a correct invoice has to contain
- Full company name and street address, not just a mobile number.
- What was done, and whether it was day, night, Sunday or a public holiday rate.
- VAT shown separately.
- Any material fitted, listed individually.
If a locksmith demands cash at the door without paperwork, that is the moment to stop. You are entitled to an invoice, and without one neither your insurer nor your landlord will reimburse anything. If you think a price was excessive, pay under reserve ("unter Vorbehalt"), note it on the receipt, and contact the Verbraucherzentrale Baden-Württemberg.
Frequently asked questions
Can my landlord force me to use a particular locksmith?
For an emergency opening you may choose. If the landlord is paying for a repair, they may reasonably want a say in who does the work and at what price, so calling them first avoids an argument about the bill later.
The building has a master key system. Am I liable for the whole thing?
Possibly, which is why key cover in a private liability policy matters so much in Germany. The insurer decides based on whether the system is genuinely compromised. We document what we find, and if a cylinder change is sufficient we say so in writing.
I am subletting. Does anything change?
The obligations sit with whoever holds the main rental contract, so a subtenant usually settles with the main tenant rather than the landlord. The locksmith bill itself still follows the three cases above.
Do I need to prove I live there?
Yes, and that rule protects you as much as us. An ID, post with your name in the letterbox, a rental contract on your phone or a neighbour who confirms it are all fine.
Contact
Felix Schlüsseldienst · Haußmannstraße 122B, 70188 Stuttgart · Member of IHK Stuttgart
Phone 0711 12183471 · WhatsApp
This page explains the usual rules and is not legal advice. In a dispute, ask a lawyer or a tenants' association (Mieterverein). The German page with the same content and more detail: Ausgesperrt: Kosten und Haftpflicht.
More in English: overview · locked out right now · prices.