Terminating Commercial Leases in Bremen: Notice Periods and Eviction

Terminating a commercial tenancy in Germany is markedly different—and generally much simpler for the landlord—than terminating a residential tenancy. Under the German Civil Code (Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch - BGB), which has been the primary governing statute since its effective date on 1 January 1900, the strict residential protections against eviction, such as the requirement of "legitimate interest" (Eigenbedarf) or the "social hardship clause," do not apply to commercial real estate in Bremen.

Legal DisclaimerThis guide provides general legal information. Lease laws can change. Always consult a licensed notary or lawyer in this region.

Fixed-Term Leases (Befristete Verträge)

The vast majority of commercial leases in Bremen are structured as fixed-term contracts (e.g., 5-year or 10-year terms).

• Automatic Expiration: A fixed-term commercial lease ends precisely on the agreed-upon date without either party needing to serve a notice of termination.
• Options to Renew: Tenants frequently negotiate a unilateral option to renew (e.g., a "5+5 year" lease). If the tenant exercises this option within the stipulated timeframe (usually 6-12 months before expiration), the lease is automatically extended.
• No Ordinary Termination: During the fixed term, neither the landlord nor the tenant can issue an "ordinary termination." Only "extraordinary termination" (for severe breach) is possible.
• The Written Form Trap: If a fixed-term contract spanning more than one year fails to meet the strict "written form" requirements (§ 550 BGB)—for instance, if an annex is not properly signed—the contract is legally considered an open-ended lease. However, under § 550 BGB, termination of such a lease is only permissible at the earliest one year after the property was handed over to the tenant.

Ordinary Termination (Ordentliche Kündigung)

Ordinary termination only applies to open-ended commercial leases (or fixed-term leases that structurally failed the written form requirement). Unlike residential law, a commercial landlord does not need to provide a reason to terminate an open-ended lease.

Statutory Notice Periods (§ 580a BGB)

If the commercial lease does not specify a custom notice period, the statutory default applies under § 580a(2) BGB:

• Notice Period: The termination notice must be received by the tenant no later than the third working day of a calendar quarter for it to take effect at the end of the next (subsequent) calendar quarter.
• Effective Duration: This results in an effective notice period of approximately 6 months (the remainder of the current quarter plus the entirety of the following quarter).

Contractual Freedom: Landlords and tenants can legally negotiate completely different notice periods in a commercial contract (e.g., 3 months, or 12 months) without adhering to the statutory default.

Extraordinary Termination Without Notice (Fristlose Kündigung)

Just like in residential law, a commercial lease—whether open-ended or fixed-term—can be terminated with immediate effect if one party commits a material breach of contract that makes continuing the relationship unreasonable (§ 543 BGB).

Valid Grounds for Landlords

• Rent Arrears: Under § 543 Abs. 2 Nr. 3 BGB, the landlord may terminate if the tenant is in arrears for two consecutive payment dates, or has accumulated a total debt equal to two months' rent over a longer period.
• Unapproved Change of Use: The tenant radically alters the purpose of the business (e.g., turning an office into an industrial kitchen) without the landlord's explicit consent.
• Endangerment of Property: Severe and willful neglect of the commercial space endangering the building's structural integrity.

Formal Warning (Abmahnung)

Except in the case of qualifying rent arrears, a landlord must almost always issue a formal written warning demanding behavioral correction before they can legally issue an extraordinary termination.

The Commercial Eviction Process (Räumungsklage)

If a commercial tenant's lease is effectively terminated (or naturally expires) but they refuse to vacate the premises, the landlord must follow the formal judicial eviction process. Even in commercial law, "self-help" evictions (like chaining the doors shut) are illegal.

1. Eviction Lawsuit: The landlord files a Räumungsklage. Jurisdiction is determined by the dispute value (Streitwert) under § 23 Nr. 1 GVG and § 71 Abs. 1 GVG: the District Court (Amtsgericht) handles disputes up to €5,000, while the Regional Court (Landgericht) has jurisdiction for disputes exceeding €5,000.
2. Court Proceeding: The court evaluates the validity of the termination.
3. Execution: Upon receiving an enforceable title, a court bailiff physically evicts the tenant.

Speed: Because commercial tenants cannot invoke "social hardship" defenses, commercial eviction lawsuits are generally resolved much faster than residential ones, though they still take several months.

Best Practices for Terminations

• Calendar Tracking: Missing the deadline for a notice to prevent an automatic option extension is a common and costly error. Track these exact dates meticulously.
• Secure Delivery: Always deliver termination notices via court bailiff (Gerichtsvollzieherzustellung) or registered mail with a return receipt (Einschreiben mit Rückschein) to prove precise delivery dates.
• Maintain Written Form: Never agree to lease alterations verbally; always secure them in writing to prevent the entire fixed-term contract from collapsing into an open-ended one.

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